Local, federal, and international governments pass laws and regulations designed to protect their citizens and the environment they live in. But those laws are only effective if they are strongly enforced.
A Florida man has been testing how far he can push local laws and rulings by defying them. Maximo Sanchez operates a dumping site for construction materials in protected wetlands in Hillsborough County. Last year, he signed an agreement to clean up the three-story site of debris but missed the November 2024 deadline.
Neighbors have complained about the dust in the air from another site not under permit that is also operated by Sanchez. They fear health problems as a result. He’s facing fines and civil lawsuits over the matter, but so far, nothing has been resolved…