Jan. 16--MANATEE -- County commissioners reversed course on a controversial mining proposal Thursday, giving Mosaic Co. the first set of county approvals it needs to unearth phosphate ore from the Altman Tract.

In a pair of 5-2 votes, commissioners approved adding the 2,048-acre tract near Duette in northeastern Manatee County to the company's existing Four Corners Mine and rezoning the parcel to allow mining.

The decisions were a U-turn for the county, as a previous commission voted to reject the company's proposal just four months ago. But the threat of a $618 million lawsuit, and the election of two new commissioners, led to Thursday's turnaround.

"Phosphate is needed in this country, it's needed in this state and it's needed in Manatee County," said Commissioner Donna Hayes, a consistent supporter of Mosaic's plans. "We need phosphate, no two ways about it. If we're going to continue to eat in this country, we need phosphate."

Not at the expense of damaging or destroying nearly 400 acres of high-quality wetlands on Altman, countered environmentalists and other mining opponents who packed the meeting room during the three-hour meeting.

"This will be the death knell of wetlands protection," said Sandra Ripberger, a Sierra Club member who was among two dozen people who spoke out against the mining proposal.

Many of them wore green stickers with such sayings as "Don't Bend to Bully Action!" and "Reason over Mosaic Greed!"

Opponents also contended that Altman mining would damage a tributary that feeds the Peace River, a source of drinking water for Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. They also questioned Mosaic's ability to restore mined wetlands -- one compared it to scraping the skin off his arm, grinding it and pasting it back on -- and accused the company of using the legal threat to get its way.

Mosaic officials and their scientific consultants disagreed, saying the company has proven it can restore mined land to its original or better condition. They also said scientific study had shown mining the Altman Tract would cause little or no environmental harm.

The wetlands were a key factor in commissioners' initial 4-3 decision to reject the proposal in September. The majority said the company's plans did not provide enough of a public benefit to outweigh disturbing the wetlands.

Mosaic quickly filed two legal challenges and a property-loss claim of $618 million, which a county attorney said Thursday was "viable" and could lead to substantial legal costs for the county.