LETTER TO THE EDITOR: EPD can protect the Okefenokee by simply honoring its mission

To the Editor:

 Efforts to “protect the Okefenokee” in the 2025 General Assembly may be well intended, but that would not prevent unjustified damage if the pending Environmental Protection Division permit is issued this year. That permit would enable Twin Pines Minerals to mine 582 acres of Trail Ridge for titanium, a mineral found in numerous locations across at least four other states having deposits where world-class environmentally unique features are not directly threatened.

A hundred well-qualified scientists issued a statement declaring that mining Trail Ridge is likely to cause irreversible harm to Okefenokee’s internationally treasured natural resources, presenting unacceptable risks. Rather than accommodating Twin Pines, EPD should properly enforce its mission, to “… take the lead in ensuring clean air, water and land … [to] pursue a sustainable environment.”

By scientifically informed, objective standards, the proposed mining is not sustainable, nor does it ensure clean air, water and land. Therefore, if EPD is to honor its legal obligation to protect the public interest, the Twin Pines mining permit must be denied. Mining at this clearly high-risk location cannot be ethically or legally justified.

 David Kyler

Saint Simons Island

Center for a Sustainable Coast