Stop the Mining Threat to the Okefenokee Swamp

America’s Okefenokee Swamp is a world-renowned treasure. Spanning across 438,000 acres of southeast Georgia, the Okefenokee Swamp is the largest intact freshwater wetland in North America.

But right now, this unique landscape is threatened by a proposed titanium mine at the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The operation by Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, could cause irreparable damage to the geological barrier that forms the swamp’s eastern border, endangering the integrity of the swamp’s complex water system.

Please take action to help stop this today.

Few areas can match the variety and abundance of wildlife in the Okefenokee, which hosts a wide range of habitats, from prairies and upland forests to waterways and cypress swamps. These diverse habitats support a multitude of species. Herons, wood storks, and white ibis frequent the swamp, along with more than 200 other bird species. The swamp is home to 60 reptile species, including the iconic American alligator and the endangered indigo snake.

The proposed mine at the Okefenokee poses far too great a risk to one of our most unique and irreplaceable natural treasures.

Please tell Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division to reject the Twin Pines mine adjacent to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Director

Jeff

Cown

Georgia Environmental Protection Division

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I am writing to express my strong opposition to the draft permits recently issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for mining operations at the Okefenokee Swamp. The mining company, Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, has failed to present compelling evidence that its operation will not irrevocably harm the fragile ecology of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas. I urge you to deny permission for this heavy mineral sand mine to continue moving forward.

Attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually, the Okefenokee Swamp is an economic driver for the surrounding towns and counties and for the state overall. The largest intact freshwater wetland in North America, it provides habitat for numerous threatened species and serves as the headwaters of the St. Marys River and the Suwannee River. Its ecological value is so unique that it has been designated a Wetland of International Importance.

The Okefenokee relies on a complex hydrological system in which the Trail Ridge geological formation on the swamp’s eastern border serves as a natural barrier that is essential to maintaining this sensitive water system. The integrity of this system would be severely threatened by Twin Pines’ proposed mine on Trail Ridge, potentially resulting in irreversible damage to these world-renowned wetlands.

The proposed mine on the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge poses an unacceptable risk to one of Georgia’s and the world’s greatest natural treasures. I urge the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to deny approval for this mine. Thank you.

Kind regards,

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This action will be delivered to:

Jeff Cown, Director, Georgia Environmental Protection Division

Stop the Mining Threat to the Okefenokee Swamp

Dear Director Cown:

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the draft permits recently issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for mining operations at the Okefenokee Swamp. The mining company, Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, has failed to present compelling evidence that its operation will not irrevocably harm the fragile ecology of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas. I urge you to deny permission for this heavy mineral sand mine to continue moving forward.

Attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually, the Okefenokee Swamp is an economic driver for the surrounding towns and counties and for the state overall. The largest intact freshwater wetland in North America, it provides habitat for numerous threatened species and serves as the headwaters of the St. Marys River and the Suwannee River. Its ecological value is so unique that it has been designated a Wetland of International Importance.

The Okefenokee relies on a complex hydrological system in which the Trail Ridge geological formation on the swamp’s eastern border serves as a natural barrier that is essential to maintaining this sensitive water system. The integrity of this system would be severely threatened by Twin Pines’ proposed mine on Trail Ridge, potentially resulting in irreversible damage to these world-renowned wetlands.

The proposed mine on the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge poses an unacceptable risk to one of Georgia’s and the world’s greatest natural treasures. I urge the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to deny approval for this mine. Thank you.

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