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Environmental groups in court over Alligator Alcatraz
Two environmental groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, have accused both federal and state agencies of violating environmental laws at Alligator Alcatraz. FOX 35's Marie Edinger has the latest information.
ORLANDO, Fla. - An Orlando-area state representative testified Wednesday in a federal lawsuit that could shut down a controversial aviation site in the heart of the Florida Everglades, known by critics as "Alligator Alcatraz."
What we know:
Rep. Anna Eskamani testified Wednesday in a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of operations at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport—referred to by critics as "Alligator Alcatraz"—located in the Florida Everglades.
Environmental groups claim the facility was reopened without undergoing federally required environmental impact assessments, which they argue puts the delicate ecosystem at risk from increased human activity, noise, and light pollution.
Eskamani, who visited the site, told the court her observations of construction and human presence support the lawsuit’s central claim that the facility’s footprint has expanded without proper review.
What we don't know:
The court has not yet ruled on whether to issue a temporary injunction that could halt operations at the site while the case moves forward. It’s also unclear how the state and federal governments might respond if the court finds that procedures were skipped or violated.
The backstory:
The lawsuit was filed by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity—two environmental groups with long histories in Everglades preservation. Friends of the Everglades was formed in the 1960s to block the construction of the Everglades Jetport. Their advocacy efforts helped scale the project down to what is now a training facility rather than a major commercial airport.
Big picture view:
At the center of the legal battle is the future of environmental governance in Florida’s most fragile ecosystem.
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The Everglades, already under stress from development and climate change, could face further ecological strain if oversight is eroded. While Governor Ron DeSantis has maintained that the airport’s footprint remains unchanged, environmental advocates argue even minimal expansion without review sets a dangerous precedent.
The testimony
What they're saying:
Orlando-area State Representative Anna Eskamani testified as a witness in that case, talking about what she saw when she toured the facility.
"My testimony as someone who is actually on the ground who could physically see the new asphalt, the fencing, the construction, and, of course, the density of the human activity was very, very important to this lawsuit," the Democrat representing Florida’s 42nd District told FOX 35.
Gov. DeSantis has repeatedly said the facility will not impact the environment.
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"There's different things that are being added to the airport, but there's no different footprint. At all," he said as President Trump toured the Alligator Alcatraz for its opening. "So it has nothing to do in terms of Everglades impact or restoration."
Rep. Eskamani says she doesn’t believe that.
"The focus of this litigation is on environmental health. It's on the sensitivity of this ecosystem. It's the importance of preserving the Everglades," Rep. Eskamani told FOX 35.
What's next:
The hearing on the new lawsuit continues Thursday.
One of the groups filing the lawsuit, Friends of the Everglades, was first established in the 1960s to stop construction of the Everglades Jetport. That’s the reason the site of Alligator Alcatraz, the Dade-Collier airport, is a small training facility, rather than a massive commercial enterprise.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani.