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U.S. NEWS Monday 6 June 2022
Agency ruling delivers big setback to Okefenokee mining plan

By RUSS BYNUM Creek Nation before it can gia’s Environmental Protec-
Associated Press move forward, the memo tion Division, the sole regu-
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A said. lator with oversight over the
federal agency has de- “We have said from the project before the federal
livered a big setback to a day we announced our government’s Friday de-
company’s controversial plans that we would follow cision, which restores the
plan to mine near the edge the regulations before us Army Corps regulatory au-
of the Okefenokee Swamp at any given time,” Steve thority over 556 acres (225
and its vast wildlife refuge. Ingle, president of Twin hectares) of wetlands in
A government memo said Pines, said in a statement. the proposed mining area.
Friday that the Army Corps He added: “We intend to The Okefenokee National
of Engineers is reasserting move forward with our ap- Wildlife Refuge covers near-
jurisdiction over Twin Pines plication and fulfill all re- ly 630 square miles (1,630
Minerals’ proposal to mine quirements.” square kilometers) in south-
minerals just outside the U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a east Georgia and is home
Okefenokee, home to the The sun sets over water lilies and cypress trees along the remote Georgia Democrat who to alligators, bald eagles
largest U.S. wildlife refuge Red Trail wilderness water trail of Okefenokee National Wildlife has fought the proposed and other protected spe-
east of the Mississippi River. Refuge, Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Fargo, Ga. mine outside the Okefeno- cies. The swamp’s wildlife,
Scientists have warned Associated Press kee since he took office last cypress forests and flood-
that mining close to the President Joe Biden’s ad- Tucson, Arizona, had been year, called the decision a ed prairies draw roughly
swamp’s bowl-like rim ministration has sought to reversed. major victory. 600,000 visitors each year,
could damage its ability to restore federal oversight of Connor wrote that both “I am pleased to an- according to the U.S. Fish
hold water. They urged the development projects that projects would have to nounce the restoration of and Wildlife Service, which
Army Corps of Engineers to under Trump had been al- start over with new appli- protection for this wildlife manages the refuge.
deny the project a permit. lowed to sidestep regula- cations for federal permits. refuge and its surrounding Two decades ago, chemi-
But the agency declared in tions to prevent pollution of He said the prior decisions wetlands,” Ossoff said in a cal giant DuPont retreated
2020 it no longer had that streams or draining of wet- allowing them to bypass statement late Friday. “The from plans to mine out-
authority after regulatory lands. federal regulators “are not Okefenokee is a natural side the Okefenokee after
rollbacks under then-Pres- Michael Connor, the as- valid” because tribal gov- wonder and one of Geor- meeting fierce resistance.
ident Donald Trump nar- sistant Army secretary for ernments with ancestral gia’s most precious lands. Twin Pines wants permits
rowed the types of water- civil works, said in the Friday ties to the proposed mining I will continue fighting to to mine a small fraction of
ways qualifying for protec- memo that prior decisions sites had not been consult- protect it for future genera- the acreage DuPont pur-
tion under the Clean Water waiving the Army Corps’ ju- ed. tions.” sued. Ingle has insisted his
Act. risdiction over the Georgia The Twin Pines project in Alabama-based Twin Pines company can mine the
Trump’s rollbacks were later mining plan and another Georgia will require consul- had been awaiting a per- site without harming the
scrapped by federal courts. proposed mine outside tation with the Muscogee mitting decision by Geor- swamp.q

Abbott restarts baby formula plant linked to contamination

By MATTHEW PERRONE “We will ramp production host of violations at the
AP Health Writer as quickly as we can while plant, including bacte-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ab- meeting all requirements,” rial contamination, a leaky
bott Nutrition has restarted Abbott said in a statement. roof and lax safety proto-
production at the Michigan The plant’s reopening is cols. The FDA has faced
baby formula factory that one of several federal ac- intense scrutiny for taking
has been closed for months tions that are expected months to close the plant
due to contamination, the to improve supplies in the and then negotiate its re-
company said Saturday, weeks ahead. President opening. Agency leaders
taking a step toward eas- Joe Biden’s administration recently told Congress they
ing a nationwide supply has eased import rules for had to enter a legally bind-
shortage expected to per- foreign manufacturers, air- ing agreement with Abbott
sist into the summer. lifted formula from Europe to assure all the problems
The February shutdown of and invoked federal emer- were fixed. Abbott’s Febru-
the largest formula fac- gency rules to prioritize U.S. ary recall of several lead-
tory in the country led to production. ing brands, including Simi- An Abbott Laboratories manufacturing plant is shown in Sturgis,
the supply problems that Abbott closed the Sturgis, lac, squeezed supplies that Mich., on Sept. 23, 2010.
have forced some parents Michigan, factory in Feb- had already been strained Associated Press
to seek formula from food ruary after the Food and by supply chain disruptions Abbott is one of just four about two months before
banks, friends and doc- Drug Administration began and stockpiling during CO- companies that produce formula supplies return to
tor’s offices. Abbott said it investigating four bacterial VID-19 shutdowns. about 90% of U.S. formu- normal levels. The agency
initially will prioritize produc- infections among infants The shortage has been la. The company’s recalls has waived many of its
tion of its EleCare specialty who consumed powdered most dire for children with and shutdown triggered a regulatory requirements to
formulas for infants with se- formula from the plant. allergies, digestive prob- cascade of effects: Retail- accept more formula from
vere food allergies and di- Two of the babies died. lems and metabolic disor- ers have limited customer the United Kingdom, Aus-
gestive problems who have The company continues to ders who rely on specialty purchasing to conserve tralia and other nations.
few other options for nutri- state that its products have formulas. The Abbott fac- supplies and parents have U.S. manufacturers, includ-
tion. The company said it not been directly linked tory is the only source of been told to switch brands ing Reckitt and Gerber,
will take about three weeks to the infections, which many of those products, to whatever formula is in have also stepped up pro-
before new formula from involved different bacte- providing nutrition to about stock. FDA Commissioner duction, running plants 24/7
the plant begins getting to rial strains. FDA inspectors 5,000 U.S. babies, accord- Robert Califf recently told and sourcing more formula
consumers. eventually uncovered a ing to federal officials. lawmakers it could be from alternate facilities.q