link to page 1 
Updated September 28, 2021
Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration
Overview
appropriations and are under construction. Studies for other
CERP projects are in progress (see Table 1).
What Is the Everglades? The Everglades is a unique
network of subtropical wetlands in South Florida. Due in
Table 1. Status of CERP USACE Projects
part to federal water supply and flood control projects (as
well as agricultural and urban runoff), the ecosystem was
Construction
degraded and was approximately half its historical size by
Project Name
Authorization
Status
the end of the 20th century. The ecosystem is home to a
number of unique species, including 67 species listed under
Site 1 Impoundment
WRDA 2007
Phase 1 completed
the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§1531 et seq.).
Phase II on hold
Picayune Strand
WRDA 2007
Under construction
What Is CERP? Congress approved the Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in the Water
Indian River Lagoon-
WRDA 2007
Under construction
Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA 2000; P.L.
South
106-541). CERP is a framework under which the federal
C-43 West Storage
WRRDA 2014
Under construction
government, with the State of Florida, is attempting to
Basin
and WRDA 2020
restore the Everglades and improve the timing, distribution,
and quality of the water flowing south from Lake
C-111 Spreader
WRRDA 2014
Phase 1 completed
Okeechobee to the Everglades. Under CERP, the federal
Canal
Phase 2 in planning
government, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Broward County
WRRDA 2014
Under construction
(USACE) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), is to
Water Preserve
fund half the costs of restoration; the State of Florida is to
Areas
contribute the other half. Several tribal and local agencies
also are involved in this restoration effort. Originally,
Biscayne Bay Coastal
WRRDA 2014
Under construction
CERP was to include 60 projects to be completed over 30
Wetlands
years at a cost of $8.2 billion in 2000 dollars (equivalent to
$13.2 billion in 2021 after accounting for inflation).
Central Everglades
WRDA 2016 and Under construction
Subsequent reports to Congress projected CERP would take
Planning Project
WRDA 2020
approximately 50 years from its authorization to implement
at a total cost of $23.2 billion (in FY2020 dollars). As of
Everglades
WRDA 2018 and Under construction
FY2021, the federal government has provided more than
Agricultural Area
WRDA 2020
$2.0 billion and the State of Florida has spent an estimated
Reservoir Storage
$5.0 billion on CERP in nominal dollars (although much of
Loxahatchee River
WRDA 2020
Awaiting
this state funding is not yet officially credited toward
Watershed Project
construction
Florida’s share of the cost).
Lake Okeechobee
N/A
Study in progress
CERP is expected to cost $23.2 billion (FY2020
Watershed Project
dollars) and take 50 years (from 2000) to complete.
Western Everglades
N/A
Study in progress
Restoration Project
Outside of CERP, complementary efforts to restore the
Everglades (most of which predate CERP) are ongoing.
Biscayne Bay and SE
N/A
Study in progress
Construction of a major project, Kissimmee River
Everglades
Restoration, was completed in July 2021 after 22 years. The
Southern Everglades
N/A
Study in progress
federal government has spent more than $3.7 billion on
these efforts, collectively referred to as non-CERP projects.
Source: Congressional Research Service based on the 2015-
2020 CERP Report to Congress and enacted legislation.
CERP Projects Must Be Authorized by Congress
Note: CERP = Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. USACE
WRDA 2000 approved CERP and the process for its
= U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. WRDA = Water Resources
implementation. The law also authorized several pilot
Development Act. N/A = not applicable. WRDA 2007, WRDA 2016,
projects. Subsequent projects require study by USACE and
WRDA 2018, and WRDA 2020 are P.L. 110-114, Title I of P.L. 114-
congressional authorization before they can receive federal
322, Title I of P.L. 115-270, and Division AA of P.L. 116-260,
appropriations for construction, including credit or
respectively. WRRDA 2014 = Water Resources Reform and
reimbursement for nonfederal work undertaken in advance.
Development Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-121).
Several laws subsequent to WRDA 2000 authorized
projects contemplated under CERP. Some projects received
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2 Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration
Selected Project Authorizations
Table 2. Federal Funding of Everglades Restoration
Central Everglades Planning Project. The Central
($ in millions)
Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) is a CERP restoration
project that Congress authorized in the Water Resources
Agency
Project
FY2020
FY2021
FY2022 Req.
Development Act of 2016 (Title I of P.L. 114-322). CEPP
prioritizes restoration projects (e.g., CEPP South, CEPP
USACE
CERP
$238.8
$249.7
$352.3
North, and CEPP New Water) in the central portion of the
USACE
Non-CERP
$10.1
$10.4
$6.6
Everglades and aims to address issues associated with the
quantity, quality, timing, and distribution of freshwater
DOI
CERP
$8.1
$8.1
$8.2
flows south of Lake Okeechobee into the central Everglades
DOI
Non-CERP
$55.9
$56.8
$59.4
and Everglades National Park. Congress designated CEPP
as a new construction start for FY2020 and provided
Source: South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, Fiscal
appropriations to begin construction on the CEPP South
Year 2022 Cross-Cut Budget Request.
sub-project.
Notes: Req. = Request; USACE = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
CERP = Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; DOI =
Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Storage
Department of the Interior.
Project. The Water Resources Development Act of 2018
Lake Okeechobee/Herbert Hoover Dike. USACE also
(WRDA 2018; Title I of P.L. 115-270) authorized the
regulates water storage and discharges from Lake
Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir Storage Project
Okeechobee. According to a regulation schedule, USACE
(EAA Storage), which nonfederal sponsors proposed as an
may discharge water at certain times and quantities east and
addendum to CEPP. EAA Storage aims to provide
west to estuaries and south to the EAA and greater
approximately 350,000 acre-feet of storage for water flows
Everglades ecosystem. The Herbert Hoover Dike (HH
coming from Lake Okeechobee and a stormwater treatment
Dike) is an earthen dam that surrounds Lake Okeechobee.
area (i.e., a wetland area that removes excess nutrients from
Since 2001, USACE has conducted repairs on HH Dike to
runoff to improve water quality).
address structural issues associated with the dike. HH Dike
repairs are not categorized as Everglades restoration, but
WRDA 2020. The Water Resources Development Act of
many stakeholders consider them essential to broader
2020 (WRDA 2020; Division AA of P.L. 116-260)
restoration efforts in the Greater Everglades ecosystem. HH
authorized various Everglades activities. It authorized two
CERP projects―
Dike repairs required USACE to alter discharge regulations
Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration
and increased discharges from the lake during high-water
Project for construction and modifications to the
events. Higher releases of nutrient-rich water from Lake
Caloosahatchee River West Basin Storage Reservoir. It also
Okeechobee to canals flowing to the St. Lucie and
authorized two non-CERP activities―Canal 111 South
Caloosahatchee estuaries have contributed to harmful algal
Dade Project and a study at Shingle Creek and Kissimmee
blooms and have increased sediment in the estuaries and
River. It combined CEPP and EAA Storage into one project
surrounding coastlines. According to USACE, repairs of
with a total authorization of appropriations of $4.4 billion.
HH Dike aim to increase Lake Okeechobee’s capacity to
It authorized USACE to enter into an agreement for a
store water and regulate discharges that could improve
nonfederal sponsor to pursue construction of one CERP
water quality in canals flowing to the estuaries.
project on its own. It deauthorized the Big Cypress Water
Conservation Plan, while also prohibiting CERP projects
As of September 2021, USACE anticipates completing dike
from inclusion in the deauthorization process established by
repairs by the end of 2022. Section 1106 of WRDA 2018
WRDA 2020 for USACE projects.
directed USACE to expedite the update of the Lake
Congressional Interest
Okeechobee regulation schedule to coincide with
completion of HH Dike and to consider all relevant aspects
Congress has focused on (1) authorizing and funding
of CERP, including projects not yet constructed (e.g., EAA
Everglades restoration projects and (2) oversight of project
Storage) in its operating procedures. WRDA 2020 provided
implementation and impacts on water flows.
further direction to USACE on water management efforts
within Lake Okeechobee and authorized a national harmful
Appropriations. The 2018 Seventh Biennial Review of
algal bloom demonstration program with the lake as a focus
Everglades Restoration by the National Academies of
area.
Science, Engineering, and Medicine notes that funding is a
key constraint on the rate of restoration progress. The
USACE expects to finalize new discharge regulations for
timing and level of federal funding affect project
the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual by 2022 to
implementation and completion. The Administration’s
account for the completed project. In August 2021, USACE
FY2022 request for USACE CERP projects was over $100
announced a preferred alternative for the new schedule. The
million more than FY2021 enacted levels (see Table 2).
agency plans to use models to modify the alternative in
DOI conducts science to support restoration, and it manages
order to optimize the schedule based on public input and
and restores wildlife habitat in the ecosystem.
other considerations.
Anna E. Normand, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
IF11336
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration
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