BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — There will be another workshop on revising the county’s process for permitting mining after the first accomplished little more than hurt feelings.
The county advertised hearings in June to take the first step toward amending mining regulations in its comprehensive plan to, among other things, protect wetlands, conservation areas and the land surrounding them. To the surprise of those at the first hearing expecting commissioners to follow through with changes Union County made years ago when facing the possibility of a phosphate mine, the board took no action. Instead, a workshop was planned to discuss the changes after an attorney representing Chemours suggested that the language was too broad.
Conservationists brought many questions to the workshop as well as memories of how the board handled — or mishandled — a phosphate mining application that slid into the planning office in 2016 while concerned members of the public were still trying to convince the board there should be a moratorium on applications until the county’s minimal regulations could be amended to protect the environment and public health.
The July 6 workshop was loaded with attacks on Chemours’ past as DuPont as well as its present, including allegations that it had not restored mined areas and was responsible for flooding and pollution. Commissioner Danny Riddick even revived claims that mining was responsible for the decline of lake levels in the Keystone Heights area, linking the claims to residents who live around those lakes.
Kate Ellison challenged the idea that the workshop was being held at the request of citizens.
“Since when do citizens spontaneously activate to champion mining in the wetlands? Since during the long campaign to save the New River from mining operations, citizens were opposed by corporations and lawyers, not other citizens,” she said. She surmised that any citizen who did reach out to commissioners probably worked for Chemours.
Citizens advocated for adopting the same mining regulations adopted by Union County, with Ellison saying it makes sense that surrounding counties that share the same watershed also share the same protections.
The Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club’s Joanne Tremblay echoed that request and joined others in claiming that wetlands cannot be restored after they are mined.
“In reality, wetlands cannot be restored after mining because of the complex geological structure under the surface soils that cannot be duplicated in the reclamation process. In addition, Chemours is not timely in restoring these areas once they have completed mining for these projects,” she said.
What was meant to be a discussion on proposed changes to the comprehensive plan and land development regulations was more often an attempted indictment of the mining company. Chemours did not defend itself, but it did have its defenders, including Commissioner Chris Dougherty, who said he had seen DuPont’s/Chemours’ mining reclamation efforts up close and suggested others try to do the same.
Dougherty also chastised citizen Carol Mosley for behavior he found disruptive while he was speaking (Mosley said she was passing a note to inquire if others needed to tour the reclamation site) and asked Paul Still about the location of the retention ponds he had discussed. Still felt Dougherty cut him off, however, when he tried to explain why he thought the aging industrial wastewater ponds were dangerous and had not been adequately inspected.
Dougherty addressed the negativity, calling comments made about Chemours, and mining in general, subjective.
“Another comment that was made to this was by Ms. Mosley: ‘The first thing you have to realize that any lawyer is obligated to present their client in the shiniest light possible.’ Well, I feel like a lot of times there’s a room full of people in here that are shining the darkest shadow that they can on the industry,” Dougherty said.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner said everyone within the community needs to work together as partners.
“Each entity has their desire, so we have to look at the happy medium where we can work collectively together — how we can protect our areas for conservation, protect our lakes, protect our areas that shouldn’t be mined, but what you are mining, making sure that it continues to be safe and that you continue to provide industry and resources for our community,” she said. Instead of working against each other, they should be working together to develop regulations that protect both sides, she said.
Chemours attorney Beth Moore spoke briefly to try to put the focus on the process of amending the comprehensive plan and land development regulations. But no suggestions or substitute language were offered. Instead, she said she was present to learn about the process and hear from commissioners about how they wanted to improve the regulations. She also suggested that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other experts be invited to present information on mining permit requirements and the regulatory process.
Commission Chair Diane Andrews said she thought the workshop would be a good idea to counter any perception about secret meetings or hidden agendas. She said there are two sides and each needs to listen to what the other has to say.
Like Spooner, who talked about the years her father worked in the industry, Andrews talked about her husband’s work for DuPont, calling it a well-run organization based on what she has heard.
“It’s very important that we get this right, and I do agree, if Lake Butler has adopted this, then ours should agree with each other,” she said. She asked Chemours to take the questions that had been asked and try to provide answers in future meetings.
“I know we can’t run the company for them, but if we can answer some of these questions, then I think that it would help people to understand what the company is all about,” Andrews said.
Zoning Director Randy Andrews asked everyone on both sides to submit questions they have to him, and they will be compiled for the next workshop.
That workshop will take place at 5 p.m. before the commission’s next board meeting on Thursday, July 20.
