Latest news with #OkefenokeeProtectionAct
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia lawmakers face a pivotal decision over a controversial mining ban: 'This moratorium horse has legs'
Georgia lawmakers have introduced two bills to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from nearby mining activities, reported the Current GA. State Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) introduced H.B. 562, which would create a five-year pause on new mining on Trail Ridge, and H.B. 561, the Okefenokee Protection Act, which would ban future mining in the area completely. Coastal legislators Ron Stephens and Steven Sainz are backing the bills as co-sponsors. This legislation comes as Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals seeks permits to mine titanium dioxide and zirconium near the swamp. The company's plan would bring mining operations within three miles of the largest wildlife refuge in the Eastern U.S. If passed, the bills could make a real difference for our natural world. They would help safeguard Okefenokee's unique ecosystem, protect water flows that prevent drought and fire risks, and preserve a beloved outdoor destination that attracts visitors worldwide. Recent positive developments have built momentum for protecting the swamp. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service expanded potential refuge boundaries by 22,000 acres, opening the door for future conservation. And in December, Okefenokee received an official nomination for prestigious UN World Heritage Site status. Swamps and wetlands are two ecosystems that are among the most threatened by our planet's changing climate. In Louisiana, sea rise is threatening wetlands and swamps across the state. "It's great to see the legislature speaking out once again for the swamp in such an overwhelmingly bipartisan way," said Josh Marks, an Atlanta-based attorney who heads up Georgians for Okefenokee. Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, sees the moratorium bill as a practical step forward. "While the Okefenokee Act will not get a run, this moratorium horse has legs," she said. With 77 cosponsors already supporting the moratorium, Peck added: "It's certainly a concession in that it's not a ban on mining Trail Ridge in perpetuity — only for 5 years." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia House again takes up legislation intended to protect the Okefenokee from future mines
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed expanding the boundaries of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Opponents of a proposed mine near the swamp want the feds to "think bigger." Joe Cook/Georgia River Network A state House subcommittee hosted a public hearing Monday to consider legislation designed to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from future mining projects encroaching on North America's largest blackwater swamp. The House Natural Resource and Environment Subcommittee heard Monday from the opponents and supporters of two House bills that ranged from creating five-year moratorium on mining permits along the Okefenokee Swamp's Trail Ridge to an outright ban on the state issuing permits along the property that serves as the hydrological divide between the swamp and refuge that straddles the Georgia-Florida border. One of the two bipartisan Okefenokee bills discussed Monday, House Bill 562, proposes a five-year moratorium on the state issuing surface mining permits along the Okefenokee Swamp's Trail Ridge while experts evaluate the potential to lower water levels. The moratorium bill is sponsored by Thomasville Republican Rep. Darlene Taylor, who also presented arguments Monday. House Bill 561, the so-called Okefenokee Protection Act, would place a permanent ban of future mining along Trail Ridge. The opposition to the measures came from representatives for Twin Pines, a local county commissioner, state legislator and the owner of a local timber company. They argued that the moratorium infringes on property rights and undermines the Georgia Environmental Protection Department's expertise and cited the economic benefits of mining and the potential for safe mining while digging for heavy minerals. Taylor urged the legislative committee members to pass her bill intended to block the EPD from approving permits to strip mine along the natural treasure that serves as a natural dam to the swamp and was once the home where the Muscogee Creek Nation thrived. The Okefenokee Swamp, a 440,000-acre Blackwater wetland in Georgia, is home to more than 1,000 species and is a significant tourist attraction, contributing $90 million annually to the economy. 'I'm just a little old lady from south Georgia, not an engineer or any ecologist, not a forester, but I have been there,' Taylor said. 'Some of my fondest memories as a child involve visiting, enjoying the beauty, and I want that for my grandchildren and for your grandchildren. I also have unhappy memories of what happened to the Everglades. I grew up in Miami and witnessed the devastation and the world that was lost to us forever.' The fight over surface mining near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge has intensified since 2019 when an Alabama-based company, Twin Pines Minerals, went public with its plan to mine for titanium oxide and zirconium just outside the current refuge's boundaries. Neither bill would directly impede Twin Pines plans for a demonstration mine that is currently in the final permitting review stages under the EPD. Georgia House lawmakers float bipartisan bill to protect Okefenokee Swamp from new mining efforts State lawmakers have debated legislation intended to protect the swamp from strip mining the past few years, but the legislation failed to gain traction. If either bill is passed, it could hinder Twin Pines' ability to receive permits to mine beyond its initial 584 acres of Trail Ridge and also prevent future companies from surface mining along the ridge. Charlton County Commissioner Drew Jones, who represents an area that is home to the swamp, defended the economic boost that good paying mining jobs would bring to a region that struggles economically. He cited Charlton's public school system providing every student free lunch and a county's $13 million annual budget relying on $3 million in taxes from a landfill, $600,000 from a prison and $200,000 from a mine that's been around a decade. The mines employ machine operators, truck drivers, chemists, engineers and other types of trade jobs, Jones said. The supporters of banning or placing a moratorium on future Trial Ridge mining are making overblown claims about the dangers of Twin Pines plan to perform surface mining along the ridge, said Jones, who is a forest land manager for Toledo Manufacturing Co. Toledo Manufacturing controls about 50,000 acres near the swamp. He urged legislators to ignore speculation and allow the EPD to make a determination. Rhett Jackson, a professor of water resources at the University of Georgia, referenced a a letter from several prominent scientists who cited problems with the testing conducted by the state EPD and with the claims from Twin Pines that the mining would not place a shallow swamp at further risk, Jackson said. Josh Marks, president of Georgians for the Okefenokee and an environmental lawyer, also argued that the EPD's analysis is flawed while imploring the Legislature to pass both bills. 'I've been involved with Okefenokee protection and mining for 28 years starting in 1997,' Marks said. 'When the DuPont Chemical Company came down to the Okefenokee and wanted to mine the entirety of Trail Ridge, there were enormous amounts of scientific discussions back then indicating that mining the dam that helped create and maintain the swamp was a terrible idea.' State Rep. Robert Dickey, a Musella Republican, questioned Marks about why the Legislature should potentially override the EPD's authority to decide if a mining permit should be granted along Trail Ridge. 'I just don't think the Legislature has the expertise to evaluate each one, one-by-one on the facts of each site and the different types of economic development,' he said. Joe Hopkins, owner of timber company Toledo Manufacturing, recommended that the state EPD's scientists and other experts be allowed to properly review mining permit applications. Hopkins said he would support an intensive study on the effects of various types of mining along the ridge, but is opposed to both HB 561 or HB 562. 'We need to base a decision on science, not emotions or the economic and political power of environmental nongovernmental organizations and their massive letter writing campaigns, which are very effective,' Hopkins said. 'They have done a great job on this and the media campaigns that they have put forth, even to the point of character assassination tactics on me.' Barbara Borque, a past president of the Garden Club of Georgia, said that the scientific consensus is that mining will lower the swamp's water level. 'The question is just how much the mining company has experts that will say, 'Don't worry, trust us, it'll be OK,'' she said. 'However, you have heard other experts warn of serious dangers. We cannot count on Mother Nature to always be kind.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers reintroduce bills to protect Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge from mining
Members of the Georgia State House have once again introduced bills to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining threats. The Okefenokee was named a National Wildlife Refuge in 1937, and provides habitat for many threatened and endangered species, such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, wood storks, and indigo snakes. The swamp has been the subject of renewed conservation efforts after an Alabama-based company called Twin Pines Minerals, LLC announced plans for a mine. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Along the eastern rim of the swamp runs a line of ancient sand dunes called Trail Ridge. The sand is rich in minerals -- notably titanium dioxide. Twin Pines wants to mine it for use as a whitening agent for things like sunscreen, toothpaste and paint. The first 2025 bill, called the Okefenokee Protection Act (House Bill 561), would prohibit the state from permitting or renewing any surface mining operations at Trail Ridge. A second bill, HB 562, would place a five-year moratorium on mining along Trail Ridge. Both bills would still allow mining on Twin Pines Minerals, LLC's 'demonstration' area, which is awaiting final permit approval. The Georgia River Network says this temporary ban on areas of the swamp would allow state regulators and researchers time to evaluate how the Twin pines 'demonstration mine' impacts water levels in the swamp. A similar three-year moratorium passed in the House last year, but never went for a vote in the Senate. 'Both of these bills provide the opportunity for all the legislators and leadership to respond to their constituents to save the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from mining that would harm the swamp and swamp tourism upon which the economies of the local communities depend,' said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers. 'Here is another opportunity for the Georgia General Assembly and Governor Kemp to make real what Georgians want to see - the wild heart of Georgia - our Okefenokee Swamp and its Trail Ridge protected forever from mining - and get it done right this session.' RELATED STORIES Could titanium dioxide mining impact the Okefenokee Swamp? Here's what we've learned Georgia senator backs federal expansion of Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge US Department of Interior to nominate Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp as UNESCO World Heritage Site Some Charlton County leaders, including Commissioner Drew Jones, have advocated in favor of increased mining. He argued the mine will help the local economy by adding new jobs and products out of the county. 'We live by the mine, if it's going to affect someone's water, it's going to be mine, if there's going to be a wildfire, it's going to affect us,' said Jones last year. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is opposed to the Twin Pines mine. Last month, it made a final decision to further expand the Refuge's boundary by approximately 22,000 acres. FWS says the new lands will allow them to offer more public uses like hunting, fishing, wildlife watching and education programs to drive ecotourism in the community. The refuge welcomes more than 400,000 visitors each year. The Department of the Interior announced last year it is nominating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to join the UNESCO World Heritage List, among attractions like the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, and the Galapagos Islands. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia lawmakers reintroduce bills to protect Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge from mining
Members of the Georgia State House have once again introduced bills to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining threats. The Okefenokee was named a National Wildlife Refuge in 1937, and provides habitat for many threatened and endangered species, such as red-cockaded woodpeckers, wood storks, and indigo snakes. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The swamp has been the subject of renewed conservation efforts after an Alabama-based company called Twin Pines Minerals, LLC announced plans for a mine. Along the eastern rim of the swamp runs a line of ancient sand dunes called Trail Ridge. The sand is rich in minerals -- notably titanium dioxide. Twin Pines wants to mine it for use as a whitening agent for things like sunscreen, toothpaste and paint. The first 2025 bill, called the Okefenokee Protection Act (House Bill 561), would prohibit the state from permitting or renewing any surface mining operations at Trail Ridge. A second bill, HB 562, would place a five-year moratorium on mining along Trail Ridge. Both bills would still allow mining on Twin Pines Minerals, LLC's proposed 'demonstration' area, which is awaiting final permit approval. The Georgia River Network says this temporary ban on areas of the swamp would allow state regulators and researchers time to evaluate how the Twin pines 'demonstration mine' impacts water levels in the swamp. A similar three-year moratorium passed in the House last year, but never went for a vote in the Senate. 'Both of these bills provide the opportunity for all the legislators and leadership to respond to their constituents to save the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from mining that would harm the swamp and swamp tourism upon which the economies of the local communities depend,' said Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers. 'Here is another opportunity for the Georgia General Assembly and Governor Kemp to make real what Georgians want to see - the wild heart of Georgia - our Okefenokee Swamp and its Trail Ridge protected forever from mining - and get it done right this session.' Read: Citing scientific expert's warning, Sen. Ossoff opposes strip mine proposal near Okefenokee Swamp Some Charlton County leaders, including Commissioner Drew Jones, have advocated in favor of increased mining. He argued the mine will help the local economy by adding new jobs and products out of the county. 'We live by the mine, if it's going to effect someone's water, it's going to be mine, if there's going to be a wildfire, it's going to effect us,' said Jones last year. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is opposed to the Twin Pines mine. Last month, it made a final decision to further expand the Refuge's boundary by approximately 22,000 acres. Related: 'Simply too special:' Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp one of 'America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2023′ FWS says the new lands will allow them to offer more public uses like hunting, fishing, wildlife watching and education programs to drive ecotourism in the community. The refuge welcomes more than 400,000 visitors each year. The Department of the Interior announced last year it is nominating the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to join the UNESCO World Heritage List, among attractions like the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, and the Galapagos Islands. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia House lawmakers float bipartisan bill to protect Okefenokee Swamp from new mining efforts
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia to kayak, hike, fish, and participate in other recreational activities. Photo contributed by Joy Campbell A bipartisan contingent of several dozen Georgia lawmakers signed onto a pair of bills filed Thursday that are designed to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from future mining threats. Thomasville Republican Rep. Darlene Taylor is the lead sponsor of the House Bill 561, so-called Okefenokee Protection Act that would prohibit future mining along the refuge's Trail Ridge. Taylor and several dozen other Republican and Democratic legislators are also backing a 'compromise' mining plan known as House Bill 562, which would place a five-year moratorium on surface mining permits along the Okefenokee Swamp's Trail Ridge while experts evaluate its potential to lower water levels around the the largest blackwater swamp in North America. The fight over surface mining near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge has intensified since 2019 when an Alabama-based company, Twin Pines Minerals LLC, went public with its plan to mine for titanium oxide and zirconium just outside the current refuge's boundaries. The swamp is near the Florida line near Waycross. Opponents of the mine argue that Trail Ridge, where the mining would take place, plays a vital role in maintaining the swamp's water levels and, therefore, supporting the refuge's famously diverse ecosystem. Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, said she's optimistic about the chances of a five-year moratorium 'compromise' gaining traction during this year's session after attempts to place a temporary ban on issuing mining permits and to permanently ban future mining faltered last year in the Legislature. 'Twin Pines may get a state permit that gives them the physical license to mine 584 acres of Okefenokee Trail Ridge – but they will never receive the social license to operate at scale the thousands of acres across the rest of their mining site which lies at lower elevations closer to the swamp water level,' Peck said. Last year's Okefenokee Protection Act failed to get a hearing in the House's Natural Resources and Environment Committee, while another bill that would have placed a three-year moratorium on requesting Trail Ridge surface mining permits through Georgia Environmental Protection Division, did not get a floor vote in the Senate. Peck said that the General Assembly and Gov. Brian Kemp have another opportunity this year to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from mining. The five-year ban on EPD accepting surface mining applications and issuing permits would likely be in place during the five years that Twin Pines is seeking to mine Trail Ridge and its post-mining recovery efforts. 'Five years is justified as the time period for the demonstration mine to show some effects, but certainly not all effects, which could take 10 years or more to see what's really happened,' Peck said. 'The other piece gives time for the conservation buyer community to assemble funds to acquire those lands that are susceptible to mining on Trail Ridge or acquire conservation easements retiring mining.' The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which recommended a 10-year freeze on mining due to potential harm to the swamp, proposed last year to expand the Okefenokee refuge boundary by 22,000 acres if landowners choose to sell. The area added would include land owned by Twin Pines. Twin Pines president Steve Ingle said Thursday's legislation would not affect the company's plans for its 'demonstration mining-to-land-reclamation project.' An EPD spokesperson confirmed Thursday that the Twin Pines project is in the final permitting stage. 'We oppose any moratorium, and the people who will be working for us — who would have to be let go — should oppose it too,' Ingle said in a statement. 'We have every right to mine our property so long as the mining can be done safely without hurting the swamp. EPD will not issue a permit if it is not safe. Our opponents' resorting to legislation, rather than attempting to substantiate the talking points they have used to oppose our project, speaks volumes about the merits of their position.' Mining company vows to forge ahead when permitted despite feds' Okefenokee Refuge expansion plan The Okefenokee mining bills' most influential sponsors include several Republicans who represent Georgia's coastal areas, including Savannah Rep. Ron Stephens, who chairs the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, and St. Marys Rep. Steven Sainz. The bills also have the support of dozens of Democratic legislators, including House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley of Columbus. Megan Desrosiers, president and CEO of Georgia coastal advocacy organization One Hundred Miles, said a five-year moratorium on mining at Trail Ridge gives scientists, the Legislature and landowners time to develop a vision for the area. She expressed concerns about how digging up soil along ancient coastline might affect structural integrity, including hydrological changes and increased fire risks. 'The Okefenokee Swamp relies on Trail Ridge as a kind of wall, a stabilizing structure,' Desrosiers said. 'As they're sifting out the sand to get the heavy minerals, there's going to be a lot of water. The concern is that if they're drawing water from the aquifer then the hydrology of the area will change, which would affect the hydrology of the swamp.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
