State regulators heard from dozens of conservationists and Okefenokee Swamp admirers who urged the state to reverse course on plans to allow an Alabama-based company to mine near the wildlife refuge.
The state Environmental Protection Division issued draft permits for Twin Pines Minerals LLC last month and is in the middle of a 60-day public comment period, which ends April 9. About 90 people spoke at a more than three-hour public hearing held Tuesday evening, with no one speaking in favor of the permits. Nearly 300 people attended the virtual meeting.
Supporters of the project say blocking the mining would infringe on the landowner’s private property rights and they argue the project will bring needed jobs to the rural area. The company plans to mine for titanium dioxide at a demonstration site on Trail Ridge, which is seen as an important barrier for the swamp.
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