Save the Myakka River: Stop Massive Phosphate Mine!

Petition to Stop Phosphate Mining in Myakka/Manatee County, Florida

Mosaic Fertilizer is proposing to Phosphate Mining and a master mine plan of over 3595 Acres in East Manatee County that includes the Myakka River Headwaters which is the very beginning of our beautiful Myakka River. We are a family that actually lives only feet from the beginning of the Myakka River as it starts and flows only feet from our back porch where Mosaic Fertilizer is proposing to phosphate mine directly across a small dirt road known as McLeod Road. Mosaic is proposing to mine at the beginning of the Myakka River that runs directly throughout our property in Myakka/Manatee County and will affect all homeowners in our area. Mining operations will cause destruction of thousands of acres, possible sinkholes, radiation in the air, lower the water levels of the Myakka River (for swimming, fishing,etc.) create the potential for radioactive contamination of our well water source for drinking, bathing and daily use and leaves behind a radioactive byproduct.This is the same phosphate mining operation that had a sinkhole of 45feet wide, 300-feet deep in Mulberry, Florida last September and poured 215million gallons of radioactive water into the Florida Aquifer. The Company and the DEP waited weeks before acknowledging the catastrophe, failing to even notify neighbors who share the water source. As all Myakka/Manatee County residents survive on private water wells. All Myakka/Manatee County residents will face the potential decrease of the value of our properties as no-one wants to live in homes near phosphate mines with the potential hazards of radiation caused by the mining process. Our County Commissioners must vote to issue a special land permit to allow mining operations. The only way we have to stop this destruction is for our County Commissioners to be the voice of the people and protect us as we elected them to do. We are presenting this petition directly to our Commissioners at the hearing on January 26, 2017, to urge them to vote “NO” and not approve any regulations which would permit Mosaic Fertilizer to mine this over 3595Acres of land and the Myakka River Watershed and destroy the way of life as we know it in Myakka/Manatee County. The mines cannot continue their destruction in Myakka/Manatee County, if our county commissioners do not approve this permit. If you DO NOT want this phosphate mining to be a reality in Myakka/Manatee County, please sign this petition and let our elected commissioners know.

PLEASE NOTE:  By signing this petition, you are telling our County Commissioners in Manatee County that you DO NOT approve of phosphate mining in Myakka/Manatee County and they should vote “NO”.