In Case You Missed It: Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Landmark Agreement with U.S. Department of the Army to Accelerate Everglades Restoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 18, 2025

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the State of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army have reached a landmark agreement that allows Florida to take the lead on key components of the federally funded Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), including the “crown jewel” of Everglades restoration — the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir.

“A long-awaited project, first envisioned and authorized decades ago, is finally becoming a reality. The EAA Reservoir is not only fully funded and under construction — it's moving forward faster than expected, thanks to new state and federal cooperation,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The completed EAA Reservoir will deliver major benefits for Florida's coastal communities, fishermen, tourism industry, and our unique natural environment that we're conserving for generations to come.”

The EAA Reservoir, located south of Lake Okeechobee, will store over 78 billion gallons of water — larger than Manhattan — and deliver up to 470 billion gallons of clean water annually to the Everglades and Florida Bay. It also supports the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for South Florida.

“The Army is thrilled to sign this agreement with the state of Florida emphasizing use of leveraging authorities to propel faster project delivery by delegating work to the state of Florida. By strengthening our partnership with the state of Florida, we’re building on the historic commitment in President Trump’s FY26 budget to expedite work on Everglades Restoration,” said Mr. Lee Forsgren, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). 

For decades, Florida’s water system was altered to prevent flooding, but at the cost of cutting off the natural flow of water to the Everglades. This project is designed to correct that — redirecting water south, restoring ecosystems, and significantly reducing harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.

“Floridians understand the Everglades better than anyone else. We live, work and recreate here, and we are committed to the land and water that sustains us,” said Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “We appreciate our federal partnership and while the structure of our partnership is evolving with the inking of these agreements, our goal remains aligned — restoring America’s Everglades.”

The new agreement between Florida and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will:

• Accelerate the EAA Reservoir’s construction timeline by five years — from 2034 to 2029.
• Authorize Florida to construct the inflow and outflow pump stations, along with other supporting features, enabling the Corps to focus on the main reservoir basin.
• Allow Florida to assume responsibility for the Blue Shanty Flow Way, a vital system to deliver clean water south across the Tamiami Trail and into Florida Bay.
• Enable Florida to manage future CERP projects, through expedited permitting and updated federal memoranda of understanding.
• Cut federal red tape and redirect resources to fast-track critical restoration efforts.

Florida’s leadership has already resulted in faster, cleaner and more affordable restoration efforts. Since 2019:

• The C-43 Reservoir was completed and is now operational, delivering 55 billion gallons of water storage and a state-of-the-art pump station.
• The C-44 Reservoir, S-333 Expansion, and Old Tamiami Trail Removal were completed ahead of schedule, improving freshwater flow to key ecosystems.
• Annual nutrient reduction totals have reached over 1.8 million pounds of nitrogen, and 770,000 pounds of phosphorus removed from Florida’s waterways.

Under the Biden Administration, federal projects managed by the Army Corps faced significant delays, some taking three times longer to begin construction. This was further exacerbated by delays from leadership in the Biden Interior Department. Florida’s approach, managed by the South Florida Water Management District, has outpaced the federal timeline by delivering projects six to seven years faster and under budget.

Today’s announcement includes the formal signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the State of Florida and Department of the Army which is implemented through a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District.

These agreements reflect a shared commitment between Florida and the U.S. Army to get the job done and done right.

To view the MOA, click here.

To view the MOU, click here.

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