It’s not the moment’: Miami-Dade back to square one after mayor backtracks on incinerator
County Abandons Plan for Waste-to-Energy Plant
After nearly two years of considering locations for its new billion-dollar incinerator, Miami-Dade County is starting from scratch. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has decided against pushing for a waste-to-energy plant or incinerator.
Cost and Environmental Concerns Deter Mayor
As time went by, we saw the cost estimate escalate. We looked at the resistance. We looked at the environmental concerns,” Levine Cava told NBC6 on Monday. In a memo released on Saturday, Levine Cava discussed the challenges involved in waste management and understood the importance of finding a solution after the Resource Recovery Facility in Doral was burned down in February 2023.
Least Expensive Option Not Feasible
“Ultimately, the least expensive site to rebuild would have been Doral, the existing site, but it was not large enough, really for all of the things we want to do with a waste campus,” Levine Cava said Monday. She recommended that the county continue to haul waste via truck and rail using its contracted capacity, while exploring options to build a landfill outside of Miami-Dade County.
Building a New Site Will Be Costly and Prone to Legal Challenges
“We knew that resistance would add time to the process and time is money,” the mayor told NBC6. “We also were disappointed that people were not more open to understanding what we had come to understand after two years of research.”
Controversy Surrounds Incinerator Plan
The proposal for the building of the incinerator has been met with controversy. Several activists have denounced the idea, asking for different solutions to avoid garbage dumps and incinerators. In November, Levine Cava recommended placing the new incinerator at the same site that burned down. Eric Trump, son of former President Donald Trump, met with Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez and expressed his concerns about keeping the incinerator in Doral, where Trump National Doral is located.
Commissioner’s Perspective
“I’m not saying we will never participate in an incinerator. It’s just, this is not the moment to build it,” said Commissioner Raquel Regalado. “Financially it’s not the moment and from an environmental perspective, it’s not the moment.”
Next Steps
On Tuesday, there will be a workshop with Levine Cava and the county commissioners to discuss the issue.
Conclusion
The decision to abandon the incinerator plan is a significant setback for the county, which had been considering the proposal for nearly two years. While the mayor’s concerns about cost and environmental concerns are valid, the decision may not be well-received by those who had hoped for a more sustainable solution to Miami-Dade’s waste management issues.
FAQs
* What is the reason for the county’s decision to abandon the incinerator plan?
+ The cost estimate for the project escalated, and the mayor and county commissioners were concerned about the environmental impact of the incinerator.
* What is the plan for waste management in the future?
+ The county will continue to haul waste via truck and rail using its contracted capacity, while exploring options to build a landfill outside of Miami-Dade County.
* Will the county reconsider the incinerator plan in the future?
+ The mayor and county commissioners have not ruled out the possibility of revisiting the incinerator plan in the future, but for now, they are focusing on other solutions.
