ATLANTA – The Conservation Fund announced Friday that it had purchased land and mineral rights near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from Twin Pines Minerals, LLC. That mining company had proposed a strip mine roughly three miles from the edge of the Okefenokee, the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the eastern United States.
The proposed titanium mine could have contaminated Georgia’s most famous swamp, created a lot of noise and light pollution and heightened the chances of wildfires.
In response, Environment Georgia State Director Jennette Gayer issued the following statement:
“This is great news for Georgians and the vast array of wildlife that rely on the Okefenokee for food, water and homes. More than 10,000 Georgians and outdoor enthusiasts from our network submitted comments urging the state’s Environmental Protection Division to deny a permit for the proposed mine.
“Now we urge Gov. Kemp to push for permanent protections for the entire eastern boundary of the Okefenokee and support a UNESCO world heritage designation that will give this unique Georgian ecosystem the global recognition it deserves.”
