Judge restricts mining until environmental assessment can be done

Senior U.S. District Court Judge William Hoeveler -- known for his tough anti-sugar industry, pro-environment stance in an Everglades cleanup case from which he was removed in 2003 -- ruled in favor of environmental concerns again over Miami-Dade County rock mining. The Miami Herald reports here that Hoeveler restricted mining in a part of the county that is near the Everglades as well as the largest source of drinking water for the county. He criticized agencies overseeing the mining (particularly the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) for not knowing how much limestone is being excavated, or where, and wants the Corps to complete an environmental assessment he ordered last year. He also pointed to benzene that could contaminate the drinking water.

As you can expect, environmentalists are pleased, but mining companies like Tarmac feel Hoeveler is being biased in favor of the Everglades again.