$200 Million Appropriation for Everglades Restoration

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) – Keep Florida Fishing®’s (KFF) Kellie Ralston, who serves as Southeast Fisheries Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association, provided the following statement related to U.S. House of Representatives and Senate appropriators allotting $200 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Everglades restoration as part of their year-end spending deal.

“On behalf of Florida’s more than four million anglers, we thank Congress, and especially our Florida Delegation, for providing $200 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate Everglades restoration projects in 2020. We also appreciate the President’s leadership in recognizing the importance of sufficient federal funding to match the state of Florida’s commitment to these important projects. Adequate funding is necessary each year to keep Everglades restoration projects on schedule and to reduce the harmful environmental impacts that have resulted from this altered system. This historic federal funding is a tremendous win for the Everglades and will ensure that generations of fishing enthusiasts may continue to enjoy Florida’s natural resources including clean waters, abundant fisheries and access to both for years to come,” said Kellie Ralston, Southeast Fisheries Policy Director of the American Sportfishing Association.

About Keep Florida Fishing®
Keep Florida Fishing® is an advocacy arm of the American Sportfishing Association with the goal of ensuring Florida anglers have clean waters, abundant fisheries and access to both. Florida is considered the ‘Fishing Capital of the World’ and home to more than four million licensed anglers, supporting 106,296 jobs, providing $11.5 billion in economic activity and contributing more than $56.7 million for fisheries conservation. Learn more at www.keepfloridafishing.org. Find Keep Florida Fishing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.