A mining company's plan to dig outside the federal wildlife refuge in the Okefenokee Swamp is taking a big step forward because of the Trump administration's rollback of environmental rules. The CEO of Twin Pines Minerals said Tuesday that the company plans to mine on 600 acres just a few miles from the swamp's edge without first obtaining a federal permit.
That's because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently determined wetlands within that tract no longer qualify for federal protection. Environmental groups say its an early consequence of environmental rule changes by President Donald Trump that rolled back protections for many streams and wetlands.
