The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing a permit application from Chemours for a massive titanium mineral mine in a sensitive area near the Santa Fe River. The proposal threatens hundreds of acres of wetlands, critical wildlife habitat, and the integrity of Double Run Creek, which flows into the Santa Fe.

💬 We need your voice! Submit a public comment and request a public hearing by June 12, 2025.

📝 How to Comment:
Comments should be submitted electronically via the Regulatory Request System (RRS) at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs or

• Email your comment to: John Fellows at john.p.fellows@usace.army.mil
• Subject line: “Public Comment on Chemours Titanium Mine Permit Application – Request for Public Hearing for Permit Application (SAJ-2019-00480)”

✅ Talking Points to Include in Your Comment:

• Request a public hearing. A project of this magnitude demands full transparency and public input. Affected communities and experts must be heard before any decision is made.
• Wetland destruction is unacceptable. The mine would impact over 700 acres of wetlands that provide flood control, water filtration, and essential habitat for fish and wildlife.
• Mitigation plan is insufficient. Chemours admits there are no mitigation banks or in-lieu fee programs available. Its proposed "permittee-responsible mitigation" lacks long-term legal protections.
• Downstream impacts are serious. The site is directly connected to Double Run Creek, which flows into the Santa Fe River, a state-designated Outstanding Florida Water. Damage upstream means pollution downstream.
• Cumulative impacts must be considered. This is part of a broader pattern of industrial mining in North Florida. The Corps must evaluate how this project adds to long-term environmental stress in the region.
• Our aquifer and springs are already overburdened. Water withdrawals, wetland loss, and increased sedimentation from mining threaten the very sources that sustain drinking water and spring flow.
• Environmental justice must be addressed. Communities downstream deserve a say in how their water and land are treated. They will bear the brunt of any pollution or long-term damage.

📢 Take action now!
Submit your comment by June 12, 2025, and tell the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

“We demand a public hearing and full environmental review. Deny the Chemours titanium mine permit unless the project can demonstrate real protections for wetlands, water, and public interest.”

Let’s show the Corps that Florida cares about its water, wetlands, and future.

📄 SAMPLE LETTER
To be submitted by June 12, 2025
Subject line: Public Comment on Chemours Titanium Mine Permit Application – Request for Public Hearing for Permit Application (SAJ-2019-00480)

To: [Insert U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Email Address]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Dear [Project Manager’s Name],

I am writing to submit public comment on the proposed Chemours Trail Ridge South (TRS) Mine and to respectfully request that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deny the permit unless substantial environmental safeguards are implemented, and that the Corps hold a public hearing on this application.

The proposed titanium mining project would permanently alter over 700 acres of wetlands near Double Run Creek, which feeds into the Santa Fe River, a designated Outstanding Florida Water. These wetlands are ecologically critical for filtering pollutants, moderating flooding, supporting biodiversity, and recharging the Floridan aquifer.

I am alarmed by five major concerns associated with the TRS Mine’s dredge and fill operations:

1. Reported radium levels in discharged water exceed the permit limit of 5.0 pCi/L, posing risks to both environmental and public health.
2. Wastewater treatment system failures have been documented in the 2023 and 2024 TRS Annual Reports, indicating a pattern of noncompliance.
3. Offsite discharges of mine contact and process water have been identified in Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Public Pollution Notices.
4. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that disturbed wetlands will be restored within a reasonable timeframe, calling into question the reliability of proposed mitigation.
5. The permit application does not adequately prove that no less-damaging alternative exists to the proposed dredge and fill activities, as required under the Clean Water Act’s 404(b)(1) Guidelines.

In addition, the applicant admits there are no mitigation banks or in-lieu fee programs available, and proposes “permittee-responsible mitigation” with vague assurances about long-term protection. That is simply not enough to ensure permanent wetland function and ecological recovery.

Given the scale of this project and the documented failures in wastewater management, I urge the Corps to hold a public hearing to ensure transparency, gather local expertise, and allow impacted communities to speak.

Unless Chemours can meet stringent environmental standards and demonstrate true avoidance and minimization of harm, I urge the Corps to deny this permit.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP]
[Email Address]