Case Study: Everglades National Park

Despite its unparalleled tropical beauty in the U.S., this majestic expanse of a park faces alarming challenges from climate change and air pollution originating from industrial sources and emissions capable of traveling hundreds of miles. Species unique to the park, such as the endangered Florida panther, are at risk, highlighting the pressing need for measures to address and curb pollution near this vital habitat.

Florida is one of the only places in the United States where the agricultural industry practices sugarcane burning, exacerbating air pollution across the state. Due to its proximity to Miami and nearby industrial areas, air pollution easily travels to the Everglades and settles to the earth both through dry air and rain into park soil and waters. While the average natural visual range in Everglades National Park should span about 100 miles without pollution, the actual typical visual range is about 40 miles – and can dip as low as 20 miles on high pollution days because of contaminants in the air. Unfortunately, state and federal governments fail to reduce air pollution with stronger rules and standards despite these glaring consequences.

Our Polluted Parks analysis finds that the Everglades National Park suffers numerous consequences of air and climate pollution. In the Harm to Nature category, the park experiences serious levels of concern. Deposition of pollutants such as nitrogen compounds disrupt the delicate balance of the Everglades’ aquatic ecosystems, affecting nature and wildlife. In the Hazy Skies and Unhealthy Air categories, the levels are unsatisfactory. In the Climate Threats categories, both Wildfire and Sea Level Rise are of extreme concern. And rising sea levels threaten the park’s freshwater marshes and mangrove forests, putting imperiled subtropical biodiversity further at risk.

Climate change threats in the Everglades

Beyond sea level rise, the Everglades experiences increased precipitation and intensifying hurricane seasons, which have shuttered visitor centers and battered coral reefs. The Everglades, already sensitive to water flow changes, experiences increased risks of saltwater intrusion as sea levels rise. This intrusion can harm drinking water aquifers, freshwater vegetation, and can also compromise the habitat for numerous species that depend on the unique mix of salt and freshwater environments.

The interconnectedness of air quality and climate change cannot be overstated in the Everglades. The same air pollution from industrial sources exacerbates climate change around the Florida coast. In fact, extreme heat affected both sea and sky in 2023, making headlines as “hot tub temperatures” stressed coral reefs. Coastal parks and their marshy mangrove ecosystems throughout the state serve as the frontline defense against hurricanes and tropical storms – and visitors continue to rely on the Everglades as a place to make cherished memories and witness remarkable biodiversity.

Efforts to address these challenges involve a combination of updating industrial facilities to cut pollution, monitoring air quality in neighboring communities and emphasizing the importance of stronger climate science – all initiatives NPCA continues to lead. In fact, NPCA leads advocacy efforts in support of the Western Everglades Restoration Plan, which – if authorized by Congress – would improve connectivity in this ecosystem and could lead to fewer, less severe wildfires. NPCA is advocating, together with partners, for a strong regional haze rule out of Florida to address haze emissions harming parks and people in the region; EPA must hold the Florida Department of Environmental Protection accountable and should require better controls around sugar cane burning, which disproportionately harms nearby communities while also driving haze and air pollution harms in the Everglades. Lastly, our experts work to address climate change by supporting the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. Doing so will bring new, clean water to the area, once again reducing wildfire frequency and improving wetland health in Everglades National Park.