Center for Biological Diversity

Media Advisory, April 2, 2019

Contact: Rachael Curran, (727) 537-0802, rcurran@biologicaldiversity.org

DeSoto County to Host Public Mediation With Mosaic on Wednesday  

Session Initiated by Company After County Denied Phosphate Mine Proposal 

ARCADIA, Fla.— The DeSoto County board of commissioners on Wednesday will host a mediation session requested by Mosaic mining to open settlement negotiations regarding the company’s thwarted plans to mine phosphate in the county.

The public, nonbinding mediation follows the county’s decision last July to deny a rezoning request by Mosaic necessary for the company’s planned 18,287-acre DeSoto mine.

In response to the rezoning denial Mosaic elected to force the county into a public mediation process established by the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act.

Mosaic retains its right to challenge the county’s rezoning denial in court should the two parties not come to an agreement at the mediation.

While the mediation is open to the public, public participation will be limited.

What: Public mediation session between Mosaic mining and DeSoto County

Where: County Commission Meeting Room 103, 201 E. Oak Street, Arcadia, Fla.

When: 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Who: Rachael Curran, a senior attorney in the Center for Biological Diversity’s St. Petersburg office, is available for media interviews prior to, and after, the mediation session.

Proposed DeSoto mine

Proposed DeSoto phosphate mine. Map by Kara Clauser, Center for Biological Diversity. This image is available for media use.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

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