Current:Home > InvestCompany seeking to mine near Okefenokee will pay $20,000 to settle environmental violation claims -Wealth Nexus Pro
Company seeking to mine near Okefenokee will pay $20,000 to settle environmental violation claims
FinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-08 09:33:35
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The company seeking permits to mine minerals near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to Georgia environmental regulators, who say the company violated state laws while collecting soil samples for its permit application.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s assessment of a civil penalty against Twin Pines Minerals comes as the Alabama-based company waits for the agency to approve a final mining plan for how it would conduct mining operations and mitigate any environmental damage. The plan is required for Twin Pines to qualify for a permit. Regulators released a draft plan a year ago.
Since 2019, Twin Pines has been seeking government permits to mine titanium dioxide less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the largest U.S. refuge east of the Mississippi River.
Scientists have warned that mining near the Okefenokee’s bowl-like rim could irreparably harm the swamp’s ability to hold water and increase the frequency of withering droughts.
Twin Pines has insisted it can mine without harming the swamp. In a summary of the draft plan released in January 2023, Georgia regulators said their own analysis “concluded that water level in the swamp will be minimally impacted.”
A consent order issued by Georgia regulators Tuesday accuses Twin Pines of drilling soil samples at the mine site without having a professional geologist or engineer supervise the work, which is required by state law. The samples were taken in 2018 to collect data for the company’s mining application.
The document also says the company failed to provide a required letter of credit or a performance bond, which essentially acts as a security deposit that can be forfeited if drilling violates the law.
An attorney for Twin Pines said Wednesday the company denies any wrongdoing.
“The alleged infractions are based on EPD’s interpretation of ambiguous technical regulations,” attorney Lewis Jones said in a statement. He added: “We agreed to sign the consent order to put this matter behind us and move our project forward.”
One opponent of the mining project, Atlanta environmental attorney Josh Marks, called the $20,000 penalty “ridiculously low.” He said the collection of soil samples without the required professional supervision means information Twin Pines submitted in its applications can’t be trusted.
“If EPD insists on continuing to entertain this dangerous project, at the very least, it should force Twin Pines Minerals to redo its exploratory drilling in full compliance with state law and submit a revised permit application, no matter how long that takes.” Marks said. “Only then will EPD be able to accurately determine the impact of mining on the Okefenokee.”
Scientists who are critical of Twin Pines’ proposed mine have said they found other problems with the company’s application. Hydrologists for the National Park Service last year told Georgia regulators they discovered “critical shortcomings” and technical errors in computer modeling Twin Pines submitted to support its assurance that mining won’t harm the swamp. The company defended its work.
The National Park Service gave notice last year that it’s nominating the Okefenokee refuge for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site — a rare distinction that would boost its profile as one of the world’s last intact blackwater swamps.
The refuge covers nearly 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) in southeast Georgia and is home to alligators, bald eagles and other protected species. The swamp’s wildlife, cypress forests and flooded prairies draw roughly 600,000 visitors each year, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the refuge.
In February 2019, the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote that the proposed mine could pose “substantial risks” to the swamp, including its ability to hold water. Some impacts, it said, “may not be able to be reversed, repaired, or mitigated for.”
The role of Georgia regulators is critical because the federal government, which normally weighs environmental permits in tandem with state agencies, has relinquished oversight of the Twin Pines project.
The Army Corps of Engineers declared in 2020 that it no longer had authority over the project because of regulatory rollbacks under then-President Donald Trump. Efforts by President Joe Biden to restore federal oversight failed. The Army Corps entered an agreement with Twin Pines to maintain its hands-off position in 2022.
veryGood! (38821)
Related
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin undergoes successful non-surgical procedure, Pentagon says
- Uvalde families sue gunmaker, Instagram, Activision over weapons marketing
- Woman pleads guilty but mentally ill in 2022 kidnap-slaying, DA says; cases against others pending
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- National Spelling Bee reflects the economic success and cultural impact of immigrants from India
- Lara Trump touts RNC changes and a 2024 presidential victory for Trump in North Carolina
- Forecasters warn Oklahoma may see dangerous tornadoes as Texas bakes in record heat
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- Q&A: New Legislation in Vermont Will Make Fossil Fuel Companies Liable for Climate Impacts in the State. Here’s What That Could Look Like
Ranking
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Huey Lewis on bringing his music to Broadway in The Heart of Rock and Roll
- Nevada voter ID initiative can appear on 2024 ballot with enough signatures, state high court says
- What restaurants are open Memorial Day 2024? Hours and details for McDonald's, Starbucks, more
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- Italian teenager Carlo Acutis to become first millennial Catholic saint after second miracle attributed to him
- Frontier CEO claims passengers are abusing wheelchair services to skip lines
- Nevada voter ID initiative can appear on 2024 ballot with enough signatures, state high court says
Recommendation
US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
New York man pleads guilty to snatching officer’s pepper spray during US Capitol riot
In one North Carolina county, it’s ‘growth, growth, growth.’ But will Biden reap the benefit?
Every death imperils their species. 2024 already holds triumph and tragedy.
McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
Lenny Kravitz says he's open to finding love: I've never felt how I feel now
Bird flu detected in beef tissue for first time, USDA says, but beef is safe to eat
'I want to do damage': Yankees' 6-foot-6 prospect Spencer Jones has his eyes on New York