While Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is often praised for protecting conservative values in Florida, his efforts to protect the environment often go under many voters' radars. The Republican Party is now airing ads that praise the Florida's first "green governor's " achievements in protecting the Florida environment.
“Keeping Florida Beautiful” is a 30-second television and digital advertisement being aired in south Florida media markets by the Republican Party of Florida. The TV advertisement highlights how the Governor’s policy achievements improved Florida’s water quality and protected our natural resources. The ad reads as follows:
“In South Florida, water is our way of life.
“From our beaches to our fisheries, our water quality is tied to our prosperity.
“That’s why Governor DeSantis secured a record $3.3 billion to restore the Everglades after years of neglect, advanced reservoir projects to clean the water, restored the flow of water to Florida Bay, and protected Biscayne Bay.
“Governor DeSantis improved our water quality and is protecting our natural resources, leaving Florida to God better than we found it.”
Aside from what is mentioned in the ad, Governor DeSantis has been quite the collector of accolades that commend his environmental work over the course of his first term as governor. Governor DeSantis has been endorsed by the Everglades Trust in 2022 and 2018.
The results from the administration can even be physically seen in the South Florida environment. In 3 years, roughly 50 Everglades restoration projects have broken ground, hit a major milestone, or finished construction. The projects include: EAA Reservoir Project to send clean water south, while reducing damaging discharges from Lake Okeechobee, Raising the Tamiami Trail to increase the flow of clean, fresh water south, Completed and activated the C-44 Stormwater Treatment Area, which can store 50,000 acre-feet of water and will reduce harmful algal blooms.
Most of the projects above were completed before their deadline. Going into 2022, the governor has plenty of completed environmental policies under his belt, a tool that will be useful against a more progressive than usual, Charlie Crist.
