Fast is good. But too fast can be reckless.

So it was with mixed emotions that we watched Gov. Ron DeSantis’s press conference in Juno Beach last week, where he announced Florida will ask the federal government to let the state handle Everglades restoration projects. The feds would still pony up money for things like the EAA Reservoir; but Florida would effectively take over the process of vetting, permitting and approving CERP projects. DeSantis said this should include the restoration of state permitting authority under the Clean Water Act, an issue which is currently in litigation.

DeSantis reeled off a list of projects completed, dollars spent and promised that his 2025-26 budget will include $805 million for Everglades restoration. We’ve made a ton of progress, he said.

Hand the state the reins, he claimed, and we’ll make even more.

“Send us the funds, give us the authority, and let us get to work,” DeSantis said. “And we will get this done and move it along very, very quickly.”

We’ve little doubt that elbowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aside might expedite the process. But some of the things DeSantis sees as hurdles are there for good reason.

The state permitting authority under the Clean Water Act is a case in point. The feds gave Florida authority to regulate wetlands permitting during President Trump’s first term, in 2020. Conservation groups filed a lawsuit and a federal judge last February vacated Florida’s program, saying federal agencies involved in the process had violated the Endangered Species Act.

Basically, the judge said the agencies didn’t do everything the law required when assessing how endangered species might be affected.

In other words, they cut corners.

That happens, sometimes, when you’re looking to speed things along.

So we’re all about expediting CERP projects, keeping in mind those projects won’t be enough to resolve the problem, that we ultimately need to do even more, acquire more land in order to send more clean water south and end discharges to the northern estuaries.

But yes, we need to get these projects done — quickly.

But more importantly — correctly.