DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday gave away another multi-million-dollar check, this time for beach erosion projects in Volusia County.
Speaking at a news conference in Daytona Beach Shores, DeSantis highlighted a bill he signed in December 2022 — SB 4-A: Disaster Relief — which appropriated $100 million in nonrecurring funds from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection for beach erosion projects related to hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
Of that $100 million, Volusia leaders on Wednesday received $37.6 million, DeSantis announced.
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“I directed the Department of Environmental Protection (in November) to utilize $20 million for emergency sand placement to help address the significant beach erosion caused by the storm. I mean, you had some structures that could no longer stand because of the significant erosion, and so this helped the local government here in Volusia,” DeSantis said. “... Municipalities help with the immediate issues that they needed to do, some was just emergency stabilization, but we also knew we needed to be able to do even more, so we did a special session in December.”
The $100 million — meant to bolster beaches by supporting erosion projects in 16 counties — is disbursed as follows:
- Volusia County - $37,689,745
- Lee County - $23,141,196
- Flagler County - $17,016,156
- St. Johns County - $4,616,807
- Indian River County - $4,080,388
- Brevard County - $3,239,366
- Broward County - $488,305
- Charlotte County - $1,312,714
- Collier County - $2,436,457
- Duval County - $418,750
- Manatee County - $305,271
- Martin County - $1,395,926
- Nassau County - $922,016
- Palm Beach County - $2,068,434
- Sarasota County - $618,469
- St. Lucie County - $250,000
DeSantis was joined at the Dunlawton Boulevard Beach Vehicle Access Point by Florida Speaker of the House Paul Renner (R-District 19), Congressman Cory Mills (R-District 7), DEP Secretary Shawn Hamilton and Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, among local leaders.
Guthrie described the positive impact of another November initiative that saw the installation of what’s known as a Tiger Dam to temporarily strengthen the coastline in Daytona Beach Shores.
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“In the immediate aftermath of these storms, the division implemented a new and innovative short-term recovery solution by placing flood control systems along the beach, and we did that in coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. These flood control systems have never been used along the coastline before, this was the first time we’ve ever done it,” Guthrie said. “The governor said, ‘Kevin what can we do to stop this from getting any worse?’ I said, ‘Sir, we got it. I got an idea,’ and with his support we were able to come out here and do that, and since we put them up, not one additional house has gone into the water.”
Watch Wednesday’s news conference again in the media player below:
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