During a visit to Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach Friday Governor Ron DeSantis annnounced $114 million in grants to fund water quality improvement projects around the state. The governor said it was fitting that the announcement was made in Brevard County.
"Of that $114 million in grants, more than $53 million is dedicated to 13 water quality projects which will significantly improve the health of the Indian River Lagoon," Governor DeSantis said.
Locally the fund will be used to eliminate more than 3,000 septic tanks and upgrade three water treatment facilities reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous released into the environment by tens of thousands of pounds a year.
"This lagoon covers 40-percent of Florida's East coast and is the most biologically diverse estuary in North America," the governor said. "It's an important resource for many plant and animal species. The lagoon is also a key driver of the economy of the region."
For starters, Governor DeSantis says the lagoon provides an estimated $2 billion annually in tourism and recreation. Sebastian Inlet State Park is one of the 5 state parks within the lagoon which runs from Ponce de Leon Inlet in Volusia County down to Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County.
Image courtesy Getty