The ongoing controversy surrounding Miami-Dade County's new trash incinerator location intensifies as a fourth potential site, near Okeechobee Road and Northwest 137th Avenue, was brought forward in a county committee meeting. Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, representing the 12th district, presented the proposal yesterday. However, the mayor of Miramar, Wayne Messam, has voiced opposition to the site which, according to him, shares the same environmental concerns as the previously considered locations. "Both sites share the same environmental profile, they pose the same exact risk," Messam told NBC Miami.

The new site proposal comes as an alternative to rebuilding the facility in Medley or Doral, where the previous incinerator burned down in February 2023. Despite their proximity to the Everglades, Doral Mayor Christi Fraga highlighted the urgency in addressing waste disposal, saying, "We need to find somewhere because otherwise we will run out of capacity. This is a real issue," as reported by NBC Miami. Environmental activists and residents have expressed concerns about the potential damage to natural resources, with Janice McIntosh, a Miramar resident, noting harmful impacts "on the everglades, the air we breathe, and the water we drink."

As an alternative to incineration, former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, currently lobbying for the Sierra Club Miami, has called for the county to consider composting and other organic waste management strategies. "Composting, for example, that doesn’t even exist here, and it can really get rid of our organic waste in a better way,” Russell proposed according to NBC Miami.

The land swap deal has been put forth by TAF Okeechobee Solutions, LLC, associated with Terra Group's senior vice president of development and construction, Jason Gilg. In this deal, Terra Group would develop multifamily and industrial spaces on county land in exchange for allowing the incinerator to be built on Terra's property. They stated, "This proposal provides an opportunity for Miami-Dade County to locate its waste-to-energy facility further away from residential communities," in a statement to Local 10 News. Nevertheless, environmental activists point out that the proposed site for the incinerator is too close to the Everglades and a regional aquifer.

The Terra Group's offer will be further discussed at the commission’s meeting on September 17. The possible resolution to Miami-Dade County's waste management dilemma hangs, as local leaders and residents weigh potential environmental costs against the practicalities of waste disposal.