Phosphate

Rampant pollution caused manatees to starve. Florida waters are getting worse.

Federal regulators are seeking comment on their plan to approve the test road bed project in Polk County through Nov. 8.

The phosphate mining company had halted operations across Florida to prevent potential damage from Milton.

There are concerns Hurricane Milton could impact phosphogypsum plants in the state. A leak in 2021 resulted in the release of around 215 million gallons of polluted water into Tampa Bay.

Critics say placing the phosphate waste in roadways could put human and environmental health at risk.

A milestone was reached Thursday, as one of the wastewater ponds atop the Piney Point phosphate plant was closed. This means the troubled plant is one step closer to being closed - forever.

Documents shed new light on the Tampa fertilizer giant’s plan to test its phosphate byproduct in road construction.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will decide in the next few months if the Mosaic Company can build roads using a radioactive byproduct of phosphate mining.

A new law is paving the way for radioactive roads in Florida. But environmentalists say it would affect road construction workers, harm plant and wildlife, and potentially kill precious Florida springs.

Conservation groups had urged the governor to veto the bill, saying phosphogypsum would hurt water quality and put road construction crews at a higher risk of cancer.

The measure, which drew opposition from environmental groups, will require the Florida Department of Transportation to study the use of phosphogypsum in road-construction “aggregate” material.

The fundraising event was held May 22 at a lofty Bowling Green golf getaway — formerly owned by the Tampa-based fertilizer giant.