On Friday, the USFWS announced its final decision to expand the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by approximately 22,000 acres, potentially opening the door to a buyout of the proposed mine.⁠ ⁠ That’s because the feds’ planned boundary expansion would include lands held by a number of private owners, including Twin Pines Minerals LLC. The Alabama-based mining company has been trying to build a heavy-metals mine along the eastern boundary of the refuge since 2017, but the project has been stuck in the permitting phase and is currently awaiting final approval from state regulators. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division drafted conditional permits for the project in February 2023, but the division has not indicated when it will issue its final decision.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in profile for the full story 🔗⁠ ⁠ #wildliferefuge #okefenokeenwr #usfws #georgia #conservation #wildlife #outdoors #nature #outdoorlife⁠ Story by: dac.collins