Miramar, FL- The City of Miramar recognizes the decision by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to preserve the environmental and biological integrity of the Airport West site by finding an alternate location for their incinerator project.
The project aims to replace the aging Doral incinerator, which was engulfed in flames in February of last year. Covanta Energy operated the plant, responsible for processing approximately 50% of the county’s waste, until it was shut down after the fire.
This proposed facility, was slated for construction at the old Opa Locka West Airport, in close proximity to West Miramar, just a stone’s throw away, less than an eighth of a mile, putting nearly a quarter million residents in surrounding cities like Weston, Pembroke Pines, and Southwest Ranches at risk.
The city of Miramar has been against the proposed project from the onset hosting several town halls and petitions saying that the area is too residential for such a project.
Mayor Wayne M. Messam expressed the City’s appreciation for the collaborative dialogue: “Mayor Levine Cava’s willingness to listen to diverse voices from varied walks of life, experiences, and disciplines—and then recalibrate her position based on new data—is a hallmark of leadership. On behalf of our residents and colleagues on the City Commission, I thank Mayor Levine Cava for recognizing the valid concerns of Miramar’s residents and affirming the importance of protecting their health and safety. While we commend this recommendation to select an alternative site to Airport West, this is just one step in a larger process. Miramar remains resolute in our commitment to safeguarding the health of our community and advocating for sustainable solid waste solutions that do not rely on incineration.”
While the City of Miramar acknowledges Mayor Levine Cava’s revised recommendation as a positive development, this is not the final decision. That important decision will be made by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners.
“Until a formal vote is taken, or the incinerator is rejected altogether, the City of Miramar remains at risk if Mayor Levine-Cava’s recommendation is not voted in the affirmative. We are hopeful that the Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners will support their mayor’s recommendation,” Mayor Messam concluded.
The City of Miramar says it remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting its residents and Florida’s fragile ecosystems, while continuing their economic and geographic relations with their neighbors in Miami Dade County.
The Doral incinerator was known to emit pollutants linked to serious health risks such as cancer, respiratory problems, and reproductive health issues. Additional insights from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives underscored how incinerating waste hampers efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to air and water pollution.
