When Miami-Dade's trash incinerator burnt down last year, city officials drew up four potential sites for the new one, including a spot backed by the city Mayor a few miles from Everglades National Park and—to the chagrin of Broward residents—in Broward County's backyard.
South Florida Lawmakers aren't pleased.
"I am shocked and dismayed that the Miami-Dade Commission would consider placing an incinerator so close to our most precious natural resource," Rep. Robin Bartleman (D-Weston) said in a statement, imploring the commission to choose another site away from the Everglades, and consider the "detrimental impact" it would have on tourism, animals' lives, citizens' health, and the cost of relocation.
She responded to a 655-page memo put out by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava last week in favor of the location, which would be at the closed Opa-Locka West Airport. The airport is less than 20 minutes from Everglades National Park and less than a mile from the city of Miramar, situated in Broward County.
Cava believes the Airport West location is the “best option” due to “cost, project timelines and the impact to residents and natural resources.”
Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, on the other hand, called the proposal "terrible", "mindboggling" and a "slap in the face", and has threatened to sue if Miami-Dade puts an incinerator on the Broward County line. Messam is not alone: during a protest outside the commission Tuesday afternoon, citizens chanted for "clean air" on the heels of a Monday night town hall, where some wore green t-shirts inscribed with "Miramar says No to Incinerator."
Other possible sites include an area in Medley, a land swap deal with a developer near Okeechobee Road, and the old Doral location, where the plant has sat in ruins since the February 2023 fire. Most South Florida Lawmakers The Floridian spoke to want the old site, the Covanta Plant, to be reinstated.
"In addition to the associated $1.5 billion cost of the plant, relocating it from its current footprint would cost taxpayers – at a minimum – an additional $100 million," said Rep. Danny Perez (R-Miami), the incoming Speaker of the House. "I understand the concerns of stakeholders...but given the set of circumstances we have, the most reasonable, affordable option that is the best value for the taxpayers, while protecting the environment, is for the incinerator to stay at its current site.”
Rep. Felicia Robinson (D-Miami Gardens) agreed, claiming that a report she received from Levine Cava's office showed that the Doral location is the most cost-effective.
"I like to look at data and what's working," she said. "From the report, the Doral site is probably the one that would be the most economical. In this day and age, where it's so expensive, I would lean toward not stretching our budget."
Rep. Mike Gottlieb (D-Davie) and Sen. Jason Pizzo (D-Hollywood), the incoming Senate Minority Leader, both touched on the incinerator's potential environmental impacts on the neighboring Everglades, considered to be the most threatened National Park in the country.
"If we do install an incinerator, we need to ensure we're not doing so at the risk of harming our groundwater, and any place close to the Everglades...we could damage the ecosystem there," Gottlieb cautioned, stressing the need for more public input and safety protocols before choosing an incinerator site. "Broward residents don't want it and the Miramar residents don't want it. I understand that the Mayor of Miami wants to put it there, but I don't think Broward should entertain that."
"Contemplating the use is for the benefit of Miami-Dade residents, the burden should not fall on nearby Broward residents. Miami-Dade County is 1,900 sq. miles - they can (and should) find another location," Pizzo told The Floridian, revealing that his main concern deals with both environmental and residential impacts.
Meanwhile, Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) said he trusts Cava and Messam to work out a solution that most benefits their constituents, highlighting that he doesn't want to "push his thoughts or agenda" on a situation that should be "home rule" by interjecting his personal opinion.
"My hope is that both are fighting for what the people in their districts and their communities would want, and I would hope that the decision that is made is for the best health and safety of the people and the environment in those communities," he said.
A vote to decide the new incinerator's location is expected later today.
