With $75 million earmarked for the Florida Forever land buying program and another $60 million for the Everglades, Gov. Rick Scott's proposed spending blueprint for the coming year met was with applause from environmentalists encouraged by a seeming recommitment to their causes.</p><p>Scott announced the environmental funding priorities as part of a $74.2 billion spending plan the governor proposed Thursday.</p><p>To pay for Florida Forever purchases, the first in several years, Scott has proposed earmarking $50 million from state land sales, which typically revert to the general revenue fund.</p><p>"We'll see how much land there is and what we have that is extra," Scott said. "I've set aside $25 million for additional land purchases for sure, and then depend on how much land is sold up to $50 million."</p><p>Thousands of acres of land in the Keys is owned by the state for preservation, bought through Florida Forever and its predecessor agency, Preservation 2000.</p><p>Environmentalists say they will watch to see where the new money comes from but at first blush are encouraged at funding levels of Florida Forever and Everglades restoration, which have been hit hard by recent tough fiscal times.</p><p>"This is really good news on both fronts," said Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon Florida. "It's the first time in several years that we will see over $130 million in potential funding for both these programs."</p><p>A 1998 constitutional amendment prevents state officials from selling conservation lands unless they no longer serve that purpose. Draper said that early concerns were tempered after meetings with the Department of Environmental Protection officials, who pledged to abide by the spirit and intent of the constitutional requirement.</p><p>"With the economy recovering, it is important to allocate funds to preserve our state's natural areas and protect the places that make Florida special," the Florida Forever Coalition said in a statement. "We look forward to working alongside the governor this legislative session to advocate for the appropriation of funds for Florida Forever."</p><p>"We appreciate the governor's commitment to Everglades restoration and we believe the Florida Legislature will more than match his recommendation," said Eric Eikenberg, CEO of the Everglades Foundation. "We look forward to working with Gov. Scott and the Legislature during the upcoming session to ensure that this funding proposal moves forward."</p><p><B>C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project</B></p><p>With two new pump stations in operation, the South Florida Water Management district and its federal and state partners announced the completion of the C-111 Spreader Canal Western Project to help restore freshwater flows to Florida Bay, preserve clean water in Everglades National Park and maintain flood control for eastern communities.</p><p>District engineers reported all components of the project are operating as designed, and the system performed well during 2012 wet-season testing. With automated operation, the project stands ready to receive water and deliver benefits to the Everglades ecosystem. In addition, scientists will begin compiling data to evaluate project performance and environmental response.</p><p>In the C-111 western project, a series of pump stations and canals raise groundwater levels directly outside the eastern boundary of Everglades National Park. The higher water table creates a hydraulic barrier between the park and the urban areas of Miami-Dade County to retain fresh water in the park.</p><p>This also helps achieve healthy salinity levels in Florida Bay by restoring the quantity, timing and distribution of freshwater flows via Taylor Slough to the bay ecosystem. Spanning 850 square miles, Florida Bay is an integral component of the Everglades ecosystem and is a valuable economic resource for the region.</p><p>The bay's waters serve as a nursery for an array of aquatic life and are home to dozens of commercially and recreationally important species such as spiny lobster, snapper and pink shrimp. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study found that Florida Bay contributed approximately $1.7 billion in the form of "destination spending" in one year alone.