The federal government is proposing a boundary expansion for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that would include area owned by Twin Pines, LLC, a company that’s pursuing a controversial plan to mine near the swamp.
If the proposal for what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls a “minor boundary expansion” is approved, the agency would be able to pursue voluntary conservation efforts with landowners in the 22,000 acre area, including acquisitions or partnerships. The agency says this expansion would also include a one-mile “fuel reduction” zone, which would help the wildlife refuge manage the risk of wildfires.
The Fish and Wildlife Service says it would only acquire land from willing landowners; there is no requirement for property owners within the area to participate. The president of Twin Pines, Steve Ingle, wrote in an email to WABE that the federal proposal doesn’t affect his intentions.
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