On environment, DeSantis charts a pragmatic path

On the national stage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is best known for point scoring in the political culture wars. His pugnacious profile, along with his landslide reelection in November, has made him the most talked-about Republican eyeing the White House after Donald Trump.

But DeSantis allies argue that his true strength as a possible presidential contender lies in a pragmatic approach to governing – with the environment as Exhibit A. The governor’s middle-ground approach to Florida’s myriad environmental challenges, particularly its growing vulnerability to storms and flooding, helps explain his appeal to voters beyond the Republican base. It also offers a window into how he might govern as president, where the stakes are much higher when it comes to tackling the underlying causes of the warming effects that threaten his state and others. 

Governor DeSantis has called himself a “Teddy Roosevelt” conservationist. But while President Roosevelt’s interest in protecting natural resources grew from a lifelong love of the outdoors, Mr. DeSantis’ approach seems more driven by concerns for Florida’s tourist-based economy. 

“Anything that would hurt the [tourist] economy hurts Florida, and he’s for doing anything to help,” says Edwin Benton, a professor of political science and public administration at the University of South Florida.

On a map, the quarter-mile-long breakwater resembles a raised eyebrow along Islamorada’s coastline. Up close, though, it’s a crumbling barrier that’s no longer up to the job of protecting this island from erosion. 

“This is where it really gets bad,” says Pete Frezza, Islamorada’s environmental resources manager, gesturing past a locked green gate to a submerged section where the water is ankle-deep. 

Mangroves grow on both sides of the breakwater, which was built in the 1960s from rocks and other material dredged from the ocean. Behind it is a public park and a marina lined with boats, many occupied by retirees who live on board. Even at low tide, the barrier is easily overtopped, says Mr. Frezza. “It’s no longer functional.” 

But help is on the way for Islamorada, a community of 6,500 in the low-lying Florida Keys. Last year it received a $1.9 million grant to rebuild its breakwater after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the bipartisan Resilient Florida Program. The program is providing $640 million in its first year to help communities prepare for the impacts of climate change, including investments in sea walls, wastewater plants, septic tank conversions, and road elevations. That came on top of other environmental initiatives championed by Governor DeSantis in his first term, from Everglades restoration to water quality projects and wildlife protection. 

On the national stage, Mr. DeSantis is best known for point scoring in the political culture wars – whether it’s taking on federal public health officials, attacking “woke” companies, or flying Venezuelan migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. His pugnacious profile, along with his landslide reelection in November, has made him the most talked-about Republican eyeing the White House after Donald Trump.