Franklin
county Commissioners decided to withhold support from a proposal to
open a sand and fossilized shell mine north of Carrabelle.
Local
businessmen Gene and Chris Langston made the request at the
commission's November 19th meeting.
Chris
Langston said the mine would create jobs as well as tax revenue from
an area of the county that currently provides no taxes at all.
Langston
said the material could be sold to various industries around the area
and could also be used for Apalachicola oyster restoration efforts.
The
Langston's said they need county support to move forward because the
mine would be on state property – it would also require approval
from the Division of Forestry, the Department of Agriculture and the
Governor and Cabinet.
County
staff said they did not believe there is a market for the material at
this point – particularly for oyster restoration.
Alan
Pierce said the state has said many times that it does not intend to
put more material in the bay and commission chairman Smokey Parrish
said it could be 2022 before the state provides funding for another
local reshelling project.
Commissioner
Cheryl Sanders also voiced her concerns about the mining and the
impact it could have on groundwater and on the Apalachicola Bay.
The
Commission took no action on the request – meaning the county would
not issue a letter of support for the proposal.
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