Díaz-Balart, Wasserman Schultz Celebrate 25 years of Restoring America’s Everglades through CERP

WASHINGTON D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL-26), joined fellow Congressional Everglades Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), in releasing the following statement celebrating the 25^thanniversary of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP):

"Twenty-five years ago, the State of Florida and the U.S. Congress, through the leadership and collaboration of Congressman Díaz-Balart and the late Congressman Alcee Hastings, co-founded and launched the most significant environmental restoration project in U.S. history: an ambitious, long-term bipartisan effort to repair and revive America's Everglades, a national treasure and true ecological wonder. Today, that commitment remains strong under the continued leadership of Reps. Díaz-Balart and Wasserman Schultz as co-chairs of the Everglades Caucus.

Since then, the bipartisan Caucus has worked tirelessly to deliver the authorizations and critical funding needed to restore and preserve this unique ecosystem on which more than nine million Floridians rely. Whether ensuring clean, safe drinking water; protecting our endangered species and habitats; or honoring our commitments to Florida's Tribal Nations, the preservation of America's Everglades remains essential for our communities today and for generations to come."

Background

In 2000, the U.S. government and the State of Florida embarked on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the largest environmental restoration effort in history to repair and revive the ecosystem.

In November 2007, Congress overrode a President George W. Bush veto and passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007, authorizing $1.8 billion in Everglades restoration funding and reaffirming congressional support for Everglades restoration.

Founded in 2006, the Everglades Caucus is a bipartisan group whose mission is to advance legislation that provides long-term funding for Everglades-related projects that ensure restoration and preservation of this unique ecosystem.

As we commemorate 25 years of CERP, below are key milestones that have broken ground or reached completion:

Major CERP Milestones

Picayune Strand - 2011

• Congress authorized the Picayune Strand Restoration Project in 2007 as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).
• The South Florida Water Management District expedited construction by filling in and plugging seven miles of the Prairie Canal and completing approximately 25 percent of the road removal.
• When complete, the Picayune Strand Restoration Project will restore natural water flows over an 85-square-mile area.
• The project will improve the area's hydrology, allow for the return of more balanced plant communities, increase aquifer recharge, and send fresh water in a more natural manner to the coastal estuaries.

C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project - 2013

• First project to be completed under CERP.
• In 2004, Diaz-Balartauthored H.R. 3785, which authorized the land swap between the State of Florida and Everglades National Park to construct the canal.
• The purpose of the canal is to restore freshwater flows to Florida Bay through Taylor Slough and to preserve clean water for Everglades National Park, and maintain flood controls for eastern communities. H.R. 3785 was signed into law later that year.

Tamiami Trail Bridge - 2013& 2019

• Restored natural water flows through the Everglades ecosystem by eliminating one mile of the 10.7-mile-long barrier that the Tamiami roadway presents to water flow south into Everglades National Park.
• Increased water volume and flow under the bridge will help re-establish seasonal water depths and flooding durations that are critical to the survival of many fish and wildlife species, and stem saltwater intrusion into the Everglades south of Tamiami Trail.

Merrit Pump Station - 2014

• A key component of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project.
• The Merritt Pump Station is the first major construction contract to be completed under CERP.

Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation Project - 2023

• Diaz-Balart played a vitalrole over the years in securing the authorization, funding, and consistent oversight to expedite the rehabilitation of the Herbert Hoover Dike.
• The Dike is vital to communities surrounding Lake Okeechobee and to the regional local ecosystem, and expediting its completion has been the number one priority for counties throughout Southern Florida.
• The rehabilitation project was completed in January 2023.

Stormwater Treatment Cell 1 in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir - 2024

• The EEA Reservoir Project includes an above-ground water storage reservoir, a constructed wetland (STA) to improve water quality, and capacity improvements to local canals.
• Located between Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, the EAA Reservoir Project will also help recreate the historic flow of water south to recharge our aquifers, nourish the Everglades, and support the health of Florida Bay.

Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir Completion - July 2025

• Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir is a 10,000-acre reservoir that will improve water quality, protect coastal ecosystems, and expand Florida's water storage capacity.
• The C-43 Reservoir pump station, capable of moving 650,000 gallons per minute, is now fully operational.
• Diaz-Balart played a vital role in 2014 in securing the authorization of the C-43 Reservoir through the passage of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014.
• Diaz-Balart, as Vice-Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, has continued to secure billions of federal dollars for Everglades Restoration, and continues to reiterate to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the urgency of expediting completion, transparency, and remaining cost-effective while restoring and preserving America's Everglades.

EAA Reservoir Project Expedition- August 2025

• The EEA Reservoir Project includes an above-ground water storage reservoir, a constructed wetland known as an STA to improve water quality, and capacity improvements to local canals.
• Diaz-Balart played an instrumental rolein 2018 to secure the authorization of the EAA Reservoir with the passage of S.3021, America's Water and Infrastructure Act of 2018.
• As a senior Appropriations Member, Diaz-Balart:
• secured$67.5M for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration in the FY2019 Energy & Water Appropriation bill, which includes critical federal dollars for the EAA Reservoir.
• included $461M for Everglades Restoration in the FY2026 Committee-passed Energy & Water Appropriations bill.

State of Florida - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' MOU will:

• Accelerate the EAA Reservoir's construction timeline by fiveyears, from 2034 to 2029.
• Store over 78 billiongallons of water.
• Deliver 270-470 billion gallons of clean water annually to the Everglades and Biscayne Aquifer, aiding freshwater inflows to Florida Bay.
• The State of Florida will handle the construction of inflow and outflow pump stations and work on the Blue Shanty Flow Way, while the Army Corps maintains oversight of the main reservoir.

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