Billions on table for Everglades

After years of underfunding (some years with none) the state's land conservation arm seems poised to get the Everglades restoration on track.

Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday that the state will commit $5 billion over 20 years to fully fund the state's portion of Everglades projects like the Caloosahatchee River reservoir, a massive compound designed to store upwards of 55 billion gallons of stormwater run-off.

"We're just delighted that the governor is committed to provide money for the state share of Everglades restoration," said Pete Quasius with Audubon of the Western Everglades. "This will help both the Calooshatchee and the St. Lucie."

The Caloosahatchee and St Lucie Rivers were artificially connected to Lake Okeechobee about a century ago, and taxpayers have spent untold billions to mitigate the drainage work and to protect endangered species threatened by the ecological changes.

Everglades money will be used for the Caloosahatchee reservoir as well as water storage areas to the south. Those lands could take release water from Lake O, which now comes mostly through the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie systems.

Much of the money Scott promised is tied to Amendment 1, which was approved by more than 75 percent of voters and could eventually generate $1 billion a year for state land purchases, Everglades projects and land management. Scott and Florida lawmakers can only use those monies for land and water quality issues.

Eric Eikenberg with the Everglades Coalition said now is the time for residents and business owners to build on the momentum -- maybe send letters to elected officials or reach out to them by phone.

"We're at the goal line," Eikenberg said. "We need somebody to take the ball and score. (The government) needs to hear that. They need encouragement."

Bills regarded how the Amendment 1 money will be used are expected to come from the House of Representatives and Senate in the next few weeks and will likely set the framework for the next 20 years of Amendment 1 money allocation.

One major goal is to purchase lands south of Lake Okeechobee and use those lands for water storage. Storing water on land allows for natural filtration of nutrients and pollution and helps drinking water aquifers recharge.

Nearly 75 percent of voters said "yes" on Amendment 1, or the Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative. The money is generated by a real estate transaction document tax and will be used for land purchases and management. Recent state estimates say the program will generate more than $600 million in its first year, which starts in July.

Locally, the initiative is expected to fund Everglades restoration projects, water quality features such as the Caloosahatchee Reservoir, and to pay farmers for land easements that would increase panther habitat.

The amendment would not increase taxes but would force the state to use the money for conservation and land management. That money was used under past regimes: Florida started setting aside money for conservation purchases in 1963, and was once the nation's leading conservation program. Florida Forever, in its heyday, had an annual budget of $300 million and secured more than 683,000 acres at a value of $2.87 billion.

From 2009 through 2012, a period that would have generated $1.2 billion under past regimes, the state government under Charlie Crist and Rick Scott set aside about $20 million combined for Florida Forever.

"(Tuesday's commitment) creates some certainty that restoration projects will get done," said Eric Draper with Audubon of Florida.

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Florida Forever

By the numbers (since 2001)

•$2.89: Billions spent

•707,740: Acres purchased

•384,380: Acres acquired to function as flood plains

•818: Archeological, historic sites

•9.9: Million acres of conservation land in Florida

Source: Florida Department of Environmental Protection