Blue Origin aims to dispose of wastewater in delicate Florida lagoon

Jeff Bezos's aerospace firm, Blue Origin, has applied for authorization to release wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon, a fragile ecosystem in Florida currently under restoration efforts. The Brevard County Commission planned a discussion on Tuesday regarding the companys application to discharge industrial wastewater from its central Atlantic Coast manufacturing site.

"It is concerning, particularly given the communitys investments through the half-cent sales tax and the Save the Indian River Lagoon tax," Brevard County Commissioner Katie Delaney told Fox 35.

Blue Origin is seeking to release more than 500,000 gallons of treated and untreated industrial wastewater daily into a retention pond that ultimately drains into the Indian River, according to its permit documents. In a statement to Fox 35 Orlando, the company described the application as "a renewal of an existing agreement in place for over five years" and emphasized its "commitment to responsible and compliant operations."

The Indian River Lagoon, stretching 156 miles, has previously faced environmental lawsuits and experienced a troubling spike in manatee fatalities in 2021. A petition on Change.org urges authorities to reject the permit, citing stress on aquatic life from both pollution and noise related to aerospace activities in the region.

"The Indian River Lagoon is already fighting for its life. Decades of nutrient pollution, algae blooms, seagrass collapse, habitat loss, and record manatee deaths have pushed this fragile ecosystem to the edge."

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will make the ultimate decision on the permit. Brevard County commissioners are contemplating whether to request a public hearing on the proposal.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, established Blue Origin in 2000 to make space travel more widely accessible. Recently, the company conducted its second space launch using the New Glenn booster rockets, deploying two NASA satellites bound for Mars from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Blue Origins permit request to release wastewater into the Indian River Lagoon has ignited debate over environmental responsibility and community impact in Florida.

Author: Sophia Brooks