ENGLEWOOD - Thirteen homeowner groups and conservation organizations representing Southwest Florida citizens have formally requested for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a permit review of applications to strip mine phosphate ore from Florida watersheds.

Spearheaded by Protect Our Watersheds Inc., the coalition cites the fact National Environmental Policy Act regulations require an Environmental Impact Statement before any major federal action significantly affects the quality of the human environment.

At issue is a water use permit requested by Mosaic Fertilizer LLC proposes to use more than three times the daily water use of more than 250,000 downstream Floridians who get their drinking water from the Peace River Manasota Water Supply Authority every day. Counties in this entity include Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto.

Lee County, which encompasses two-thirds of Charlotte Harbor, can expect a significant impact since the permit only addresses water directly used by Mosaic. Groundwater flow interrupted by strip mining operations keeping it from reaching the river systems and watershed aren't even considered.

The group cites a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Reclamation Report on 181,195 acres strip mined for phosphate from 1975 through 2007. Based on information from the FDEP, Florida Institute of Phosphate Research and the Florida Phosphate Council, another 149,129 acres were strip mined before 1975, and the mining industry owns - or owns mineral rights to - 443,210 acres leaving a great potential impact of phosphate mining operations on Florida watersheds.

Mosaic's and CF Industries rates of reclamation releases are just 25 percent and 14 percent, respectively. The coalition claims Mosaic does not address the fact continued strip mining impacts last many years with minimal reclamation promptly offset by further mining. Adding to the damage, variances are frequently granted after the fact, and even the best reclamation plans deal only with the land surface and do not replace or reclaim the groundwater flow regime.

The following groups are petitioning federal and local leaders to require a complete Environmental Impact Statement with a full Cumulative Impact Analysis before any further permitting of phosphate strip mines proceeds: Lemon Bay Conservancy, Gulf Restoration Network, Florida Native Plant Society, Friends of Cape Haze, Calusa Group of the Sierra Club, Wildlands Conservation, Venice Audubon Society, People for the Protection of Peace River Inc., ManaSota 88, Harbour Heights Civic Association, Jelks Family Foundation and Responsible Growth Management Foundation.

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