After unprecedented flooding, Florida lawmakers are close to passing a law that would dump cancer-causing waste into our roads and communities.
Update: As of May 1, 2023, the bill has passed the full House and Senate. If Governor DeSantis does not veto the bill by July 1, the new law will take effect.
Severe flooding releases toxic waste from our roadways into our environment. House Bill 1191 and Senate Bill 1258 would allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to use phosphogypsum in road construction. Decades of science prove that phosphogypsum — a high-risk, radioactive pollutant that releases toxins — poses a substantial risk to people's health, workers' safety, and the environment.
As the Center for Biological Diversity wrote about HB 1191 and SB 1258, “The EPA has long prohibited use of phosphogypsum in roads” because it’s “linked to higher risks of cancer and genetic damage. But for several years, the fertilizer industry has pushed lawmakers to allow it.” (link to lobbyist disclosure)
Catalyst Miami’s director of policy and advocacy Camilo Mejia is available to discuss the irreversible harms this legislation would impose on frontline communities and Floridians at-large. We implore the legislature not to advance this irresponsible bill any further, and for Governor Desantis to veto this deadly industry favor should it reach his desk. To schedule an interview with Mr. Mejia, please contact Carolina Fernandez at [email protected] or 786-414-1290.
Read our op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel. Learn more about this issue in the Tampa Bay Times and Florida Politics.
