Committee advances bill to restore Ocklawaha River after hours of testimony

A Florida House budget committee advanced CS for House Bill 981 on a favorable committee report after public testimony and member debate centered on ecological restoration, public‑safety risks tied to the Kirkpatrick (Rodman) dam, and local economic impacts.

Supporters, including Elizabeth Neville, director of environmental law and policy for Save the Manatee Club, told the committee the bill “proposes the most impactful available opportunity to restore natural warm water habitat for manatees,” arguing restored springs and unimpeded access to Silver Springs would increase manatee presence and boost ecotourism. Todd Rudy, a Marion County business and property owner, said the dam is a “high hazard structure” and argued restoration would eliminate flood risk to downstream properties, replace the dam with a 7,500‑acre floodplain and deliver “nearly $200,000,000 in net economic benefits” and more than $2 returned for every dollar invested.

Opponents urged caution. Steve Miller, president of Save Rodman Reservoir Inc., cited monitoring and district reports and said the Rodman Reservoir currently reduces nutrient loads by about 35% and provides a roughly 9,600‑acre food source for manatees; he warned that decommissioning the reservoir could worsen water quality and harm the St. Johns River. Margaret Spontak of the Great Florida Riverway Trust cited a Pew Charitable Trust‑funded Ocklawaha Restoration Economic and Science Report and said peer‑reviewed work supports that a free‑flowing river would improve water quality and habitat.

Members debated tradeoffs between ecosystem restoration and downstream water‑quality or supply concerns. Representative Buchanan said he toured the dam and endorsed restoration as “the best investment moving forward,” while other members noted diverse stakeholder views from local governments and business owners.

The committee closed debate and reported the bill favorably. The committee record shows multiple proponents and opponents offered testimony; the roll call was taken and the chair announced CS for HB 981 reported favorably. The committee did not provide an exact consolidated vote tally in the public transcript excerpt. The bill will move to the next committee stop for further consideration.