My fight’s not done until there are no more toxic discharges plaguing our rivers, lagoons, and coastal estuaries. It’s been my top priority since the day I took the oath to serve you, and our way of life and our livelihoods depend on us succeeding. 

We know what happens when we have a season that’s wetter than usual. In 2013, 2016, and 2018, discharges from Lake Okeechobee left the St. Lucie estuary covered in algae so thick it looked like guacamole. Pets died, businesses were shuttered and people got sick. This can never happen again.

Here in Florida, water quality is the foundation of everything we do. Economists have projected the value of the Everglades at $1 trillion—and every dollar that’s invested for restoration generates four more back for our state.

Tourism, real estate, fishing guides, waterfront restaurants—when you've got a trillion-dollar asset sitting in your backyard, the economy depends on getting the job done right.

• Tourism dollars pay our bills. The taxes visitors generate save Florida households nearly $2,000 a year. 

• Real estate is more than a quarter of our state’s economy—and the highest share of any state in the nation. 

• Florida’s ocean economy has supported more than 24,000 businesses, more than 546,000 employees, and contributed nearly $40 billion to our GDP. 

• Proximity to clean water adds 7 percent to single-family home values and 14 percent to condos.

All told, 84,000 businesses are counting on us to win this fight. Their doors stay open only if the water stays clean, and those businesses generate $223.5 billion a year. 

A thriving Everglades means a thriving economy. I'll keep fighting until our water is clean, our estuaries are safe, and this trillion-dollar asset is protected for our children and grandchildren.