Charlton County Resolution supporting the proposed titanium mine near the Okefenokee 2019-08-15

This is the resolution passed Thursday week before last by the Charlton County Commission, collected today from the County Clerk.

You can still comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which actually has authority over the mine permit application.

[Twin Pines Materials, LLC]
Twin Pines Materials, LLC

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
CHARLTON COUNTY, GEORGIA
PROCLAMATION OF SUPPORT OF
TWIN PINE MATERIALS, LLC

WHEREAS, the Charlton County Board of Commissioners is the governing authority of Charlton County, Georgia;

WHEREAS, economic development and quality, high-paying jobs are of vital importance to all local governments;

WHEREAS, the proposed heavy metal mining operation of Twin Pine Materials, LLC will result in approximately one hundred fifty (150) local high-paying jobs with benefits in Charlton County;

WHEREAS, the proposed capital investment of Twin Pine Minerals, LLC will result in substantial yearly tax revenue to the County;

WHEREAS, the estimated tax revenue from Twin Pine Minerals, LLC will allow Chariton County, Georgia to increase the level of service it provides to its citizens;

WHEREAS, the Charlton County Board of Commissioners finds and determines that the proposed operation of Twin Pine Minerals within Charlton County will result in economic levelopment that is beneficial to all of Charlton County;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Charlton County Board of Commissioners, subject to approval by any other authority having jurisdiction, hereby proclaims and expresses support of Twin Pine Minerals, LLC proposed heavy mineral sand mining.

This 5th day of August 2019.

[signed]
James E. Everett, Chairman
Charlton County Board of Commissioners

The resolution does not mention that Charlton County actually has no jurisdiction to approve or disapprove this mine: that would be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

How to Comment

Help Suwannee Riverkeeper save the Okefenokee Swamp
You can object to a titanium strip mine proposed far too near the Swamp.

Help Suwannee Riverkeeper Save the Okefenokee Swamp


GA-EPD had a public comment period open until March 20, 2023 on the Twin Pines Minerals Mining Land Use Plan.

You can still send a comment to the addreseses below, even though the comment period is over. You can comment from anywhere: not limited to Georgia.

Here is the Public Notice and the documents on which you need to comment.

You can email or paper mail your comments, or join one of two zoom webinars.

You can write to your Georgia state representative or senator or governor or lieutenant governor and ask them to refuse any such instrument.

Here's a convenient comment form by Georgia Water Coalition:
https://protectgeorgia.org/okefenokee/#/320/

Or to find your legislator you can type in your ZIP code here: http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

These are the Georgia state Senators with districts most involved with the Okefenokee Swamp:

  • GA Sen. Mike Hodges, District 3 District 003 Senator Mike Hodges (R-Brunswick), (404) 463-1309, (912) 464-1989, mike.hodges@senate.ga.gov (Charlton, Brantley, and east half of Ware Counties).
  • GA Sen. Russ Goodman, District 8 District 008, Senator Russ Goodman (R-Homerville), (404) 463-1318, 912-218-0447, russ.goodman@senate.ga.gov, rustingoodman@gmail.com, (Lowndes, Lanier, Echols, Clinch, Atkinson, and west half of Ware Counties).

These are the Georgia state Representatives with districts most involved:

  • John Corbett, House District 174 174, John Corbett, R - Lake Park, (404) 656-5105, john.corbett@house.ga.gov, Charlton, Brantley, south half of Ware, Clinch, Echols, east third of Lowndes Counties.
  • Steven Sainz, House District 180 180, Steven Sainz, R - Woodbine, (404) 657-1803, steven.sainz@house.ga.gov, Camden and part of Glynn Counties: no Suwannee River Basin Counties after recent redistricting.
  • James Burchett, House District 176 176, James Burchett, R - Waycross, 404-656-5105, Suite 1318, james.burchett@house.ga.gov, southwest Coffee, Atkinson, Lanier, and northeast Lowndes Counties
  • Dexter Sharper, House District 177 177, Dexter Sharper, D - Valdosta, 404.656.0126, dexter.sharper@house.ga.gov, Lowndes County

You can also write to your U.S. Representative or Senator and ask them to urge the Corps to take back up its oversight of the mine site. See former letter from former Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05).

For the requested Georgia state permit regarding Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, you can send a comment or request for public hearing to
Stephen Wiedl, Wetlands Unit, stephen.wiedl@dnr.ga.gov
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, Water Protection Branch, 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30334.
Be sure to mention Applicant: Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, Application Number: SAS-2018-00554.

For the Georgia Coastal Management Program certification, you can send a comment to
Federal Consistency Coordinator, Ecological Services Section, Coastal Resources Division,
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, One Conservation Way, Brunswick, Georgia 31523-9600
Telephone 912-264-7218.

You can also write to the Georgia DNR board, asking them to refuse any such instrument.
Georgia Board of Natural Resources
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SE, Suite 1252, Atlanta, GA 30334

To submit a letter to the editor of the Charlton County Herald, you can email editor@charltonherald.com.
Or write to your local newspaper.
You can also contact radio, TV, and of course post on social media.

Much more about the proposed titanium mine is here:
wwals.net/pictures/2019-07-12–tpm-usace

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!