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Sierra Club Lawsuits

Giving the Peace River a Chance

Case Updates:

October 8, 2007

For the past thirty years Floridians have been fighting to protect one of their state’s most valuable water resources from the damage caused by phosphate mining.  The Peace River is a source of drinking water for 250,000 people, providing 15 millions gallons each day; proposed plans to further mine the river for phosphate threaten both the quality and availability of this essential water supply.  Phosphate mining can lead to greatly decreased river flows, and spills from waste ponds generated by the mining process can cause a tide of toxic slime to coat the river, suffocating wildlife and threatening drinking water.  On October 8, 2007 three county governments who have been opposing Mosaic Fertilizer L.L.C.’s plans to further mine the river are considering a settlement with the massive mining company.  According to local Sierra Club activist and longtime Peace River advocate Cris Costello, the proposed agreement offers no real protection for the quality of her community’s water supply.  As it stands, the proposed settlement is a good deal for Mosaic and a bad deal for the health and safety of local communities and wildlife.  To learn more about the Sierra Club Florida Chapter’s efforts to protect the Peace River, visit their website.

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