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Mosaic expansion decision delayed

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Manatee County delays decision on Mosaic mine expansionin Duette

By Frank Gluck

Published: Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 11:49 a.m.
LastModified: Thursday, July 31, 2008 at 11:50 a.m.

MANATEE COUNTY -- County Commissioners this morningpostponed a vote on a controversial phosphate mine expansion in Duette toconsider the impact of a federal lawsuit filed this week in connection with theproject.

Formal consideration of the so-called Altman Tract mine will now come Sept.16.

A group of environmentalists filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers, which, they claim, improperly granted a dredge and drillpermit to the Mosaic Phosphate Co. in May. Manatee County was not named as adefendant in that suit, but county attorneys say they must determine if a countyvote on the project would drag it into that case.

"I'm going to need some time to see how that plays into our process," saidAssistant County Attorney Bill Clague.

Mosaic plan to mine 1,521 acres on the Altman Tract would destroy about 400acres of wetlands.