‘Alligator Alcatraz’ in the Florida Everglades Is Testing Environmental Law

The article discusses the proposed construction of a detention center in the Florida Everglades, an environmentally sensitive area. It highlights that officials seem to be bypassing mandatory environmental reviews required by law, despite a previous legal battle over an airport project in the same location. The article notes that the Everglades is home to a diverse ecosystem, including the endangered Florida panther and American alligator. Environmentalists and advocacy groups have raised concerns about the potential impact of the detention center on this fragile habitat. The article also mentions that the proposed site was the focus of a legal dispute in the 1970s, when the government sought to build an airport there. This previous conflict led to the strengthening of environmental protection laws, which now appear to be sidestepped in the current detention center project. The article highlights the tension between development and environmental preservation, and the importance of adhering to established legal frameworks to ensure the protection of sensitive ecosystems like the Florida Everglades.