DeSantis announces $23M spending plan to boost Biscayne Bay water quality projects
MIAMI -- Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced $22.7 million will go toward water-quality projects involving Biscayne Bay, including wetlands restoration, stormwater management and long-awaited conversions from septic tanks to sewer systems in Miami.
The money, spread through seven grants, is based on recommendations of the Biscayne Bay Commission, which was created in a 2021 law.
"It's a very big, populous part of the state. And so, there's just naturally things that you have to deal with," DeSantis said while at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne. "And of course, it seems to be a place that more and more people want to come to,"
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Shawn Hamilton called septic tanks in Miami "a longstanding legacy problem."
The current state budget includes $20 million for projects involving Biscayne Bay, including septic-to-sewer conversions and wastewater projects.
The plan calls for using part of the money to restore mangroves in order to improve water quality and help with hurricane impacts.
DeSantis continued. "So, being able to do some of the things we're doing with this is going to have a lot of effects downstream and it's going to make the bay better."
According to the governor's office, the projects that will benefit have been identified as:
- $14.5 million is awarded to Miami-Dade County for water quality characterization and pollution reduction projects.
- $2.3 million is awarded to the City of North Miami for septic to sewer conversions.
- $2 million is awarded to the City of Coral Gables for Phase I Sanitary Sewer improvements.
- $2 million is awarded to the City of Miami Springs for stormwater infrastucture.
- $700,000 is awarded to the Town of Cutler Bay for wetland restoration.
- $650,000 is awarded to the Village of Key Biscayne for stormwater infrastructure.
- $600,000 is awarded to Miami River Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization, will work with local governments on stormwater and marine debris management.
