The Pamlico River Needs Your Help!

ON THIS PAGE YOU WILL FIND:
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• Talking points against the proposed PCS Phosphate open pit mining expansion
• Narrative summary of the proposed wetlands destruction
• Resource links
• December 14th Public Hearing Details

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TALKING POINTS:

CLICK HERE to download a PDF version of talking points against the proposed PCS Phosphate open pit mining expansion.

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NARRATIVE SUMMARY:

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) Phosphate, Inc. has applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit to impact and fill wetlands and waters of the state for the purpose of continuing their mining operations along South Creek and the Pamlico River in eastern Beaufort County near the town of Aurora. Interestingly, PCS is the same company that in 1997 was granted a permit to impact more than 1,260 acres of wetlands—at that time the largest permitted destruction of wetlands in the history of North Carolina.
 
Now the company has plans to nearly double that destruction in an even more sensitive location. If the federal and state government allows PCS to move forward with this plan, the Pamlico River basin would lose more than 2,400 acres of wetlands, brackish marsh, and open creeks, including public trust waters. Many of the wetland areas and creeks that drain to South Creek - a designated special secondary nursery area, which provides important habitat for estuarine fish, shrimp, crabs, and other aquatic species - would be destroyed.

The Albemarle-Pamlico Sound is one of the most productive North American fisheries, generating thousands of jobs and over $1 billion annually. The area the company seeks to mine will permanently damage primary fishing habitat, where both economically important commercial and recreational fish species spend all or part of their life cycles. Destroying these important fisheries will impact this region long after PCS has left the area. This is to say nothing of the impacts the destruction of wetlands and tidal creeks will have on the region’s tourism and housing industries, other important economic engines of the area.

Of the area PCS wishes to mine (via open pit strip mining) 75% is designated wetlands, including highly productive brackish salt marsh, bottomland hardwood forest wetlands, hardwood forest wetlands, pine forest wetlands, and herbaceous wetlands. The proposed mine site would also impact over 7 miles of tidal creeks and streams bordering the Pamlico River and South Creek.

To date, North Carolina has lost one-half of its original 11.1 million acres of wetlands and continues to lose wetland acreage each year. Wetlands provide a myriad of functions that yield great value for human societies. These functions include: flood control, aquatic and terrestrial habitat, aquatic nursery habitat for commercial and recreational fish and shellfish, sink for pollutants and toxins, nutrient recycling and reduction. Scientists and federal and state resource agencies have recognized the benefits wetlands provide to eastern North Carolina and have made it a priority to work to protect them along with nursery areas.

Alternatives do exist that reduce environmental impacts. Despite PCS’ claims that there is only one option that they can pursue, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that they can profitably mine two other sites. PCS' preferred alternative is not acceptable nor permittable by law. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of North Carolina have a responsibility to define an alternative that does not result in any short or long-term degradation of the local natural environment.

   

This summary was created by the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation and the Southern Environmental Law Center.

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RESOURCES:

• To view additional satellite images, aerial photos, the 10/20/06 Public Notice, and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement please visit The Pamlico-Tar River Foundation site by CLICKING HERE.
• For information on wetlands and the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting process please visit the U.S. EPA website by CLICKING HERE.

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