This weekend, a forum of environmentalists, state and federal officials came together for the 28th annual Everglades Conference at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.

With the backdrop of the luxurious tropical setting, key players discussed how to protect one of the worlds most important habitats at a time when funding is slowing down.
Governor Rick Scott made an unscheduled appearance during the opening reception to applaud last year’s approval of an $800 million cleanup settlement between Florida and the federal government. But statewide, funding is scarce. Last year, budgets devoted to everglades cleanup were slashed.

Erik Eickenberg, CEO for the Everglades Foundation, which sponsored the conference says the settlement along with other funding plans, rely too much on taxpayers footing the bill for cleanup.

"The basic point of the RTI study as its called is that 76% of the pollution within the everglades agricultural area is produced by the farming interest- the sugar interest", said Eickenberg. "However the report shows that only 24% of the cost to clean up that pollution is paid for by the sugar industry."

At the federal level, deep funding cuts are a possibility. Sarah Barmeyer of the National Parks Conservation Association says a lot of the projects for the comprehensive everglades restoration plan and the national park service are in jeopardy.

"Speaking about the national park service alone, usually right now they’re looking at hiring seasonal rangers for the summer and their waiting to do that right now and they may not even hire any for the summer", said Barmeyer.

But there was some good news. Officials celebrated the groundbreaking of a $51 million pump Station in South Miami Dade. It will bring much needed freshwater to Everglades National Park and the Florida Bay.