Tampa-A suit filed against the Corps of Engineers by the Sierra Club and Manasota-88, a local environmental group, seeks to stop Mosaic from expanding its mining activity in Manatee County, Fla. The suit, which was also filed on behalf of the Gulf Restoration Network and People for Protecting Peace River, said the Corps failed to protect the environment when it granted Mosaic a dredge-and-fill permit for the Altman Tract, a 1,500-acre section, because it did not get sufficient public input. Mosaic spokesman David Townsend said the suit contained no new information and did not name Mosaic as a party, so it would not affect the company’s mining plans. In a related development, the Manatee County Commission was scheduled to vote on the company’s mining proposal late last week. The suit noted about 400 acres of high-quality wetlands would be destroyed in the mining, and that the Corps had overestimated the company’s restoration capabilities. Townsend also said Charlotte County, which has spent millions of dollars in legal efforts to halt mining in the Peace River watershed, voted 4-1 not to challenge Mosaic’s permit for the South Fort Meade mine, and the Peace River Manasota Water Authority voted not to challenge by a 4-0 vote. Sarasota has deferred action on a challenge, and Lee County had not considered the matter. All are former opponents of mining in the watershed.
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