Florida Senate Adds $3 Million to Fix Leak as Evacuation Lifts (1)

The Florida Senate added $3 million to its $95 billion budget proposal on Wednesday to help fix a leaking phosphate plant reservoir that had threatened to flood Tampa Bay-area neighborhoods.

The money for wastewater disposal and cleanup at the Manatee County site owned by HRK Holdings LLC would come from federal pandemic relief funds.

The Republican-led Senate approved the budget bill (S.B. 2500) with the amendment by a 40-0 vote. It now faces negotiations with the Florida House, which has its own spending proposal.

The 480-million gallon reservoir at the Piney Point plant began leaking late last month, according to ...