From Organic Family Magazine No. 7
WHAT LINKS FLORIDA AND IDAHO? THE PHOSPHATE RISK
By Lisa Z. Leighton
At first glance, Florida and Idaho have very little in common. Florida is a place of childhood vacations to visit the grandparents. It recalls memories of beaches, palm trees, Disney World, and sunshine (and sunburn). Idaho couldn’t be more different, with its mountains and rushing rivers, potatoes, snowy winters, and beautiful, sparsely populated landscapes.
But there is a common link between the two states: phosphate strip mining. The states are home to some of the largest and most profitable phosphate formations in the country. Phosphate is a product that most of use on a daily basis – it’s in the fertilizer that grows our food, and it’s in many everyday products such as soft drinks, food preservatives, household cleaning products and toothpaste. In many ways, we need phosphate.
The problem is, it’s extracted in a way that creates long-term impacts on landscapes and surrounding communities. Wildlife habitat, water quality, and even ecotourism are all drastically altered by this industry. And in some cases, like in Florida, the majority of phosphate is exported to China, so the benefits to local communities are negligible.
Open-pit phosphate minind in Idaho.
In southwest Florida, a large phosphate strip mining company named Mosaic has requested an expansion of its existing Fort Green mine. The expansion would bring mining near the tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it community of Ona. The proposed expansion would impact a small stream called Horse Creek, which flows into the Peace River, and then into the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary.
In Florida, strip mining forever changes the landscape and affects the flow, quantity, and quality of water.
“Charlotte County has a lot to risk from upstream strip mining,” Charlotte County Florida Commissioner Adam Cummings says. “A large portion of our drinking water comes from the Peace River. The Charlotte Harbor is not only an economic contributor to the region, but it’s the main reason people come to our County—to fish, boat and relax on our beaches.”
In Idaho, the J.R. Simplot Company, another large mining company, has already begun exploratory drilling in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in southeastern Idaho. That drilling is the precursor to expanding Simplot’s Smoky Canyon Mine even further into the National Forest, including some of the state’s most pristine and natural roadless areas. It’s easy to see why hunters, fishermen, and conservationists are concerned.
“These are some of the most wild and scenic places in all of Idaho,” Marv Hoyt, Idaho Director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition says about the area. “While we don’t want to put the mining companies out of business, we do want them to take safeguards to protect the environment, and adequately reclaim mined lands when they’re finished. That’s the least they can do.”
THE PHOSPHATE RISK
The phosphate mining issue in both states can be summed up in one word—risk.
In Florida, phosphate strip mining will affect pristine streams and a National Estuary, fish populations, wildlife and bird habitat, and ecotourism. The area is home to the burrowing owl, eastern indigo snake, sandhill crane, and the endangered Florida panther. It’s also home to some of the country’s best fishing. Avid tarpon, snook, and catfish fishermen flock to southwest Florida to take part in tournaments or just to spend a leisurely day out on the boat.
So, perhaps the greatest risk phosphate strip mining poses is to southwest Florida’s fishing industry. Phosphate strip mining drastically changes the landscape of a mined area, so much so that the flow, quality, and timing of water are affected downstream.
A recent study showed that one in three tourists fish while visiting the Charlotte Harbor area, and one in five residents fish, creating an economic impact on the region of more than $1 billion annually. A study by Economist Dr. James Nicholas indicates that a one percent reduction in fish populations will cost the region $261 million dollars annually. This includes related losses to restaurants, hotels, and other lost income. He also found that a loss of fish habitat of 1 percent to 4 percent would result in the loss of between 1,500 jobs and 6,100 jobs.
In Idaho, phosphate mining in a National Forest will negatively impact large game, wildlife, native fish species like the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and ecotourism. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest is home to about 300 species of nesting birds, 85 mammal species, and 17 types of amphibians and reptiles. These include threatened and endangered species such as the grizzly bear, rocky mountain wolf, and the peregrine falcon. Large game like elk, moose, black bear, and mule deer also get their drinking water from the area’s streams and rivers.
People come to Idaho for it’s world-class fishing and hunting opportunities. In 2003, anglers alone spent $438-million while fishing in Idaho. If fish populations decline, fishermen may seek other places to spend their money.
Horse Creek, located in Southwest Florida, is one of the areas that citizens are trying to protect from phosphate mining.
Unfortunately, there are already visible impacts from mining in both states. In 2002, a fish consumption advisory was issued by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare because of high levels of selenium in the flesh of fish. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition recently conducted a fish sampling study that had some interesting results -- every single fish that was analyzed from seven southeastern Idaho streams was contaminated with high levels of selenium, a mining byproduct that can be toxic to animals, fish, and people.
In Florida, there have been countless spills and accidents over the years. During Hurricane Frances, a damn broke at one of Mosaic’s strip mining facilities, dumping millions of gallons of acidic water into Hillsborough Bay and killing fish instantly. And, studies have shown that fish are already missing from “reclaimed” streams.
ECOSYSTEMS CANNOT BE “REPLACED”
While strip mining companies are required by law to restore lands that they mine, there is rarely enough money or time to repair and repopulate entire ecosystems, not to mention “replace” wildlife. It’s nearly impossible to replace what has taken centuries to thrive.
An Administrative Law Judge in one of the Florida strip mining cases called phosphate strip mining the “total and utter destruction of the environment.”
So how does one begin to right the wrongs of strip mining? The primary concern regarding restoration is the quality and quantity of plant diversity required from strip mining companies. Even though strip mining companies use different species of plants to reclaim land, it is insufficient to regenerate lost populations. During the strip mining process, mature ecosystems are destroyed. These ecosystems have complex relationships that simply cannot be replaced in a matter of weeks, months or even years.
Restoration must also provide for the return of native birds, fish, mammals and amphibians. This requires the replanting of various trees, bushes and vegetation, which provide these animals food and protection from predators.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY
Because of what’s at risk, Charlotte County, Florida and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition have come together to form a working partnership to fight the phosphate companies in their backyards. Their website is www.ThePhosphateRisk.com.
The website features a wealth of information about phosphate, impacts to wildlife, water, the economy, and more. It also includes news articles, online videos, and a blog. The blog is the perfect place to express your thoughts about phosphate mining and engage with others who may agree or disagree with you. The more conversation the better! The website also features a Call to Action section, so you can contact the Governors of Idaho and Florida about phosphate mining. Learn more today – www.ThePhosphateRisk.com .
Lisa Z. Leighton is a recent resident of Florida. Lisa has a dual B.A. in Environmental Studies and Religion and has been working on environmental issues professionally for the past 5 years. Her background includes environmental policy, environmental science, event planning, outreach, communications, and PR.
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