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 has imposed a fine on Twin Pines Minerals while the company from Alabama awaits approval from the agency for their proposed mining plan. The plan must be approved in order for the company to obtain a permit and outlines how they will carry out their mining activities and address any potential environmental harm. A draft of the plan was published by regulators one year ago.

Since 2019, the company Twin Pines has been attempting to obtain permission from the government to extract titanium dioxide from an area less than 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) away from the southeastern edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which is the largest refuge in the United States located east of the Mississippi River.

Experts have cautioned that extracting resources in close proximity to the Okefenokee’s concave edge may have permanent detrimental effects on the swamp’s capacity to retain water and lead to more frequent and severe droughts.

According to a draft plan summary released in January 2023, Twin Pines maintains that its mining operations will not cause harm to the swamp. Georgia regulators have conducted their own analysis and determined that the water level in the swamp will be minimally affected.

Georgia regulators issued a consent order on Tuesday that alleges Twin Pines violated state law by conducting soil sampling at the mine site without proper supervision from a professional geologist or engineer. The company collected the samples in 2018 as part of their mining application process.

According to the document, the company did not comply with the necessary provision of a letter of credit or a performance bond. These serve as a form of deposit that may be forfeited if drilling activities are found to be in violation of regulations.

On Wednesday, a lawyer representing Twin Pines stated that the company refutes any allegations of misconduct.

Attorney Lewis Jones stated that the purported violations stem from EPD’s understanding of unclear technical regulations. He further explained that they have decided to sign the consent order in order to resolve the issue and continue with their project.

An Atlanta environmental lawyer named Josh Marks, who is against the mining project, deemed the $20,000 fine as “unreasonably low.” He stated that the gathering of soil samples without proper professional oversight raises doubts about the reliability of the information submitted by Twin Pines in their applications.

Marks stated that if EPD persists in pursuing this risky project, they should at minimum require Twin Pines Minerals to redo their exploratory drilling in accordance with state regulations and submit a revised permit request, regardless of the time it may take. This is the only way for EPD to accurately assess the effects of mining on the Okefenokee.

Researchers who oppose the suggested mine by Twin Pines have reported encountering additional issues with the company’s submission. In 2020, hydrologists from the National Park Service informed Georgia regulators that they identified “significant deficiencies” and technical mistakes in Twin Pines’ computer simulations, which were used to demonstrate that the mining operation would not negatively impact the surrounding wetlands. Twin Pines stood by its findings.

Last year, the National Park Service announced its intention to nominate the Okefenokee refuge for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage site list. This designation is a significant honor that would elevate the refuge’s status as one of the few remaining unspoiled blackwater swamps in the world.

The area of the refuge is approximately 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) and is located in the southeastern region of Georgia. It is a habitat for various species, including alligators and bald eagles, that are protected. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees the refuge and estimates that it attracts around 600,000 visitors annually due to its diverse wildlife, cypress forests, and flooded prairies.

The Fish and Wildlife Service stated in February 2019 that the proposed mine could potentially have significant negative effects on the swamp, such as its capacity to retain water. The agency also noted that certain consequences may not be reversible, fixable, or able to be reduced.

The involvement of Georgia’s regulators is crucial as the Twin Pines project is no longer under the supervision of the federal government, which typically evaluates environmental permits alongside state agencies.

In 2020, the Army Corps of Engineers stated that they no longer held control over the project due to changes in regulations made by former President Donald Trump. Despite attempts by current President Joe Biden to reinstate federal supervision, these efforts were unsuccessful. The Army Corps then made a deal with Twin Pines to continue their hands-off approach in 2022.

Source: wral.com