The Suwanee Canal, the only remnant of a failed attempt to drain the Okefenokee in the late 19th century. Today it is the main entrance to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Photo by Rachel Garbus
The Okefenokee Swamp, the largest blackwater swamp in North America and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia, is a rare ecological treasure. Home to thousands of native plants and animals — including at least 15,000 alligators — it also supports a thriving southeast Georgia tourism economy that employs over 700 people and brings in $64.7 million in annual revenue. But the Okefenokee’s delicate ecology is often threatened by mining interests: An ancient sand dune bordering the swamp is full of valuable heavy minerals. Hydrology experts say their extraction would result in significant water loss in the Okefenokee, leading to more frequent droughts and fires.
This year, a bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers is trying to stop mining near the swamp. The Okefenokee Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville), would block all future mining along the Trail Ridge near the swamp. House Bill 71 would not stop an existing mining proposal that Georgia regulators are currently considering, but proponents say it will provide critical safeguards for Okefenokee’s continued development.
Here’s what else you should know about the Okefenokee Protection Act.
What would the Okefenokee Protection Act do?
House Bill 71 would change Georgia law by prohibiting the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) from granting, modifying or renewing mining permits for a section of the Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee. The legislation reads in part: “Open pit mining at Trail Ridge risks adverse impacts on the wetlands, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, air quality and wilderness values of the Okefenokee Swamp.”
Rep. Darlene Taylor introduced the legislation after a citizen brought the mining issue to her attention. “I vacationed there many times as a kid with my family,” Rep. Taylor told Atlanta. After speaking with a geologist about the impact mining could have on Okefenokee, she agreed to lead legislative efforts to protect it. “There’s nothing like it anywhere else,” she said.
Okefenokee Adventures runs boat tours of the swamp; Over 600,000 people visit the Okefenokee each year, making it a cornerstone of the local economy.
Photo by Rachel Garbus
Is the bill likely to pass?
The Okefenokee Protection Act is bipartisan: it has six co-sponsors and has been signed by nearly 40 lawmakers from both parties. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment; Rep. Taylor is working closely with the committee’s chair, Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), and said she expects it to be heard on the House floor in the next few weeks.
Rep. Taylor introduced the same legislation last year, but it got stuck in committee. It’s already making more progress this year, she said: “I’ve never received as many public comments on this bill as I have, even from people outside my district. I think if (the bill) gets on the floor, it will go through.”
Okefenokee Swamp Park’s Katie Antczak, holding a live young alligator, poses with Senator Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville) and a friendly mascot on Okefenokee Swamp Day at the Georgia General Assembly on February 8, 2023.
Photo by Rachel Garbus
Why won’t it affect the current mining proposal?
The Okefenokee Protection Act would go into effect this July, so it would not affect a proposed Twin Pines Minerals mine that has been in the works since 2019. The Birmingham-based company wants to build a 700-acre “demonstration mine” that would operate less than three miles from Okefenokee. Twin Pines’ permit application was tossed between federal and state agencies for years, but after several court cases, the permit eventually landed with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, which is currently accepting public comment on its land use plan for the Twin Pines mine.
Although it will not be affected by this legislation, the proposed Twin Pines project has raised concerns among experts about the impact of mining on the swamp, which is driving the current legislation. Twin Pines’ original proposal was for 12,000 acres of Trail Ridge, but if this bill goes into effect, that larger tract of land will be protected from mining.
What risk does mining pose to the Okefenokee swamp?
Experts believe mining near the swamp would result in water loss in the Okefenokee and the rivers it feeds. In order to extract heavy minerals from the sand, water must be pumped from underground aquifers. Twin Pines says it can do this without causing significant water loss in the swamp, but ecologists and hydrologists aren’t convinced. “They’re removing a million gallons of groundwater every day,” explained Dr. Amy Rosemond, an aquatic ecologist at the University of Georgia. “How can you say you won’t do any harm?”
Hydrologists believe the effects of water abstraction will triple the frequency of droughts near the quarrying area, exposing the peat in the swamp and leading to more frequent fires. The dense layer of peat beneath the swamp water makes the Okefenokee a critical carbon sink, but prolonged exposure to the peat due to drought can release massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and accelerate climate change. Drought and fire are also threatening the rich biodiversity of the Okefenokee, as well as the thousands of acres of timber that surround the swamp.
For many residents who love the Okefenokee, even a small risk of damage is too much. “If you see pictures of other places (that have been mined), they’re abandoned,” said Reverend Antwon Nixon, who lives in Folkston, Charlton County and has been an outspoken critic of the Twin Pines mine. “Even if they say it’s only a 1 percent chance, that’s still too big.”
In the 1990s, mining company DuPont attempted to build a large mine along Trail Ridge but was thwarted by environmentalists and concerned Georgians. “This sanctuary and this mining project are incompatible,” said then-US Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. Current Home Secretary Deb Haaland has also spoken out against the Twin Pines mine.
The east side of the swamp is largely unforested prairie dotted with swampy grasses. Water is as low as 15 cm (6 in) in parts of the swamp: even minor drainage can cause excessive drought.
Photo by Rachel Garbus
Wouldn’t mining bring jobs to Southeast Georgia?
Critics of the law say it would block job opportunities in an economically weak part of Georgia. Twin Pines has promised its mine would bring 150 jobs to Charlton County. “The Twin Pines project would fill a great need,” the Charlton County Development Authority wrote in the 2019 Charlton County Herald.
But supporters of the bill argue that the mining jobs would be temporary, as the work will dry up once the minerals are mined. And residents are concerned that mining jobs will go to highly skilled workers from outside the community. “Why would you hire people with no experience?” asked Nixon. “Most likely they will hire people who are already miners.”
Rep. Taylor said she understands the need for jobs. “I’m from rural Southwest Georgia and we have the same problem,” she said. But she pointed out that tourism around the Okefenokee employs hundreds of people, an industry that would be disrupted by mining near the swamp: “You don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
What can I do?
If you would like to support the Okefenokee Protection Act, contact your state officials to share your thoughts. To consider Twin Pines Minerals’ proposed mine, please send public comment to twinpines.comment@dnr.ga.gov by March 20, 2023.
Most importantly, you can visit Georgia’s natural wonders for yourself! The Okefenokee offers a wide range of experiences including boat tours, canoe trips, overnight camping, fishing, bird watching and much more. Local residents say attracting more visitors is key to boosting the economy and growing support for the Okefenokee. “Having a love for something will help you do something about it,” Nixon said.
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