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WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations, issued the following statement following the passage of H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill for fiscal year 2025, which includes federal funding for multiple projects across South Florida:
"I commend Chairman Tom Cole and Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson for reining in wasteful spending while reducing energy costs and protecting American jobs, especially our first responders, in the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill for fiscal year 2025.
This bill strengthens our domestic energy production and reins in the Biden-Harris Administration's job-killing regulatory agenda by:
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Requiring the Biden-Harris Administration to resume quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales and issue 5-year offshore oil and gas leasing programs on time.
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Halting the Biden-Harris Administration's radical Green New Deal agenda by blocking the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations on light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles.
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Prohibiting the EPA from imposing the Inflation Reduction Act methane fee on oil and gas producers.
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Protecting access to America's public lands by blocking restrictions on hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.
This bill prioritizes South Florida's needs by including:
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$11.6 million for the Everglades Restoration Project through the National Park Service.
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$9 million for the Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystem Program to support the management and restoration of America's Everglades.
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$8 million for the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge Conservation Area through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
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$73.8 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grant Program for the development and implementation of programs benefiting wildlife and their habitats.
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$7.49 million to address water quality by providing funding for critical harmful algal bloom research.
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$1 million in direct funding for South Florida to expand water quality and ecosystem health monitoring and prediction network.
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Full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, of which Collier County is the largest recipient in Florida.
As Floridians, we are blessed to have natural treasures like the Everglades National Park right in our backyards. As the proud founder and co-chair of the Everglades Caucus, I have always made fighting for the Everglades one of my top priorities. The Everglades is the drinking water source for one in three Floridians and a source of jobs and economic livelihood for hundreds of thousands more. Restoration encompasses exactly the kind of "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects that will help our economy. The chance to preserve this national treasure while putting in place the tools for a long-term economic recovery is a once-in-a-generation opportunity we should not let slip by. I have a proven track record of delivering federal dollars to address South Florida's needs and this legislation builds on the much-needed restoration and revitalization projects across our district.
Lastly, specific to Southeast Florida, I secured $1.5 million for the Town of Medley, Wastewater Pump Station Improvement Project,through Community Project Funding requests. These dollars will go to redeveloping the pump stations owned and operated by the Town of Medley. These repairs will mitigate future flooding and operation hazards due to pump station emergency failure, as well as normal operations. The project aims to improve public safety, health, and drainage improvements in the community. This will subsequently help the Town of Medley's Road network enhancement allowing easier flow of traffic, promoting multimodal mobility, emergency evacuations, and improve connectivity and accessibility for the transportation of goods and circulation of heavy equipment in the area."
A summary of the bill is available here.Bill Report is available here.Bill Text is available here.
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Mario Diaz-Balart