Mining next to ecologically sensitive protected areas poses material climate, regulatory and reputational risks.

At 438,000 acres, the Okefenokee Swamp is one of the world’s largest freshwater wetlands. Over 402,000 acres are protected in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in the eastern United States and home to hundreds of plant and animal species. The Okefenokee also stores over 400M tons of CO2 equivalent, making it one of the largest natural carbon sinks in North America.

Twin Pines Minerals, LLC (TPM) has applied for permits to mine titanium on Trail Ridge, the swamp’s eastern hydrologic boundary, for production of titanium dioxide. TPM’s northern neighbor has publicly called for mining on its land and TPM’s new western neighbor has leased its land for titanium mining elsewhere in Georgia.

As Sherwin-Williams is a major carrier of titanium dioxide-based paint, links between the company’s paint products and titanium mined on Trail Ridge could expose the company to unnecessary risks:

Climate: Overwhelming scientific consensus states that TPM’s project would significantly damage the Okefenokee by drawing down its water level and increasing risk of drought and landscape-level fires. Such events would destroy wildlife habitat, damage thousands of acres of adjacent private timberland and release significant carbon emissions. Sherwin-Williams’ Scope 3 emissions could skyrocket in the event of a major peat fire, as the carbon stored in the Okefenokee is equivalent to over 1,200 percent of the Company’s 2022 Scope 3 emissions. Any link to mining at the Okefenokee would conflict with Sherwin-Williams’ efforts to leverage its ‘Sustainability by Design’ program to reduce Scope 3 emissions and mitigate environmental risks, all while exacerbating the business performance risks associated with climate change.
Regulatory and Legal: The 2023 Okefenokee Protection Act, which would prohibit mining on Trail Ridge, garnered 96 bipartisan cosponsors in Georgia’s House of Representatives and will return in 2024, presenting regulatory risk. Furthermore, organizations with a history of litigating to protect natural resources have publicly criticized the project, and potential litigation from timber companies suffering fire damage to their assets presents additional legal risk.
Reputational: In early 2023, over 100,000 comments were submitted to Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division opposing TPM’s draft Mining Land Use Plan and approximately 70% of Georgians want Governor Kemp to deny TPM’s permits. Okefenokee is being nominated for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site List, and the issue has received significant media coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AP and Bloomberg.
A commitment to avoid sourcing titanium dioxide from the Okefenokee would help Sherwin-Williams realize the aspiration in its 2022 Sustainability Report to “maintain a supply chain in which continuous improvement and sustainability principles are at the forefront.”