(From Florida Today)
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday June 30 vetoed $6.8 million, or about 28% of the roughly $24 million state lawmakers had designated for Indian River Lagoon cleanups and other environmental-type projects in Brevard County.
Among the projects in Brevard that lawmakers proposed but that didn’t make it into the final budget:
- $12 million to reduce the nutrient flux of soft muck sediments in the Banana River Lagoon in Cocoa Beach.
- $4.8 million to reduce runoff pollution in Satellite Beach.
- $4.2 million to dredge 390,000 cubic yards of muck from the Indian River Lagoon in a deep pit near Eau Gallie Causeway.
The budget cuts have sparked concern among local leaders and environmental advocates who argue the funds were essential for addressing ongoing water quality issues in the ecologically vital lagoon.
Source: Florida Today and Sebastian Daily