Committee advances Sharif bill limiting new ash-producing incinerators near large water impoundments; amendment narrows impact

Senator Sharif introduced SB 1196, a targeted bill to prohibit permitting of new ash-producing incinerators and waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities proposed within two miles of large federally authorized water impoundment areas, citing risks to water quality from airborne pollutants depositing into surface waters and wetlands. The original bill exempted canals and existing facilities; a committee amendment added an exemption for counties with populations under 1,700,000, which the sponsor said limits the legislation’s geographic reach to Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar testified in support, saying the bill is "common sense" to protect communities and natural resources from PFAS and other emissions. Joe Kilsheimer, executive director of the Florida Waste-to-Energy Coalition, urged rejection, arguing WTE is a safe, proven local disposal method in densely populated coastal counties, avoids millions of tons of landfill disposal annually, recovers metals and provides local-scale efficiency. He warned that prohibiting WTE siting in dense counties would leave local governments without feasible alternatives other than trucking waste long distances or expanding landfills.

Senators asked technical questions about ash management, particulate measurement, and whether standards could allow conditional siting rather than a blanket two-mile restriction. Some members urged developing measurement-based standards to permit facilities where particulate and ash risks can be controlled; others supported the protection-based approach. Senator Sharif closed by emphasizing the bill’s protective intent and openness to amendments. The committee reported CS for SB 1196 favorably as amended.