Both of these pieces of legislation are of vital importance to Florida. In particular, several provisions in each bill will support the restoration of the Everglades, one of the nation's most precious ecosystems. This vast region, which is home to more than six million Americans, seven of the ten fastest growing cities in the country, a huge tourism industry, and a large agricultural economy, also encompasses one of the world's unique environmental resources. Over the past 100 years, man-made changes to the region's water flow have provided important economic benefits to the region, but have also had devastating effects on the environment. The federal government and the state of Florida have begun a long-term partnership to restore this ecosystem and preserve it for future generations. The actions we are considering today will support this partnership.
In the Fiscal Year 2000 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, the President requested a total of $129 million in support of Everglades restoration. Of particular interest to me are funds to support the Kissimmee River restoration which will refurbish the headwaters of the Everglades watershed. I initiated work on this project as Governor of Florida in the 1980s and have been supporting its progress since that time. Congress authorized this project in WRDA 1992, and since that time the state of Florida has already expended approximately $95 million in land acquisition and restoration evaluation. The state has met all of the schedule requirements. I am pleased to say that with the support of Congress last year in the appropriations process, this summer the Army Corps will begin initial construction on schedule. The Fiscal Year 2000 funding request before us today from the Army Corps funds will keep this project on schedule.
The WRDA 1999 bill includes several items related to Everglades restoration. Before I highlight these projects, I would like to first thank my colleague Senator Mack for his partnership in our efforts to produce a WRDA bill that reflects the needs of our state. I would also like to thank Senators Chafee, Baucus, and Warner for their leadership last year on this critical piece of legislation. I am looking forward to working with you, Senator Voinovich, on the 1999 version of the Water Resources Development Act.
First, the WRDA 1999 bill includes an extension of the "critical projects" authority provided to the Army Corps for Everglades restoration in 1996. The critical projects authorized in WRDA 1996 have demonstrated substantial success. The South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, the Governor's Commission for a Sustainable South Florida, local sponsors, and the Army Corps have completed a review of over 100 potential projects, narrowed the list to 35 and ranked them in order of priority for accelerating the restoration of the South Florida ecosystem. The extension in WRDA 1999 will allow for completion of already authorized projects.
In addition to this extension, the WRDA 1999 bill includes a $27 million authorization for the Hillsborough and Okeechobee Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project. This technology is presently used to create subsurface reservoirs for drinking water. The Army Corps is considering the use of Aquifer Storage and Recovery as a water storage technology for use in long-term Everglades restoration. Our action to authorize work on this project will allow early evaluation of the viability of this technology.
Finally, the WRDA 1999 bill includes clarifying language to make expenditures by the state of Florida for land acquisitions in the Caloosahatchee River basin eligible for federal reimbursement if they are identified as part of the Restudy when it is released in July 1999. Our action assures Florida that acquired lands which become part of the Restudy will be eligible for federal reimbursement.
Those of you who have been following restoration of the Everglades will notice that what is not included in WRDA 1999 is the "Restudy" which some of you may remember this Committee authorized in 1996. On July 1 of 1999, the Army Corps of Engineers will submit an Everglades restoration plan to Congress, termed the "Restudy" by the Water Resources Development Act of 1996. This plan reviews the original Central and South Florida Flood Control project which was initiated in the 1940s by the Army Corps and was the source of the ecosystem manipulation that occurred in Florida since that time. The Restudy outlines the basic elements of a plan to restore the Everglades as closely to their natural state as possible. This is a difficult and complex task since the original area of the Everglades was reduced by 50% with the development of both coasts with large metropolitan areas.
This will be an expensive project whose costs will be shared on a 50-50 basis with the state of Florida. There has never been a restoration project of this size in the history of the United States or the world. This is an opportunity to preserve a national treasure that was destroyed by our own actions in the past. This plan will restore an adequate water supply for the state of Florida, which is vital given that our population is expected to increase from just over 6 million people today to 8 million people by 2010. Without this plan, the urban residents in the state of Florida, the treasured environment of the Everglades, and the agriculture industry in this portion of the state will face extreme water supply conflicts.
The Army Corps of Engineers has done a superb job in meeting the deadlines set forth by Congress in 1996 for this ambitious project. In WRDA 2000, this Committee will play the key role in the Senate in determining the future of this important restoration program. I encourage any of you to contact me should you have any questions regarding the Restudy or the role of the Army Corps of Engineers in this project which is so important to Florida and the nation.
I am looking forward to our discussion today on both the Energy and Water Appropriations request for Fiscal Year 2000 and WRDA 1999--two pieces of legislation that are of vital importance to my state. Thank you.