The Indian River Lagoon performed well in the state budget this week, despite Gov. Ron DeSantis‘veto pen.
DeSantis signed a $116.5 billion state budget Wednesday after vetoing nearly a billion in programs and projects, including more than $18 million in environmental funding requested by Brevard County and cities across the county this year.
But the budget also includes $75 million for grants and assistance to local governments to implement water quality improvement projects along the 250-kilometer Indian River Lagoon. It also includes $350,000 for five Indian River Lagoon Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory water quality instruments for the St. Lucie Estuary and surrounding Indian River Lagoon areas, as well as $250,000 for National Estuary Program activities to meet total maximum daily water pollution limits .
Lagoon and other specific environmental projects in Brevard have generated more than $12 million in state funding.
Funded projects under the province’s Save Our Lagoon plan include $4.3 million for dredging organic manure from Sykes Creek; $1 million to convert 71 locations on Merritt Island from septic tanks to sewers; and $450,000 for septic tank upgrades to advanced treatment.
More: Group points to budget ‘turkeys’ Brevard projects are on Florida TaxWatch’s annual list of “Budget Turkeys.”
Local lagoon and environmental projects financed
The more than $12 million in Brevard Indian River Lagoon projects funded include:
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Sykes Creek Phase 2 Environmental Dredging and Interstitial Water Treatment Project – $4,324,002
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University of Central Florida – Final phase of lagoon inflow restoration – $4,900,000
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Merritt Island Zone F Septic-to-Sewer Project (71 locations) – $1,000,000
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Indian River Lagoon septic upgrades to advanced treatment units – $450,000
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Palm Bay Indian River Lagoon Baffle Boxes Projects – $750,000
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Palm Bay IRL Water Quality Improvement Project – Basestream and Ponds Improvement – $550,000
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West Melbourne Flood Risk Reduction – Technology Drive – $150,000
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Flood Risk Reduction in West Melbourne Connect Channel 70 to Channel 63 – $400,000
Local lagoon and environmental vetoes
DeSantis vetoed more than $18 million in lagoon and other environmental or water projects in Brevard, including:
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Eau Gallie NE Environmental Dredging and Interstitial Water Treatment – $1,500,000
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Indian River Lagoon to be quickly connected to sewer – $450,000
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Replacement of Merritt Island lift stations – $1,000,000
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Merritt Island Channel Dredging – $1,500,000
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Merritt Island Sewer and Manhole Lining Phase 2 – $1,000,000
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Port St. John Regional Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, Phase 2 – $1,250,000
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Replacement of lead and copper service lines in Melbourne – $250,000
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Cocoa City Septic to sewer conversion for 88 homes – $4,000,000
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Cocoa Beach Gravity Sewer Rehabilitation – $1,000,000
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Rockledge Advanced Water Treatment Phase 1 Brevard Water Project – $2,500,000
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Satellite Beach – Grand Canal and Finger Canals Muck Dredging – $3,000,000
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Sebastian Inlet North and South Jetty Maintenance and Safety Improvements – $1,000,000
Also cut was a $2.5 million project to relocate the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority from its sewer facility along the Indian River Lagoon.
Other environmental funding in this year’s budget includes $850 million for Everglades restoration; $535 million in projects to improve water quality and implement the recommendations of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force; and $15 million in infrastructure improvements at state parks.
The budget also provides more than $129 million in funding to protect Florida’s protected areas and waterways, including $100 million for the Florida Forever Program to support land conservation and recreation.
This year’s budget also includes $55 million to restore Florida’s springs and $40 million to improve water quality and combat the effects and impacts of harmful algal blooms, including blue-green algae and red tide.
Contact Waymer at 321) 261-503 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @jwayEnviro.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Indian River Lagoon gets millions despite DeSantis vetoes
