Halfway through the projected 30-year life of the Everglades restoration project, no one expects the job to be completed on time.
Yet there was unusual optimism Friday at the annual conference of the Everglades Coalition, the group of environmentalists, scientists, business leaders and government officials who support the restoration of South Florida’s wilderness.
New projects are breaking ground and promising to improve wildlife habitat, while federal and state funding is expected to rise to levels not seen since before the recession.
“2016 is going to be an amazing year for Everglades restoration,” John Adornato, of the National Parks Conservation Association, said during the event held in Coral Gables.
The restoration’s official halfway point fell on Dec. 11, marking 15 years since President Clinton signed the Everglades restoration bill in an Oval Office event attended by then-Gov. Jeb Bush.
Much more money is expected to come through for the work. The Legacy Florida bill in the state Legislature, supported by Gov. Rick Scott, would devote $200 million a year to Everglades restoration from the Amendment 1 conservation fund.
Many environmentalists regard the Legislature’s spending of the Amendment 1 money from last year to have been little short of looting, as the lawmakers used the voter-approved land-conservation fund for routine government expenses.