The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has reported a series of environmental achievements for 2025, focusing on the conservation and protection of the state’s natural resources. Secretary Alexis A. Lambert emphasized the department’s ongoing efforts to support both communities and industries reliant on Florida’s environment.
“Florida’s environment is not separate from our economy; it is the foundation of it,” said DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert. “Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has made strategic, forward-thinking investments that protect our air, water and land while ensuring Florida remains a place where both communities and commerce can thrive. I look forward to working with the Governor and the Florida Legislature in the coming year to continue turning Florida’s environmental commitments into measurable results.”
In July 2025, an agreement between the state of Florida and the U.S. Department of the Army allowed Florida to take charge in constructing key parts of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. This arrangement will speed up completion of major projects such as the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir by five years, now set for 2029 instead of 2034. Other milestones include finishing the Caloosahatchee (C-43) Reservoir, starting construction on Blue Shanty Flow Way to improve water flow into Florida Bay, advancing work on Lake Hicpochee Project to reduce harmful discharges, and completing a large inflow pump station at Lake Okeechobee.
DEP also completed seafloor mapping along all of Florida’s coastline, funded by $100 million allocated in 2021. The project will result in a high-resolution digital elevation model covering coastal areas from nearshore waters out to the continental shelf. This resource aims to guide future coastal management decisions as well as emergency response planning.
To address water quality concerns, DEP updated 28 nutrient Basin Management Action Plans statewide. These plans were developed with input from local governments and other stakeholders to set pollution-reduction goals for rivers, lakes, estuaries, springs, and aquifers across Florida.
Marking its 25th anniversary in 2025, the Florida Forever program secured its 200th conservation easement this year. Since 2019, more than $1.4 billion has been invested in land conservation efforts protecting over 390,000 acres through various projects. In just this past year alone nearly 107,000 acres were protected under new agreements or acquisitions totaling almost $433 million.
Florida’s state parks continued their growth during 2025 under DEP oversight. The park system welcomed over 25 million visitors across its 175 locations—the only system nationally recognized four times with a National Gold Medal for Excellence in Park Management. New additions included a forthcoming park within Walton County’s Upper Shoal River project area and an expansion at Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park in Polk County.
Two state parks—Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples and St. Andrews State Park in Panama City—were listed among Beach’s Top 10 Beaches List for 2025.
For air quality improvements, DEP announced that Florida met all National Ambient Air Quality Standards for a fifth consecutive year—the largest U.S. state to do so—and is positioned to comply with upcoming standards for fine particulate matter based on current monitoring data.
DEP finalized rules allowing advanced treated water reuse as part of public drinking supplies following recommendations from the Potable Reuse Commission. These measures are designed to help meet growing demand while maintaining compliance with health standards.
In enforcement activities during 2025, DEP’s Environmental Crimes Unit made dozens of arrests related to illegal dumping and unauthorized waste disposal operations throughout several counties.
DEP also addressed PFAS contamination at fire training facilities by removing contaminated soil and groundwater at two colleges: Hillsborough Community College and Palm Beach State College.
Finally, funding eligibility was expanded under DEP’s Petroleum Restoration Program so that more than 19,000 sites became eligible for cleanup support; over two-thirds have now achieved closure status after remediation efforts.
