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When the U.S. Congress approved the CERP in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA 2000), there was clear recognition that the Yellow
Book (USACE and SFWMD, 1999) provided only a general outline for the restoration
of the Everglades and not a detailed restoration plan. To facilitate restoration
actions in the face of uncertainty, an adaptive management approach (Holling,
1978) was embraced as a mechanism to incorporate emerging scientific and
engineering information into the plan and to address unforeseen issues related to
the restoration project. Congress approved funding for an adaptive management
and monitoring program in WRDA 2000, and the Programmatic Regulations
(33 CFR §385.31) directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to adopt
an adaptive management approach.
The Programmatic Regulations define adaptive management as “a means for
analyzing the performance of the Plan and assessing progress toward meeting the
goals and purposes of the Plan as well as a basis for improving the performance
of the Plan.”

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Progress
Toward Restoring the Everglades: The Sixth Biennial Review - 2016. Washington,
DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/23672.

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Inconsistent Funding led to Abandoned/Deauthorized Projects

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Inconsistent Funding led to Abandoned/Deauthorized Projects

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CERP projects with costs exceeding
$25 million must be individually authorized by Congress

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Less than 20% of CERP projects have been funded

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Less than 20% of CERP projects have been funded

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"Financing the CERP remains a challenge. According to a 2014 report, less than 20 percent of CERP projects have been funded to date, and it could take 100 years to complete the CERP at the current rate of funding, during which time the Everglades would decline further. The report notes that completing the CERP in 50 years, as estimated in a 2014 Congressional Research Service report, would require "substantial additional investment."

University of Maryland. (2017, February 6). Everglades restoration report shows success, but climate change remains a challenge. PhysOrg. https://phys.org/news/2017-02-everglades-success-climate.html

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the lead federal agencies responsible for implementing many of the water management and infrastructure components of CERP. They oversee the construction and operation of various projects designed to restore the natural flow of water in the Everglades.

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The new management program required clear and specific goals and objectives with timeely assessments and evaluations.  These evaluations, termed “CERP Updates,” are to be conducted
“whenever necessary to ensure that the goals and objectives of the Plan are
achieved but not any less often than every 5 years.” These evaluations can
result in consideration of adjustments in operations, CERP components (removing, adding or changing), or any combination of these. The Initial CERP Update
(RECOVER, 2005b) was conducted and published in 2005, which included
revisions to performance measures, model updates, and changes in modeling. However, No such evaluation of the
CERP has been conducted since 2005 despite substantial changes in scientific,
technical, and planning information!

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Relation to Public Budgeting at Federal Level/Impact on Community

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• Pressures South Florida Water Management District to advocate in favor of agricultural water uses
•Senate Bill 2508 was vetoed by Governor DeSantis on June 8, 2022
•Senate President Wilton Simpson supported SB 2508 which opponents of the bill claim would benefit agricultural industry interests over other stakeholders. It was reported in 2022, that Senator Simpson was running for the position of agriculture commissioner.

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• Safe drinking water for 1 in 3 Floridians
• Hurricane/Flooding Protection
• Economic Impact - Fishing/Tourism

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• Florida sugar industry contributes over $6 million USD to state political campaigns & nearly $1 million USD at the federal level

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Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project

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Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Project

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• Approved by State of Florida in 2017
• Funded in 2022

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• Habitat for over 750 animal species including about 39 that are threatened or endangered
• Home to approximately 750 native plant species of about 160 are listed endangered

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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Suggestions from National Academies of Sciences Report: 

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Suggestions from National Academies of Sciences Report: 

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Communication strategies that focus on providing detailed information on the progress made in addressing the highest priority uncertainties is needed. The CERP can learn from approaches used in other systems. Reports with clear graphics that
quickly convey progress, summarize the overall conclusions, and indicate the
trends in recovery are valuable to communicate progress

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Oversees several agencies that contribute to Everglades restoration, such as the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They receive federal appropriations for conservation and restoration efforts in the Everglades.USFWS focuses on habitat restoration, wildlife reintegration, and preservation-ecosystem priorities.

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•  Audubon Everglades
•  Audubon of the Western Everglades
•  Everglades Foundation
•  Friends of the Everglades
• Vote Water
•  For More Groups: http://www.eco-usa.net/orgs/

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• Sugar Cane Industry occupies 440,000 acers of the Everglades
• Access to fertile planting soil drains Everglades

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• Authorized by Congress in 2000
• 35+ year timeline for completion
• Estimated cost of 10 billion USD
• Largest restoration undertaking in US history

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Local and State Collaborations and Partnerships

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Local and State Collaborations and Partnerships

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• Tamiami Trail was completed in 1928 to allow people to travel easily between Tampa & Miami
• Thousands of miles of man-made canals diverting water