News And Updates
Mining permit is suspended
Published By: HeraldTribune.com
Environmentalists scored a victory -- at least temporarily -- against mining giant Mosaic Fertilizer on Monday when federal regulators suspended a permit that would have allowed mining on wetlands in northeast Manatee.
In a letter to Mosaic, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it needs to "revisit" its July 29 decision to grant the permit and allow the company to mine the so-called Altman Tract in Duette.
The corps, which is being sued by a collection of local environmentalists over the permit, did not elaborate on its reversal.
Despite the permit suspension, the decision will likely have little practical impact on Mosaic's controversial effort to mine the 2,048-acre property.
But the decision does add another legal wrinkle to an already complicated legal fight.
County commissioners, the last regulatory stop before mining on the Altman Tract could commence, voted 4-3 last month to deny the mining company permission to do so.