Three people came up from Baker County, Florida, to get another copy of the mine application from Twin Pines Minerals (it matches the earlier copy) and then had to leave early. Emily Jones of Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) came from Savannah. Suwannee Riverkeeper (I) asked the Charlton County Commissioners to consider asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to extend the application comment date. The Chair of St. Mary’s Riverkeeper spoke. The miners’ lobbyist sat silent.

Thanks for hospitality to Attorney?, County Administrator Hampton Raulerson, Absent Jesse Crews (3), Vice Chair Alphya Benefield (1), Chair James E. Everett (2), , Drew Jones (4), Luke Gowen (5), County Clerk Jenifer Nobles, Finance Coordinator Rebecca Harden.

Since we learned that Twin Pines Minerals still has a hydrogelogical study in process with some unknown completion date, the thirty-day extension GPB announced the next day does not seem adequate, since a key study is missing. Remember to comment on the Corps’ and GA DNR dockets, and see below for the dates, times, and locations of upcoming meetings in Charlton County.

There was nothing on the agenda about the mine, so everything about it was in Public Comments towards the end of the meeting.

One page agenda

Thanks to Chair James E. Everett and Commissioners and staff for their hospitality. Especially to County Clerk Jenifer Nobles, Finance Coordinator Rebecca Harden for letting me back in to get my hat.

CHARLTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
BOC CONFERENCE ROOM
6:00 P.M.

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
3. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
4. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
5. FINANCIAL REPORT (SECOND MEETING)
6. HEAR THAD WRIGHT, CENSUS BUREAU
   THE FORMATION OF A COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE
7. DISCUSS E&R SPREADSHEET, 06/19
8. CONSIDER BIDS FOR TRASH TRUCK
9. CONSIDER ST. GEORGE ALLEYWAY PETITION – SARAH SHEFFIELD
10. CONSIDER SHANNA KIDD VARIANCE REQUEST
11. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF FOLKSTON FIRE STATION
    TAMMY LLOYD – AUGUST 4, 2019 – BABY SHOWER, ALL DAY
12. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF FOLKSTON FIRE STATION
    LAWSON LAFFERTY – AUGUST 10, 2019: 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. (4 HOURS)
13. HEAR CHIP EASON, C&B MOBILE HOMES
    DISCUSS MOBILE HOME PERMITTING & FEES
14. CONSIDER SCHEDULE FOR MEETING & WORKSHOPS
15. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF WASTE MANAGEMENT REQUEST
16. UPDATE ON ROAD PROJECTS WITHIN THE COUNTY
17. ACKNOWLEDGE ACCEPTANCE OF WELLNESS REPORT – JUNE, 2019
18. PUBLIC COMMENTS; (PLEASE LIMIT TO 3 MINUTES)
19. COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS
20. EXECUTIVE SESSION (IF REQUIRED)
21. NEXT BOC MEETING, 6:00 P.M., THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019 BOC CONFERENCE ROOM
22. ADJOURN

Suwannee Riverkeeper

I mentioned to the Commissioners that smoke from the Bugaboo fire in 2007 came as far west as Lowndes County, Georgia, where I live.

The Charlton County Commission sent to Lowndes County in August 2017 for assistance during the West Mims fire, and I thanked them as a citizen for that.

• 4. Special Presentation- West Mims Fire, Lowndes County Commission, August 8, 2018
  

  Video. Lowndes County Emergency Management Director Ashley Tye said back then, “You can imagine when you have something of that magnitude. It doesn’t matter what community it happens in. There’s nobody that can tackle something like that alone,” Mutual aid is alive in emergency management cooperation among local governments, including drawing in equipment from counties surrounding Lowndes. Chairman Bill Slaughter read the resolution from the Charlton County Board of Commissioners.

As Suwannee Riverkeeper, I mentioned that we frequently hold outings in the Swamp.

Minnie’s Lake Platform, 2017-12-10.

Commissioner Luke Gowen’s District 5 includes most of the Okefenokee Wilderness Area Canoe Trails.

Map from Charlton County Board of Elections
PDF

His district goes all the way west to Stephen C. Foster State Park and the Suwannee River Sill, and on the east side Kingfisher Landing.

Georgia River Network OWACT web page

Of the public boat ramps and platforms on this WWALS map, the only one in the Okefenokee Swamp that is not in the Suwannee River Basin is the Suwannee Canal Boat Ramp, near Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR) headquarters near Folkston. There are a few more ONWR facilities in the swamp not depicted, but not very many. And there is no sharp dividing line between the St. Mary’s River Basin and the Suwannee River Basin in the swamp. Anything that affects the Swamp affects the Suwannee River Basin.

Suwannee River Basin Landings
See also WWALS the interactive google map, Landings on the rivers in the Suwannee River Basin: Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, upper and lower Suwannee River watersheds and Estuary, plus Santa Fe River, by Suwannee Riverkeeper, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.

Multiple organizations tell me that the miners told them that they plan to ship the ore to Starke, Florida, for processing. That’s in Bradford County, where Twin Pines Minerals appears to be located ina Chemours Mine (former DuPont) mine on Trail Ridge. That is between the New and Santa Fe Rivers. The New flows into the Santa Fe, which flows into the Suwannee River, and on to the Gulf. So as Suwannee Riverkeeper, I am concerned about this Charlton County titanium mine proposal from two directions.

During Hurricane Irma, the only industrial pollution spills reported to the state of Florida within the Suwannee River Basin were from three Chemours mine locations in Baker and Bradford Counties. We don’t want to add to that risk in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida. Do we want to risk that on Trail Ridge in Charlton County, Georgia, where downstream is either the Okefenokee Swamp or the St. Mary’s River?

Finally, I asked the Charlton County Commissioners to consider asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to extend the comment deadline. Naturally, they did not say anything about that right there. Afterwards, County Administrator Hampton Raulerson told me they had heard me and he would be looking into it.

Maybe they are more influential than anyone thought, because the next day we learned the Corps is extending the deadline for another thirty days.

St. Mary’s Riverkeeper Board Chair

St. Mary’s Riverkeeper Board Chair Chip Campbell spoke. He revealed that the man sitting at the left front of the audience was with Twin Pines, namely (if I heard correctly), lobbyist Steve Allen. Campbell also revealed that Twin Pines Minerals has a hydrogeological study still in process, with some unknown future completion date.

TPM front left, Chip Campbell (St. Mary’s Riverkeeper), Emily Jones (GPB) with microphone

The man from Twin Pines said nothing. Before the meeting I spoke to him briefly, but he did not identify himself, and would only say he was there to listen. I don’t know why he could not speak for himself.

Upcoming meetings

According to County Clerk Jenifer Nobles just now, these meetings are scheduled:

St. George Fire Station #2

• 6PM, Thursday, August 1, 2019, Work Session, Charlton County Commission,
  68 Kingsland Drive, Folkston, GA 31537-3872
• 5:30-8:30 PM, Tuesday, August 13, 2019, Public Meeting by Twin Pines Minerals,
  Auditorium, 68 Kingsland Drive, Folkston, GA 31537-3872
  WWALS facebook event
• 5:30-8:30 PM, Wednesday, August 14, 2019, Public Meeting by Twin Pines Minerals,
  Fire Station Number 2, 13063 Florida Avenue, St. George, GA
  WWALS facebook event
• 6PM, Thursday, August 15, 2019, Regular Session, Charlton County Commission,
  68 Kingsland Drive, Folkston, GA 31537-3872

The other agenda items each got substantial discussion last Thursday. For example, Thad Wright gave a very interesting presentation about preparing for the upcoming U.S. Census. This is important for Charlton County, as for other counties, because population as determined by the census determines allocation of numerous federal funds.

As for all counties, especially ones with small populations, funding for services is always an issue. However, any potential jobs or tax revenue from the proposed mine needs to be weighed against the many more jobs supported by the ONWR, and the risk to the one-of-a-kind Okefenokee Swamp.

Thad Wright, Census Bureau

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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