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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) praised the House passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and urged the Senate to move swiftly in approving the measure. Rubio secured numerous key provisions in WRDA, including funding for critical U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects related to Everglades restoration, beach renourishment, flood control, and environmental protection.
 
“I am optimistic that we will be able to pass this critical legislation before the end of the year,” Rubio said. “Not only does this bill authorize a number of projects that will benefit Florida, but it includes language to fix the bureaucratic mess that has caused unnecessary delays to the construction of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir. The EAA reservoir is a critical piece of infrastructure that will help move Everglades restoration forward, and reduce the threat that harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee pose to our coastal communities.”
 
“Overall, the Water Resources Development Act takes significant steps to improve Florida’s ports, flood-prevention infrastructure, reservoirs, and water systems,” Rubio continued. “It also includes important steps in protecting the progress we’ve made under the Central Everglades Restoration Plan, and increases the ability of our local partners to contribute to this work. Good water management, and protecting the future of the Everglades, are critical to the health of our state’s communities and economy. This bill continues to make much-needed investments in those areas.”
 
“Finally, I am grateful to my House colleagues for including my SLITHER Act,” Rubio concluded. “This bill will help federal, state, tribal, and local partners collaborate and innovate in new ways as we identify and eliminate invasive species that threaten the effective restoration of South Florida’s ecosystem. I’m also grateful they rightly chose to honor fallen FWC Officer Julian Keen.”