ORLANDO, Fla. -- Late Monday morning, the federal government gave the Florida Department of Transportation the green light to enter the final design phase. The state will now start receiving money from the feds to buy right of way land at the different commuter rail stops throughout Central Florida.

The purchases will cost $54 million. The state will start buying the land as it becomes available.

Republican Congressman John Mica, the project's biggest cheerleader, made the announcement Monday morning. It means all environmental tests are complete and the state can start finalizing the contracts to build the commuter rail. The project will also now be included as a line item in the next presidential budget.

A big problem still remains. The state still hasn't approved a liability agreement, which allows commuter rail to operate on the tracks in Central Florida.

"They feel confident. They've released federal money. It is not atypical of problems with other projects, but it's not right now a showstopper," Mica said.

Mica said he expects the state legislature will work out an agreement over liability in the fall or spring at the latest. The state can't buy the land around the tracks until the liability agreement is final.