The Southland rock mine is in a holding pattern. We’re keeping a close eye on it.
The project to mine limestone on 8,600 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area — on land owned by U.S. Sugar and Okeelanta Corp./Florida Crystals — faces a new hurdle. Our friends at Tropical Audubon Society have filed a legal challenge to block the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from issuing an environmental resource permit that would allow blasting to begin.
Phillips & Jordan — the contractor ramrodding the project through the approval process — was due to file an updated plan with the South Florida Water Management District in late August. SFWMD is the government body that will decide if Southland gets the green light to become a “water resource project” to store water in the mined pits — which could make Big Sugar eligible for big taxpayer money. Due to the permit challenge, Phillips & Jordan sought an extension from the district, and it now has until Feb. 27, 2026.
The district must hold three public meetings on the proposal; the first was held May 29 (and Friends of the Everglades was among the groups that spoke strongly against it) but additional meetings can’t be scheduled until Southland submits its revised plan. We hope that never happens.
Southland is a shady idea that could further enrich Big Sugar with public money. Plus, major questions loom about impacts of rock blasting on the adjacent EAA Reservoir, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says federal permits may be required to ensure the $4 billion reservoir project is not harmed.
Friends of the Everglades has opposed the Southland rock mine from the start, citing risks to the Everglades ecosystem, the reservoir and the need to prioritize restoration, not exploitation.
