"SAVANNAH, Ga. — A federal agency proposed an expansion of the Okefenokee Swamp’s vast wildlife refuge on Friday, which could lead to a buyout offer for land intended for a private company’s mining project that conservationists have fought for years.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it’s considering adding 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares) along the boundaries of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the largest federal refuge east of the Mississippi River.
The agency said its proposed expansion includes land owned near the swamp’s edge by Twin Pines Minerals, which is on the cusp of obtaining state permits to mine minerals for producing titanium dioxide. The compound is used to whiten paints, paper and toothpaste.
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. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in 2022 declared that the proposed mine poses an “unacceptable risk” to the fragile ecosystem at the Georgia-Florida line."
Russ Bynum reports for the Associated Press October 18, 2024.
SEE ALSO:
"If Okefenokee Refuge Grows, What Becomes Of A Proposed Mine?" (E&E News)
"Boundary Expansion Proposed For Okefenokee Amid Mining Debate" (WABE)
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