DeSantis and the environment

After nearly two years on the campaign trail, Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis must know Florida’s environment is in trouble, and running out of time.

Flooding occurs in places that never flooded before, and much of the state’s coastline is now vulnerable to ocean-level rise. Springs show unmistakable signs of contamination, pointing to trouble in the vast underground caverns that hold the state’s clean drinking-water supply. Waterways across south Florida have been covered with outbreaks of stinking algae.

These are problems that will only get worse as the state continues to grow. Growth is not an intrinsically bad thing, but more people moving to Florida means more stress on natural resources and more fertilizer, petroleum by-products and other pollutants washing into waterways and endangering wildlife. If Florida leaders don’t do a better job of managing environmental threats now, they risk irreparable damage to both the environment and the economy. The state needs a plan that can accommodate growth and keep regulation from stifling businesses, but still protect those treasures that draw people to Florida in the first place.

On the campaign trail, DeSantis swore he understood, and referred to himself as a “Teddy Roosevelt conservationist.” That raised some eyebrows among environmentalists in the state, because in Congress, DeSantis’ congressional voting record was truly dismal. But it’s a decent priority. Roosevelt fought to preserve vast acres of national parks and sanctuaries — a total of 230 million acres by the time he left office. Florida leaders have followed in his footsteps: Local, state and federal governments manage 9.4 million acres of non-submerged conservation land, with another 800,000 acres protected by covenant.

DeSantis could challenge the Legislature to fully fund the the state’s conservation land-purchasing program, Florida Forever. But state leaders should target future land purchases toward finishing projects that have already been started or buying land for specific purposes (such as beach access or recreational use). But protecting the quality of environmentally sensitive land, by addressing threats to Florida’s water supply and habitat, are equally valid uses of environmental funding.

Certainly, there are vastly expensive — and crucial — challenges facing the state. One of the biggest: Targeting the millions of failing septic tanks that leach pollution into the aquifer and surface-water bodies. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace just one septic tank and extend sewer service to a property, and many of Florida’s homeowners and businesses just can’t afford it. They’ll need help.

DeSantis also promises to hold “Big Sugar” accountable for the devastation of the Everglades, and demand more investment in projects to finally clean up Florida’s river of grass. He also must work to ensure the troubled Indian River Lagoon doesn’t suffer from the same plodding approach to cleanup and restoration that saw the Everglades continue to decline decades after the need for action was acknowledged.

Finally, DeSantis should make it clear that Florida’s response to rising sea levels won’t be bogged down in the political debate over climate change.

These are all big-ticket items — and ones that Florida’s business leaders and residents expect the state to address, with leadership and funding.

Floridians should encourage DeSantis to make good on his promises — before the damage to the state’s environmental and economic future passes a point of no return.