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Will this ever be completed? What will the final cost be?

The projected cost of the Everglades restoration has risen 28 percent to $19.7 billion and will likely rise further, as crucial projects fall years behind schedule, according to a report released Monday by the General Accountability Office.

The report said the original cost of $15.4 billion for the entire suite of projects aimed at restoring the southern Florida wilderness had gone up since 2000, as the scope of particular projects increased and costs went up for construction and land acquisition. The report also said there are few criteria for deciding the order in which to do projects, a critical failing in such a complex restoration effort.


The 222 separate restoration projects acquire land to expand wildlife refuges, eradicate non-native species, construct reservoirs to store rainwater for release in dry periods, remove levees, fill in canals and set up water-treatment systems.

The agreement between the state and federal governments called for a 50-50 split of the costs. The report said the state has paid more than its share, but the federal government fell short by $1.4 billion because Congress did not authorize the money.