We are getting closer to our ultimate goal: no toxic discharges ever again.

Today, the House passed a biennial water infrastructure bill known as the Water Resources Development Act, and it included seven pieces of legislation I wrote, including the Northern Estuaries Restoration Plan (NERP).  This is monumental for our community and South Florida as a whole. 

NERP requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finally develop infrastructure that will end all harmful discharges to the St. Lucie River, the Caloosahatchee River and the rest of the northern estuaries.  Thanks to the Central Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), we’ve seen major progress made when it comes to the health of the Everglades, but the Army Corps needs to plan for what comes after CERP.  That’s NERP.  It’s a first-of-its-kind initiative that will completely eliminate harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee. 

This is the most important piece of legislation for our waterways that Congress has considered in years, and I am excited that it is just steps away from being signed into law.  For more information on the seven provisions included in WRDA and to stay up-to-date on the bill’s progress, click here.