DeSantis, Florida Senate president say they will seek $100 million to shut down Piney Point

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he is directing Florida's Department of Environmental Protection to create a plan to permanently close Piney Point.

Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson said he is working with DeSantis and the DEP to create an appropriations request for $100 million to help facilitate the site's closure. The request would then be considered by the Florida Legislature, as would additional payments if needed.

Additionally, DeSantis said he reallocated $15.4 million of the DEP budget to be used for "innovative technologies to pre-treat water at the site for nutrients, in the event further discharges are needed." He also said water quality monitoring will continue to measure the ecological impact of wastewater that was discharged into Piney Creek and Tampa Bay.

DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein said scientists and engineers are measuring the environmental effects caused by the discharged wastewater, in part so HRK Holdings, the corporation that owns Piney Point, can be held accountable.