Environmental Group Sues Over Toxic Emissions at Florida Detention Center
Environmental groups claim the Everglades detention center could emit 509 tons of carbon monoxide annually without required federal air permits.
MIAMI, FLORIDA — A Florida detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” could be emitting hundreds of tons of toxic gases into the atmosphere without proper permits, environmental groups claimed in a new federal lawsuit filed Tuesday.
The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida, asking the court to declare that the state’s emergency managers have violated the Clean Air Act. The group is seeking fines of more than $120,000 per environmental violation per day against the facility.
According to the lawsuit, the Everglades detention center’s diesel-powered equipment has the potential to emit at least 509 tons of carbon monoxide annually and at least 204 tons of nitrogen oxides without the required federal air quality permits.
Massive Fuel Consumption Revealed
The environmental concerns stem from an October assessment commissioned by the Florida Division of Emergency Management that revealed the facility’s extensive use of diesel-powered equipment. The facility requires more than 100 diesel-powered lighting towers and between 25 and 200 diesel-powered generators, according to the assessment.
These diesel systems consume more than 7.6 million gallons of fuel annually, the report found. The assessment was made public in March after the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups sued the Division of Emergency Management for thousands of public records they said were being kept secret in violation of Florida law.
Second Legal Challenge
This marks the Center for Biological Diversity’s second lawsuit targeting the detention center’s operations over environmental concerns. The organization’s first case was dismissed by an appellate court in April.
The assessment found that the Division of Emergency Management needed to obtain a Prevention of Significant Deterioration permit, which is required under the Clean Air Act for large facilities that emit significant levels of air pollution. The permit is generally required if a facility can emit at least 100 tons of carbon monoxide or 40 tons of nitrogen oxides annually.
The detention center, dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by critics, operates in the Everglades under the management of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management. The facility has faced ongoing scrutiny over its environmental impact and compliance with federal regulations.
