A federal agency has approved an expansion of the Okefenokee Swamp's vast wildlife refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's announcement Friday could lead to a buyout offer for property that would otherwise be used for mining project that conservationists have fought for years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its “final decision to expand the acquisition boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by approximately 22,000 acres.”

Scientific studies have concluded the proposed mine would significantly damage the largest blackwater swamp in North America by drawing down its water level and increasing the risk of drought and fires.