Header photograph of Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven, Georgia | Michael Lusk / USFWS
Within the center of south Georgia lies the Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven, a sprawling panorama of over 400,000 acres. With its colourful ecosystem and distinctive historical past, the shelter is a valuable nationwide useful resource. Alternatively, the corporate Dual Pines Minerals has threatened to damage this essential nationwide flora and fauna shelter.
For the previous few years, the Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven Affiliation has been combating to give protection to the Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven from a damaging mining operation. The proposed mining venture through Dual Pines Minerals may just devastate the Okefenokee Swamp and its population, which come with endangered species just like the red-cockaded woodpecker and the japanese indigo snake.
In November 2022, the Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven Affiliation and different environmental companions filed a lawsuit towards the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers and Michael Connor, in his legit capability as Assistant Secretary of the Military for Civil Works, looking for declaratory reduction for his or her alleged arbitrary and capricious reinstatement of licensed jurisdictional determinations in violation of the Administrative Process Act. You’ll learn extra concerning the lawsuit right here >>
The Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven isn’t just ecologically vital but additionally economically vital. The shelter draws hundreds of holiday makers every yr, producing thousands and thousands of bucks for the native financial system. The proposed mining venture would hurt the surroundings and negatively have an effect on the native financial system.
Dual Pines lately launched its draft mining land use plan along side a 60-day remark length for involved electorate and Okefenokee advocates to voice their considerations and opposition to Dual Pines’ mining proposal. That is the latest building in an extended fight to give protection to the Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven from damaging mining operations. We should proceed to rise up for this nationwide treasure and urge Georgia’s Environmental Coverage Company to do so through March twentieth, 2023.
We can’t permit the Okefenokee Nationwide Flora and fauna Safe haven to be destroyed. Take motion now and get in touch with Georgia’s Environmental Coverage Company to call for that they offer protection to the shelter for generations to return.