TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday vetoed more than $50 million in legislative water projects in the 2025-26 Florida budget, along with $6.25 million for Ocklawaha River restoration.
The governor also vetoed the transfer of $200 million out of the Department of Environmental Protection appropriated in 2023 for purchases within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
DeSantis said the $200 million would be subject to a future appropriation and added the state needs to continue acquiring property within the 18-million-acre corridor designated by the Legislature in 2021.
“We have a beautiful state — obviously a lot of people want to be here,” DeSantis said during a budget signing ceremony in Wildwood. “But you got to balance that with making sure the state doesn’t end up just concrete, right? You want to have that.”
