09.10.2026 - Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology Committee Meeting

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology Committee met on September 10, 2026, to discuss an ordinance establishing a zero-interest loan program for environmental remediation funded by a utility service fee. The fund currently holds approximately $181 million, with $125 million programmed for projects, but little remediation work has been done on county-owned properties, including landfills and a former waste-to-energy site. The loan program aims to incentivize remediation of large county-owned parcels by providing developers or county departments with zero-interest loans repayable over 35 years. Commissioners debated the fairness and financial prudence of offering zero-interest loans funded by ratepayers, the absence of loan caps, and the need for clearer definitions of fund availability and eligible properties. Some commissioners emphasized the urgency of deploying funds to remediate contaminated lands impacting water quality, while others expressed concerns about equity, fiscal responsibility, and administrative execution. The committee discussed potential amendments including interest rates and loan caps to balance remediation goals with financial stewardship. No final vote was recorded in the transcript, but the item was positioned for further consideration and refinement.