Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the state will fund nearly $30 million for environmental restoration projects in South Florida.
Twenty million dollars will go toward the Biscayne Bay water quality improvement projects, bringing the state’s total investment in the bay to $100 million since 2021.
DeSantis announced the new funding at a press conference on Tuesday at Florida International University’s Biscayne Bay campus.
“ These grants will support a total of eight projects, including six new projects and supplemental funding for two existing and expanding projects," DeSantis said.
The money is earmarked to convert septic tanks to sewer, upgrade wastewater systems and improve stormwater infrastructure in municipalities across Miami-Dade County, including Cutler Bay, Miami Beach, Miami Shores, North Miami Beach and Homestead.
DeSantis said that $9.5 million will also go toward Florida's Coral Reef Restoration and Recovery Initiative.
"The reef has experienced an outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease, it's progressed rapidly to affect the entire reef ecosystem," DeSantis said.
That amount is part of the plan to restore 25-percent of Florida’s coral reef by the year 2050.
READ MORE: Pollution on Biscayne Bay: Water quality report brings another warning sign
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