1. Economic Impacts of Phosphate Mining on Desoto County
Andre Mele, MS

2. Rezone requirement #1 asks “Whether the proposed change would be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.”
The State has recognized by statute that agriculture is a major economic driver, and should be preserved.
There is no reason why Mosaic’s land cannot remain in agriculture, augmented by tourism and residential development. Those functions would generate far more revenue for the county, and cultural consistency for the community.
Protection and preservation of natural resources is an oft-stated goal in the Comp Plan. See photo at left.
“Although the main body of the Harbor and immediately adjacent estuarine systems are in good condition, the entire watershed and the pressures of human activities must be balanced to maintain the estuary’s good condition and minimize threats to the resource’s stability.” FLU-12

3. GOAL 1:
Adequate Supply Of Water.
To plan for and assure an adequate supply of excellent quality potable water to meet the needs of DeSoto County’s residential and non-residential customers.
This Rezone enables an existential threat to a major water source, a decline in potable water quality, and rising prices.
Policy :
All Future Land Use Map amendments shall require an analysis of the impact of each amendment on the adopted level of service standard. Any analysis that shows a reduction in level of service below the adopted acceptable level shall be denied, unless acceptable improvements to failing facilities are planned or provided.
Was this done? If not, is the mining overlay legal?

4. A reclaimed CSA partially breached by Hurricane Irma
Staff Report claims that the rezone will be in compliance throughout with the Comprehensive Plan because a rezone is merely a passive, administrative action, with no direct consequences.
Other than the obvious fact that a rezone ENABLES the concrete, direct actions, and is therefore fully culpable, consider this:
From Florida Statutes, the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, Section (8):
“…any building, permit, zoning permit, subdivision approval, rezoning,certification, special exception, variance, or any other official action of local government having the effect of permitting the development of land…”
In Florida law, a Rezoning is considered a Development Order.
A reclaimed CSA partially breached by Hurricane Irma

5. 2010: 42,739 Ag. Jobs 1.563 mine jobs Sources: MHSA and UF IFAS

6. “When the mining gets done, the reclaimed site practically becomes a ‘ghost town.’” ”Hardee County’s economy has remained flat.” “The agricultural productivity of those lands is greatly reduced, even after reclamation” Bill Lambert in Port Charlotte Sun

7. A new mine creates NO NEW JOBS
A new mine creates NO NEW JOBS. Crews are relocated from spent mines Mosaic representative under oath at Manatee County BOCC

8. Berms made of dirt have breached many times, both at CSAs and a “gypstacks,” like this one, that turned the Alafia River into a dead zone in A CSA breach killed almost everything in the peace River in An event like this will be devastating to the region’s drinking water supply and whatever is left of its tourism, after mining.

9. Mosaic nets between $300,000 and $500,000 per acre mined
Mosaic nets between $300,000 and $500,000 per acre mined. But the profits leave the state and the country. Why? Mosaic Co. is a globalist corporation. Its shareholders are everywhere.

10. Personal studies of online tax assessor’s files from Hardee and Polk County clearly point to average property valuation in the general vicinity of mining, and post- mined lands, at 30% of pre-mining value. With concomitant declines in tax revenues.

11. Rather than face the daily dust, noise, lights, vibration and declining quality of life, residents will leave Desoto, to be replaced by lower demographic classes with no attachment to the community.
In other mining communities, drugs and crime have increased dramatically.

12. DENY THE REZONE Don’t let Desoto County become this
DENY THE REZONE Don’t let Desoto County become this. Stop the destruction here.