Governor Rick Scott signed the Everglades Restoration bill Tuesday.
The bill set asides $32 million in state funds annually for Everglades Restoration. It’s part of an $880 million state and federal 10 year partnership to clean-up and re-plumb the River of Grass.
Scott said during the signing in West Palm Beach that the bill represents a long-term commitment by the state.
“The Everglades are very important to our state, very important to our country and the world,” Scott said. “It’s an international treasure. We have to make sure that we increase the flow water and the quality of the water. So many of our families get their water from the Everglades, but we have got to continue to improve this.”
The Everglades bill preserves an ongoing tax on sugar producers, whose run-off contributes to pollution in the River of Grass.
The tax on sugar producers was set to decrease, but both producers and environmentalists were able to reach a deal to keep the tax at the same rate.
