Did DeSantis commit almost $10 billion to Everglades restoration?

Since taking office in 2019, Gov. Ron DeSantis has committed nearly $9.5 billion to Everglades restoration projects, close to the $10 billion he claimed during a Sept. 9 ribbon cutting ceremony at Lake Okeechobee.

This summer, the DeSantis administration allocated nearly $1.2 billion to Everglades restoration and water quality improvements for the 2026-27 fiscal year. These include infrastructure restoration and reducing harmful discharges in estuaries.

It’s important to note that $9.5 billion hasn’t already been invested into the Everglades during DeSantis’ two terms; it’s money that his administration has committed to these projects in the state’s annual budgets.

In 2023, DeSantis launched a program to support coral conservation. Future funding committed to that program was left out of the 2026-27 FY budget. Therefore, while the governor has committed that money to Everglades restoration projects, that doesn’t mean it’s already been used.