ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A yearslong battle between environmental groups and an Alabama-based company over a proposed mine near one of Georgia’s natural wonders has come to a close.

The nonprofit Conservation Fund has purchased the land of a proposed mine site, called Trail Ridge, near the border of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The site is where Twin Pines sought to mine in the mineral-rich section just outside the swamp’s boundaries.

Along with the land purchase, the environmental nonprofit will also acquire the mineral rights.

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) said for more than six years, it has worked alongside several other groups to stop Twin Pines from mining along Trail Ridge.

“When citizens, advocates, and the conservation community work together, really extraordinary things are possible,” said Bill Sapp, a senior attorney in SELC’s Georgia office and chairman of the Okefenokee Protection Alliance’s executive committee. “The Okefenokee is unlike any place on Earth. Conserving this special place is an important step towards protecting Trail Ridge and the Okefenokee for the next generation of Georgians.”

Twin Pines has worked since 2019 to obtain permits to mine titanium dioxide, a pigment used to whiten products from paint to toothpaste.

“This moment kind of reminds me of the David and Goliath story,” said Reverend Antwon Nixon, a Folkston pastor who’s been on the front lines of the opposition effort. “David showed up to the fight. I showed up to the fight and offered all that I have and it was enough.”

“Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a special place and one of the most important natural treasures in Georgia. It’s the kind of place that sticks with us and sustains us — a destination for nature lovers and home to unique plants and wildlife like alligators, wood storks and bald eagles,” said Stacy Funderburke, vice president of the central Southeast region at The Conservation Fund. “By purchasing this land from Twin Pines, The Conservation Fund will ensure that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge remains wild and unspoiled for all Americans.”

In a statement, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff called the nonprofit’s land purchase “great news for all Georgians and our beloved natural treasure.”

“For years, I’ve been sounding the alarm that strip mining near the Okefenokee Swamp poses irreversible damage to an irreplaceable natural resource,” Ossoff said. “I will continue to champion efforts to protect Georgia’s beloved natural resources and beloved outdoor spaces.”

Located south of Waycross, the Okefenokee is the largest U.S. refuge east of the Mississippi River, covering nearly 630 square miles in southeast Georgia. It is home to abundant alligators, stilt-legged wood storks and more than 400 other animal species.

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