Proposed legislation that would have ended the possibility of mining near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is no longer a consideration.
House Bill 1289, the Okefenokee Protection Act, would have prevented the state Environmental Protection Division from issuing, modifying or renewing surface mining permits on Trial Ridge for any applications submitted or revised after July 1.
The request of Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals for a permit to mine on a 577-acre tract near the southeast border of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has drawn opposition from environmental groups who are concerned about the potential impacts of mining near the world-famous swamp.
State Rep. Lynn Smith, chair of the Natural Resources & Environment Committee, said the bill was premature since the state Environmental Protection Division is still reviewing the permit applications. The permits submitted by Twin Pines to the DNR include a surface mining application, mining use plan, groundwater withdrawal application and soil abatement plan. The mining proposal has drawn opposition from scientists concerned that mining near the swamp could have an irreversible impact on water levels.
Heavy minerals including titanium are mined by digging a pit, sifting the minerals from the sandy soil and backfilling the pit with the sifted soil as crews dig through the mining site.
Scientists believe the stratified layers of soil are what keeps water in the basin-like swamp. Backfilling the mixed layers could allow water to leak out of the swamp, lowering water levels, they contend.
Steven Ingle, president of Twin Pines Minerals, said in an email Monday the effort to get a permit to mine near the swamp is ongoing.
“Our position remains the same,” he said. “We are awaiting decisions from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division on our permit applications. We continue to follow their direction and look forward to moving ahead with our demonstration project at the appropriate time and to proving our technologically advanced dragline mining methods will protect the Okefenokee.”
Josh Marks, an environmental lawyer who was involved with the failed attempt by DuPont to mine near the Okefenokee in the 1990s, expressed his concerns Monday about state EPD officials assessing the mining proposal.
“Because EPD is incapable of handling the Twin Pines permitting, and because the experts say mining on Trail Ridge will lower the water level of the swamp, the legislature needs to step back in and prohibit mining and Trail Ridge and permanently protect the Okefenokee and the tourism economy it supports once and for all,” he said.
