OCALA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis awarded $4 million to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to add a new interchange at I-75 and Northwest 49th Street in Marion County. These funds will create new opportunities for the Ocala area by building infrastructure needed to support a new Buc-ee’s location, reducing traffic congestion at other Ocala area I-75 interchanges and expanding access to I-75 for two industrial and commercial development complexes and the nearby World Equestrian Center. The new Buc-ee’s location is the third to be built in Florida and will consist of an 80,000-square foot travel center, supporting 120 fuel pumps with more than 720 parking spots for visitors. FDOT’s infrastructure project is expected to have and economic impact off $21 million and create 1,500 new jobs. The new interchange will further establish the City of Ocala as a strategic Central Florida hub for freight-related traffic.
“By making strategic investments like today’s $4 million Job Growth Grant Fund Award, Florida will continue to fuel economic growth across the state,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Ocala’s ideal location at the center of our state makes it prime for new manufacturing opportunities and for visitors looking for a place to stop and grab some beaver nuggets. I look forward to seeing the opportunities this award will create for Floridians, businesses and communities in Central Florida.” Continue reading
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and members of the Legislature to announce legislative and Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) Board actions to nullify the eleventh-hour agreements adopted by the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) with Walt Disney World. These agreements are riddled with legal deficiencies, including including failure to provide required notices, and are a blatant attempt by a private corporation to subvert the will of Floridians through shady tactics.
“Disney’s corporate kingdom is over – despite their repeated and futile attempts to circumvent the Legislature and the will of the people,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Their cheerleaders in the media thought that Disney ‘outsmarted’ the state, but the new control board uncovered their sloppy scheme, and the agreements will be nullified by new legislation that I intend to execute. Disney will operate on a level playing field with every other business in Florida. I look forward to the additional actions that the state control board will implement in the upcoming days.” Continue reading
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —Governor Ron DeSantis announced the award of more than $13.6 million for innovative technologies and short-term solutions to aid in the prevention, cleanup and mitigation of harmful algal blooms. A list of innovative technologies projects selected for funding can be found here.
Upon taking office, Governor DeSantis created the Blue-Green Algae Task Force to address the issue of recurring algal blooms in the state of Florida. The task force recommended investment in a diverse portfolio of innovative technologies to detect, prevent, clean up and mitigate harmful algal blooms in a cost-effective, environmentally safe way.
“In addition to our record investment in water quality projects to reduce nutrient loading at its source, my administration has secured dedicated funding to deploy innovative technologies to address algal blooms,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These projects will help identify new ways to treat, predict and respond to blue-green algal blooms, protecting our environment and our economy.” Continue reading
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