An island village in Florida, home to billionaires like Jeff Bezos and retired football player Tom Brady, just found a workaround to its outdated septic system by using the legislative branch.
According to the New York Times, Indian Creek Village wanted to send its sewage through its neighboring town, Surfside. Surfside refused. However, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a transportation bill with a clause that will allow the billionaire enclave to do just that.
The New York Times reported that a section was inserted in the bill that "municipalities cannot prohibit or require a permit for certain sewer projects. The Indian Creek plan fits the definition."
Indian Creek Village's shallow septic system has been leaking waste into the Biscayne Bay, but instead of paying to update it, it wants to send its sewage in a pipe under Surfisde to connect with Bay Harbor Islands' line.
Vice reported that Surfside wanted $10 million from Indian Creek Village for transferring sewage under the town. It's still trying to pay off its $30 million sewage system update.
Not only is the village home to Bezos and Brady, it's also home to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. The New York Times also noted that there are "only a few dozen properties on a private, man-made island where a vacant lot recently sold for $110 million."
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Former Surfside Mayor Paul Novack said, "Florida's government is frequently manipulated by special interests."
Indian Creek Village's sewage system definitely needs an upgrade, because according to Miami Waterkeeper, "Pollution and water quality have long been an issue in Biscayne Bay."
The area is accustomed to fish dying in the summer and wastewater, fertilizer, and oil washing into the bay and canals after heavy rains.
Sewer water is a problem because it can make people sick from the bacteria in the raw sewage. It can also cause algae blooms, all of which are a public health problem.
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Do you think sewage pollution is a major problem in America? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes 👍 While it's good that the village is doing something about its sewage problem, it shouldn't be done at another town's expense. Unfortunately, billionaires have ways of skirting around the rules. For example, a Wyoming luxury resort got fast-tracked and was exempt from the wildlife protection provision. It happened because Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade, petitioned the Sublette County commissioners.
Sewage issues and development projects are part of your local government, so the best way to combat these issues is to take local action to improve your community.
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