20080868 Ver 2_N&O EPA put a hold on mining expansion_20090326

EPA puts a hold on minim exnifncinn
Damage feared
to N.C. wetlands
BY WADE RAWLINS
STAFF WRITER

are less environmentally damag
ing ... alternatives for mining the
project site that would avoid im-
pacts to important wetland and
stream resources," Stanley Mei-
burg, acting regional administra-
tor, said in a letter to the corps.
The waters of the Pamlico
estuary provide nursery habitat
for many commercial and recre-
ational fish found along the
coast.
The EPA regional office's deci-
sion comes in defiance of pres-
sure from four members of
North Carolina's congressional
delegation to settle the issue
quickly. The next step will un-
fold in Washington, where
higher-level EPA and corps offi-
cials will decide whether to re-
quire changes in the mining plan
to minimize damage to wetlands
and streams in Beaufort County.
PCS Phosphate, part of an
international company based in
Canada, has worked the mine
near Aurora since 1995 to pro-
duce phosphate for fertilizer and
animal feed supplements, and
for use in food additives such as
phosphoric acid, a flavor enhan-
Federal environmental regula-
tors have decided to challenge a
plan by PCS Phosphate to
expand mining near the Pamlico
River in Eastern North Carolina,
saying the expansion would
cause unacceptable environmen-
tal harm.
In a rarely used move, the
regional director of the U.S.
Fnvironmental Protection
Agency in Atlanta has notified
'he U.S. Army Corps of Engi-
wers' Wilmington office that
he mining permit the corps
flans to issue is unacceptable
nd should be put on hold.
The plan to allow the company
mine about 11,000 acres adia-
ent to its current open-pit mine
ver 35 years entails the largest
ermitted destruction of
-reams and wetlands in North
arolina.
"We continue to believe there
cer in Coca-Cola and jellies. It i
the largest employer in Beaufort
County, with 1,100 full-time
workers.
The application to expand
mining is handled by the Corps
of Engineers, with state and fed-
eral agencies such as the EPA of-
fering iriput. The EPA has veto
authority, though it's rarely used.
Company disappointed
Ross Smith, manager of envi-
ronmental affairs for PCS, said
the company was unaware the
letter had been issued.
"Certainly, PCS is disappoint-
ed in EPA's response," Smith
said. "We believe the Corps of
Engineers has ... made appropri-
ate decisions. We're hopeful the
corps will resolve any issues and
proceed with issuance of the
permit."
Penny Schmitt, a spokes-
woman at the Corps of Engi-
neers, said she expected the EPA
headquarters office to agree to
the regional office's request to
get involved in the review.
"We just want to let the pro-
s cess go forward," Schmitt said.
Environmental advocates
e cheered the push by the EPA for
more changes to the mining
plan.
"We certainly fully support
EPA's efforts to address the ad-
verse impacts that will result if
PCS is allowed to move for-
ward," said Derb Carter, direc-
tor of the Southern Environmen-
tal Law Center's Carolinas of-
fice. "Much of this will be irre-
versible and have long-term
consequences to the Pamlico
River, Beaufort County and that
part.of the state."
The company first applied to
expand its mine in 2000. It
sought to mine through wet-
lands, salt marsh and head-
waters of a number of creeks - a
plan state regulators said violat-
ed state law, causing the issue to
be tied up in court until 2006.
Since then, the company has
offered a different plan, and the
permitting process has moved
forward.
wade.rawlins@)newsobserver.com
or 919-829-4528
newsobserver.com
Tu NEWMBSERVER
newsobserver.com
Page 1 of 2
Published: Mar 26, 2009 02:00 AM
Modified: Mar 26, 2009 08:33 AM
EPA puts a hold on mining expansion
Damage feared to N.C. wetlands
BY WADE RAWLINS, Staff Writer
Comment on this story
Federal environmental regulators have decided to challenge a plan by PCS Phosphate to expand
mining near the Pamlico River in Eastern North Carolina, saying the expansion would cause
unacceptable environmental harm.
In a rarely used move, the regional director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in
Atlanta has notified the U.S. Army Corps.of Engineers' Wilmington office that the mining permit
the corps plans to issue is unacceptable and should be put on hold.
The plan to allow the company to mine about 11,000 acres adjacent to its current open-pit mine
over 35 years entails the largest permitted destruction of streams and wetlands in North
Carolina.
"We continue to believe there are less environmentally damaging ... alternatives for mining the
project site that would avoid impacts to important wetland and stream resources," Stanley
Meiburg, acting regional administrator, said in a letter to the corps.
The waters of the Pamlico estuary provide nursery habitat for many commercial and recreational
fish found along the coast.
The EPA regional office's decision comes in defiance of pressure from four members of North
Carolina's congressional delegation to settle the issue quickly. The next step will unfold in
Washington, where higher-level EPA and corps officials will decide whether to require changes in
the mining plan to minimize damage to wetlands and streams in Beaufort County.
PCS Phosphate, part of an international company based in Canada, has worked the mine near
Aurora since 1995 to produce phosphate for fertilizer and animal feed supplements, and for use
in food additives such as phosphoric acid, a flavor enhancer in Coca-Cola and jellies. It is the
largest employer in Beaufort County, with 1,100 full-time workers.
The application to expand mining is handled by the Corps of Engineers, with state and federal
agencies such as the EPA offering input. The EPA has veto authority, though it's rarely used.
Company disappointed
Ross Smith, manager of environmental affairs for PCS, said the company was unaware the letter
had been issued.
"Certainly, PCS is disappointed in EPA's response," Smith said. "We believe the Corps of
Engineers has ... made appropriate decisions. We're hopeful the corps will resolve any issues
and proceed with issuance of the permit."
Penny Schmitt, a spokeswoman at the Corps of Engineers, said she expected the EPA
headquarters office to agree to the regional office's request to get involved in the review.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/v-print/story/1458425.html 3/26/2009
newsobserver.com Page 2 of 2
"We just want to let the process go forward," Schmitt said.
Environmental advocates cheered the push by the EPA for more changes to the mining plan.
"We certainly fully support EPA's efforts to address the adverse impacts that will result if PCS is
allowed to move forward," said Derb Carter, director of the Southern Environmental Law
Center's Carolinas office. "Much of this will be irreversible and have long-term consequences to
the Pamlico River, Beaufort County and that part of the state."
The company first applied to expand its mine in 2000. It sought to mine through wetlands, salt
marsh and headwaters of a number of creeks -- a plan state regulators said violated state law,
causing the issue to be tied up in court until 2006.
Since then, the company has offered a different plan, and the permitting process has moved
forward.
[e-mail] or919-829-4528
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http://www.newsobserver.com/news/v-print/story/1458425.html 3/26/2009