By Trimmel Gomes, Florida News Connection
Environmental groups are escalating their legal fight to stop Florida’s planned detention center in the Everglades, filing an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction.
The motion was submitted by Earthjustice on behalf of Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity. It argues that the project would cause “irreparable harm” to the fragile ecosystem before a full environmental review is completed.
Tania Galloni, managing attorney for Earthjustice’s Florida office, said the state is rushing forward without regard for federal law.
“There’s been no word of any environmental review that’s been done, with potential impacts to so many wetlands, to national parks, important ecosystems and critically endangered species like the Florida panther,” said Galloni. “And so, before this gets any further along, we decided to file suit to make sure the the law is complied with before they move forward.”
The motion highlights that the site, a former airport, is 96% wetlands and a critical corridor for the endangered species. State officials and immigration hardliners defend the project as a necessary solution to Florida’s purported border security challenges.
The filing warns that construction vehicles and land clearing could permanently damage wetlands, pollute waterways and disrupt wildlife even before the lawsuit’s core claims are resolved.
Advocates stress the Everglades’ role in South Florida’s water supply and its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“This is a really cruel and reckless plan to detain people in the heat of South Florida at the start of hurricane season, without any consideration for the impacts to the human environment,” said Galloni. “And I think that it’s really misguided and reckless and we’re hoping that the court will rectify the situation.”
The motion asks the court to halt all activity at the site until the lawsuit’s claims under the National Environmental Policy Act are adjudicated.
Florida News Connection is a bureau of the Public News Service. Banner photo: Sunrise over the Everglades (iStock image).
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