Mosaic holds closed-door meetings with counties

Sarasota, Fla.-The Mosaic Co. plans to hold a series of meetings in secret with representatives from three counties and the local water authority in an effort to resolve issues regarding future mining activities and permitting. Mosaic spokesman David Townsend said the meeting is not really secret because the fact it was to occur appeared in local newspapers, “so how secret can it be?” Florida’s “Sunshine Law” prohibits all government bodies from meeting in secret, but since only one representative from each county commission will be present, the law will not apply. However, if a settlement of the issues is reached, all of the transcripts of the meetings must be made public. The three counties include Charlotte, which has led the battle against the southerly advance of phosphate mining, and Lee and Sarasota, as well as the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. The representative from Sarasota County will also speak for the water authority. In the past, the counties have contested Mosaic’s applications for permits to mine in the region out of fear the quantity and quality of the Peace River, which supplies the area with potable water, would be affected. Mosaic would like to have related issues resolved to move more quickly in the permitting process. “We’ve been negotiating and in litigation for over five years, and we want a global settlement of the issues,” Townsend said. “It has been moving slowly, and we thought it could move at a much faster pace with fewer people at the table.” After the first meeting on Sept. 27, Townsend described it as “very productive,” but added they would continue to meet and, “This is not the end.”