While plans to expand Mosaic mining in Manatee County have not stopped the application request has been postponed.
- Mosaic application meeting pushed back
- Mosaic says decision was made before last week
The Mosaic application meeting was scheduled for September 29 but at Mosaic's request has been pushed back to January 26, 2017.
Mosaic said the Polk County sinkhole situation was not a factor. The decision to delay the process in Manatee County was made before last week. Mosaic says they wanted to allow more time for discussion.
It buys more time for Manatee County opponents who don't want to see Phosphate mining anymore.
"Once they start developing here, we're going to hear noise day and night out here and we just don’t want this out here," said Manatee County resident Garrett Ramy.
However, Ramy said that will change if Mosaic mining expands its phosphate mining more than 3,000 acres right next to his backyard.
Down the road Tracey Dang bought seven acres in hopes of starting her own business, but doesn't know if that's possible now.
"I cannot start my organic farm, its economically impacting me very negatively and this is something that my husband and I have been striving for and planning for, for a long time,” said resident Tracey Dang.
The planning commission already voted in favor of Mosaic’s rezoning request.