OUR VIEW: DeSantis elevates environmental action

On the campaign trail, Gov. Ron DeSantis said many of the right things about Florida’s environmental challenges — particularly the threats from toxic algae blooms and red tide creeping up Florida’s coastline. He promised water would be his top priority once he got into office.

Turns out he meant it. That’s great news for Florida.

Within two days of taking the oath of office, DeSantis fired off a series of orders, reorganizations and communications (including one politely worded invitation for the entire governing board of the South Florida Water Management District to get lost) that make it clear: He means business when it comes to Florida’s water quality.

[READ:DeSantis wants state on ‘war footing’ in water fight — but lawmakers may settle for skirmish]

We can’t think of a better place for the governor to start. The signs of ecological distress — the mats of stinking brown algae, the beaches littered with dead and dying fish, the red tide that causes respiratory distress and other health impacts in humans, the once-pure spring flows that are dwindling in volume and increasingly polluted — are not just a threat to Florida’s natural beauty. They are a time bomb, threatening the state’s tourism economy, drinking-water supply and potential for future growth.

[READ: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs order to fight algae, red tide]

[READ: Mark Lane -DeSantis’ first week brings welcome changes]

Thursday, DeSantis issued an order outlining dozens of environmental initiatives, including:

* The creation of a new office aimed at “environmental accountability and transparency,” and a new chief science officer position within the Department of Environmental Protection. The governor seems to be signaling that hard science, not politics, will drive much of his environmental decision-making.

*A second office, specifically focused on coastal protection. Opinions vary on the cause, but anyone who denies the reality of rising sea levels is delusional. Counting inlets and bays, Florida has nearly 8,500 miles of coastline — the largest shore-to-total-area ratio in the United States. Managing the impacts of rising seas will be a massive challenge, and state government has barely gotten started.

*A special focus on the Everglades, including $2.5 billion funding. Trouble in the iconic “River of Grass” and Lake Okeechobee can imperil the state’s water supply up the coast, yet restoration projects have been dragged out over decades. DeSantis’ order calls for swift action on several fronts, including the design and construction of reservoirs to hold polluted water and studies of threats like blue-green algae.

Some local environmentalists say they’re concerned that the plan focuses too intently on South Florida, short-changing the threats to the Indian River Lagoon and Central Florida spring systems that are showing clear signs of distress. It’s worth noting that one of DeSantis’ bullet points calls for DEP to establish a “septic conversion and remediation grant program” that would work with local governments. The governor should lean hard on lawmakers to fund this program, which could benefit springs and coastal systems across the state.

In addition, much of the research the governor describes on red tide and algae could be of use statewide.

There’s one more promising theme in DeSantis’ environmental platform. The governor is sending clear signals that he’s fed up with the politically driven pandering to special interests that have stymied preservation and rehabilitation efforts throughout Florida. That was made abundantly clear in his call for the entire board of the South Florida Water Management District to resign — following board members’ sneaky decision to renew sugar companies’ leases on land that’s slated to be converted into one of the reservoirs on Lake Okeechobee.

It’s an unprecedented get-tough measure, and DeSantis should use the same standard to evaluate other officials in a position to derail environmental initiatives.

DeSantis will need help to implement and sustain this grand plan for Florida’s future. That’s where the state’s residents can help, making it clear to their elected representatives that they expect the Legislature to cooperate on DeSantis’ environmental initiatives — and that the time for stalling and game-playing is up.