Manatee County rescinds old DRI and approves 14-year extension for Mosaic's 4 Corners mine

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted Feb. 18 to rescind a longstanding development-of-regional-impact order and adopt an amended master mining plan that extends operations at Mosaic’s 4 Corners facility.

In separate votes the board approved a local development agreement (LDA) to rescind the DRI and memorialize Mosaic’s vested rights unanimously, then adopted resolution R26005 — the amended master mine plan (MMP) — by a 5–2 tally. Commissioners Carol Ann Felts and Dr. Bob McCann voted against the MMP extension.

Mosaic and its outside consultants told the board the package is largely administrative and tied to reserves the company can access from existing, previously permitted acreage. "The date we have selected of 14 years is associated with the reserves within reach of that facility and currently permitted to be mined," said Russell Schweiss, a senior Mosaic director, explaining the basis for the 14-year timeline.

Company presenters spent the morning showing reclaimed-site photos, describing farming on reclaimed acres, and outlining species-protection and water-conservation programs. Mosaic’s environmental manager, Beth Nies, told the board the sites operate under an integrated water-use permit and that, across multiple Mosaic sites covered by that permit, the annual average limitation is about 69.6 million gallons per day; she said Mosaic’s reported combined usage has fallen from roughly 40 MGD in 2020 to about 30 MGD in 2024. Nies also described a permit condition that requires Mosaic to augment the Manatee County water supply by 1,960,000 gallons per day from wells the company owns until reclamation of the 4 Corners mine is complete.

Opponents at the meeting urged caution. Garrett Ramey, who identified himself as a Myakka-area resident, said the public needs independent monitoring, stronger dust and air reporting, and long-term health studies. "Residents are being asked to accept more dust, more noise, more disruption, and more long-term risk while being told everything remains within regulatory limits," Ramey said.

Supporters, including local public-safety and agricultural voices, emphasized jobs, tax revenue and Mosaic’s local investments. Dan Casciotti, a long-time fire district official, said Mosaic—ontributions have funded equipment and community programs. Chief Rocky Parker of Duette Fire & Rescue told commissioners Mosaic ssistance had helped build local emergency capacity.

Staff and Mosaic representatives said the amendment does not request new land disturbance or new mining acreage in Manatee County; it seeks to move already-approved acreage (the East Duette track) to the 4 Corners MMP and to process certain outside-reserve material at the 4 Corners beneficiation plant, which the applicant said will reduce truck traffic by using an existing pipeline corridor.

County staff described statutory and local-code steps required for rescinding a DRI and moving mitigation obligations into a local development agreement and an amended MMP. Staff noted the proposal includes commitments to implement best practicable technologies at clay-settling areas and an accelerated closure schedule for F3A and F3B CSAs; the applicant said those clay settling areas would be closed roughly five years earlier than previously approved and that some monitoring-well distances will be revised to avoid redundant disturbance in completed reclamation zones.

The votes split the board on the policy question of how long the county should allow continued mining operations versus the environmental and groundwater concerns raised by residents and groups. In approving the amended MMP, commissioners who voted in favor cited the facility s a large national phosphate producer, the need for fertilizer as a critical mineral, local jobs and Mosaic—ommitments to reclamation and mitigation. Commissioners who voted against said the 14-year extension is longer than necessary and expressed concern about historical environmental incidents and long-term groundwater and public-health implications.

What's next: the LDA rescinds the DRI and memorializes vested rights; the adopted MMP amendment sets new operational and reclamation dates and includes the applicant—ommitments to updated monitoring and closure schedules. The board directed follow-up work on any unresolved permit conditions and, where the planning commission recommended denial of specific requested changes, staff will return with the required findings and any denial-related documentation for further board action.

Votes at a glance: LDA rescission (motion to approve LDA rescinding DRI and memorializing vested rights) — approved unanimously. Resolution R26005 (amended 4 Corners MMP) — approved 5–2; yes: Amanda Ballard, Tal Sadiq, Mike Ronn, Jason Bearden, George Cruz; no: Carol Ann Felts, Dr. Bob McCann.

Reporting note: quotes and attributions are taken directly from the meeting transcript and public testimony recorded on Feb. 18, 2026.