In two terms as governor, Ron DeSantis has secured about $9 billion for water quality projects and Everglades restoration. The money has launched, continued and finished construction initiatives meant
to mimic the natural flow of water from Lake Okeechobee through the River of Grass before South Florida was carved up, dried out,scarred by canals, and corralled for farms and homes.
But ask environmentalists with a wider array of concerns — over development, climate change, water pollution, gopher tortoise survival, Florida panther deaths, manatee starvation, state parks, local control— and they offer a different perspective of DeSantis’ environmental legacy.
Here are some of DeSantis big wins and ones that may have come up short during his office time:
The praises: Five environmental wins for Gov. Ron DeSantis
∎ EAA Reservoir: The Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir will store water from Lake Okeechobee before it can be cleaned and moved south. It was fast tracked under DeSantis to be completed by 2029, which is five years ahead of schedule. Some environmental groups argue the reservoir doesn't have a big enough footprint to be effective.
∎ Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project: Restores freshwater flows to southern Biscayne Bay and Biscayne National Park by extending canals, building culverts and installing pumps to better conduct water flow.
∎ Caloosahatchee C-43 Reservoir: Completed a 10,000-acre reservoir to hold basin water runoff and water from Lake Okeechobee when the Caloosahatchee River doesn’t need an abundance of freshwater. The reservoir is still in its initial phases of accepting water. Some environmental groups are concerned the depth of the reservoir will promote harmful algae blooms.
∎ Blue Shanty Flow Way: Broke ground on this project to reconnect the natural sheet flow of water from Lake Okeechobee through water conservation areas and into Everglades National Park by going under the western Tamiami Trail bridges. The freshwater will benefit tree islands, sawgrass marshes, sloughs, cypress forests, mangrove forests and seagrasses.
∎ Picayune Strand Restoration Project: Restores the natural flow of water through 55,000 acres of native Florida wetlands in southwest Florida by removing 260 miles of roads, plugging 40 miles of canals, and removed more than 60 miles of logging tram roads.
The critics: Five environmental misses for Gov. Ron DeSantis
∎ Signed legislation that preempts local zoning decisions in place to protect environmental resources to pave the way for more development.
∎ Considered the Twin Rivers conservation land swap, which would have imperiled part of the Twin Rivers State Forest east of Tallahassee in exchange for a peanut farm. The proposal was dropped after public opposition. Public outcry also thwarted the installation of golf courses, hotels and other amenities at state parks.
∎ Signed legislation that erases most references to climate change from state law and prohibits state and local governments from adopting or enforcing net-zero greenhouse gas emissions policies, including carbon taxes.
∎ Failed to adopt water quality criteria for microcystins and cylindrospermopsin despite a federal issuance of final recommended human health recreational water quality criteria in 2019, according to an Aug. 20, 2026 letter from multiple environmental groups including the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
∎ Made it easier for the development of agricultural land by changing the public hearing process and how an "agricultural enclave" gets approved.
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for the USA TODAY NETWORK FLORIDA. She covers weather, the environment and critters as the Embracing Florida reporter. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Five environmental hits and misses under Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
