A measure that would pause permitting of some new mines near the Okefenokee Swamp faces an uncertain fate in the Georgia Senate amid backlash from key Republican leaders on the final day of the legislative session.
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch told the Politically Georgia podcast Thursday that he had sharp concerns about adopting legislation that could temporarily restrict new mines like the one an Alabama firm wants to develop to extract a compound on the fringes of the Okefenokee Swamp.
“Those are decisions that shouldn’t be made by political entities. Those are decisions that should be made by regulatory agencies,” said Gooch, one of the top Republicans in the chamber.
He added: “I don’t know if this bill gets to the floor today or not, but I will tell you — this we have to let our regulatory agencies do their jobs.”
His comments came on the chaotic final day of the General Assembly, the deadline for bills to pass. Another Republican, state Sen. Brandon Beach, also said he would oppose the measure because it sidelined his unrelated effort to ban Chinese nationals from buying land near U.S. military bases.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the president of the chamber, has yet to comment publicly on the measure.
The fight over the proposed 582-acre Twin Pines Minerals mine has become a national flashpoint that has united conservationists, community leaders, visitors and others who want more protections for one of the nation’s most treasured sites.
The state Environmental Protection Division released draft permits for the development in February. That triggered a comment period that closes on April 9. After that, state officials can issue a permit at any moment.
The measure, Senate Bill 132, would not prevent state environmental authorities from issuing permits to Twin Pines to develop atop Trail Ridge, the line of ancient dunes that run along the east side of the swamp.
But it would pause permitting of new mines that use the same sort of “dragline” technique that the Alabama company plans to employ to unearth a titanium extract used mainly in toothpaste and paint.
It cleared the House Tuesday by an overwhelming 167-4 margin, with some conservation groups praising it as a solid step while others said it was a short-sighted half measure that does little to protect the swamp. But supporters worry the Georgia Senate won’t bring it to a vote.
