SOUTH BAY, Fla. — Ron DeSantis announced Monday that all federally funded contracts for Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) reservoirs have been fully fulfilled, marking a significant step forward in one of the state’s largest environmental remediation efforts.
The announcement was made in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is partnering with the state on the project.
The completed contract is expected to accelerate construction of the reservoir, with an expected completion date of 2029, about five years earlier than originally planned, state officials said.
EAA reservoirs are considered a central component of a broader Everglades restoration plan aimed at improving water storage, reducing harmful runoff to coastal estuaries, and restoring more natural water flow to the Everglades ecosystem.
DeSantis said the milestone represents progress toward long-term environmental goals related to restoring the Everglades, a vast subtropical wetland system in South Florida that has experienced decades of ecosystem degradation due to development and water management practices.
State officials describe the reservoir project as one of the most important infrastructure efforts in the Everglades Comprehensive Restoration Plan, a decades-long federal and state partnership.
The announcement comes as the state of Florida continues to invest heavily in Everglades restoration and water quality improvements, which together constitute one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the United States.
