Sparks Fly as Phosphate Mining Proposal Divides North Florida Communities

VIDEO Update 5/1/2016: Phosphate Rally and the latest Updates

For the background, watch my video “Phosphate Mining in Florida”. Bradford county is moving forward with the mining proposal. I captured a little of the protest rally on April 29th, and compiled updates of other latest development. Including the fist fights at Bradford county meeting on April 21st – Dr. Pieczenik, an MD and Ph.D speaking against mining was confronted and threatened at the meeting. Yet the doctor, not the aggressors, was forced out of the room.

But the mining company has a long way to go to get all the permits from State even Federal level. Thanks to activist like Merrillee and Alachua county officers like the Environment Protection Department Director Chris Bird, we don’t have to fight emotionally. Just present facts and we have a good chance to stop mining at County or State level.

Please continue to follow Citizens Against Phosphate Mining in Union and Bradford counties, and share my mini phosphate documentary

UF Professor, Hassan El-Shall is lead researcher for Jack E. Hazen and HPS Enterprises, LLC (SUNBIZ)
Hassan El-Shall has reportedly worked for MOSAIC Mining. Note: Mark E. Kaplan, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs served as Chief of Staff to Florida Governor Jeb Bush (MOSAIC)
Cargill is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients and owned 2/3 of the shares of The Mosaic Company until 2011. (Source)
A review of industrial innovations in phosphate processing – Hassan El-Shall. This article provides the basis for improvements in phosphate mining.

4/22 -WCJB: Phosphate Mining Operation Moves Forward: Bradford county staff confirms a site plan has been filed for the three thousand acre project near Brooker. “I was shocked,” Brenda Thornton said after witnessing the Bradford county commission meeting Thursday night. Emotions boiling over during that meeting, sheriff’s deputies escorted people from both sides out. The commission will hold a workshop Friday, April 29. (More)

4/4/2016 FCN Report on Phosphate Mining Proposal

BELOW: Dr. Steve Pieczenik warns Bradford County Officials of phosphate mining health dangers. Complete video of 26 citizens comments beginning at 9:42 (click here)

Stakeholder, Jack Hazen claims University of Florida Professor Hassan El-Shall backs him up that phosphate mining will be “environmentalist friendly” and “will be different than what they’re doing in other parts of the state”.

Phosphate Mining in Florida, and What you should know about Phosphate even if you are elsewhere

Apr 14, 2016 by Cheng Liu (Youtube)

I made this video of Mycol Stevens paddling down New River and talking about the proposed mining along its banks. New river is a major tributary to Santa Fe River and then Suwanee river… What’s the impact on the springs and aquifer? on the farms and people of Alachua county? Please Join Citizens Against Phosphate Mining in Union-and-Bradford-Counties.

“A growing body of literature explores the recent rise of the American passion for lawns. Clearly this peculiar cultural development was only possible after internal combustion-powered lawn mowers, industrially fixed nitrogen, and potent pesticides became available.” – Jack Putz, PhD – Plant ecologist at the University of Florida. (Article)

Even if mining is far from your backyard, more people need to know what Phosphate is really about. Florida has 27 mining sites with the smallest one digging 5,000 acres and the largest 100,000 acres, totalling over 490,000 acres. Such intensive and destructive practice is less known than Fracking, maybe because it’s only happening in Florida and Idaho – Florida provides 75 percent of the nation’s entire phosphate supply and 25 percent of the world’s supply… Everybody should know, Phosphate mining is about fertilizer so it has to do with food and lawns for us all. Share the video.

Action items:
1. Sign the Petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/313/46…
2. Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/Citizens-Aga…
3. The Wikipedia entry “Bone Valley” is obviously maintained by mining company proponent – check out the edit history. Knowledgeable local please correct it with unbiased information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_Va…

Sparks Fly at County Meeting

Bradford County Commission Phosphate Meeting Blowup
Published on Apr 23, 2016

Big Time Intimidation Factor at Bradford County Commission Meeting. Photos and captions on how intimidation of Dr. Pieczenik.

Tech Brigade: Altercation starts about 2 minutes into the video. Republican great American military hero, Steve Pieczenik, (StevePieczenik.com) was forcibly hauled out into the hallway while Jack Hazen and Wayne Davis seemed to be giving orders. Many commented the police officers and the landowners attend the same church. (1st Baptist of Starke, FL) It appears the officers were taking orders from the landowners.

Photos show the landowners grabbed the Dr Pieczenik from behind which started the altercation. Obviously, the camera was knocked out of my hand by a guy whose last name is Douglas I am told.

Bradford County citizens deserve much better. Money is such a corrupting influence. Please comment. God Bless!

Julian Hazen Speaks at Lake Butler Special Meeting March 4, 2016. Hazen is a Polk County businessman and member of the Hazen family of phosphate mining land-owners.

Notes:

FDEP on Phosphate Mines:

Global Phosphorus Research Institute
“As an essential nutrient in fertilisers, phosphorus ensures the world’s agricultural soils are fertile, crop yields are high, farmer livelihoods are supported and ultimately that the global population can be fed.”

WUFT 4/26/16: Bradford County Cancels Phosphate Mining Workshop “While considering an application request, the board of county commissioners acts in a quasi-judicial capacity,” Sexton said. “In those cases, it’s really not appropriate when the board hears comment or testimony on the issue.”

Lake Butler: 4/24/2016: Union County Citizens Overwhelming Oppose Mining Operation
“Shadd, Pritchett, Howard and Hazen families had teamed up with the intent to mine thousands of acres owned by the families throughout southeastern Union and southwestern Bradford Counties”

WUFT: Bradford County Residents Receptive To Phosphate Mine

WUFT: Union County Residents Fighting Phosphate Mining

WUFT: Citizens Voice Concerns About Phosphate Mining in Bradford County

4/7/2016 WCJB: Hundreds speak out against phosphate mining in Union County. Attorney, Ed Murawski speaks as HPS environmental consultant.

FCN, March 4, 2016: Residents stand in opposition to proposed phosphate mining

SUN – 2/17/2016: Union County residents try to block phosphate mine before it gains traction

Tampa Bay Times, 2012: Blowing sand and dirt from Mosaic phosphate mining in Fort Lonesome is sickening them, neighbors say “When the air stirs, they take cover in their home and close it up tight, fearful that heavy dust clouds will send one or both of them back to the hospital.”

Phosphate mining in Nauru
“The economy of Nauru has been almost wholly dependent on phosphate, which has led to environmental catastrophe on the island, with 80% of the nation’s surface having been strip-mined.”

HPS II PHOSPHATE MINING PROJECT Website with video featuring Jack Hazen, Project manager -Jack Shmedeman and Julian Hazen (MET PRO, Inc.) who gives credit to UF professoe Hassan EL-Shall for patenting the patented process developed at PERC, UF Particle Engineering Research Center.