Kristen Mariuzza, who worked for the Michigan DEQ, reviewed Rio Tinto’s wastewater treatment plans, and signed off on them, began working for the company shortly after approving their plan. Here, in this TV6 PR piece on Rio “right on schedule” Tinto, Mariuzza explains the plan she approved and now works on will protect water quality.
Michigan DEQ-Turned Rio Tinto Employee Talks About Clean Water
January 28, 2011
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Kennecott-Rio Tinto | Tagged: deq, dnr, dnre, Eagle Mine, hardrock mining, Kennecott, lake superior, Michigan, mining, Rio Tinto, river, sulfide mining, wastewater, water, yellow dog plains | 
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Posted by LSMN
Public Unable to Speak at PolyMet Meetings
December 12, 2009
As the result of tightly-controlled verbal public comment, few participated in that part of the PolyMet DEIS process; Photo courtesy Lori Andresen
Hundreds of PolyMet Mining Company supporters were bussed to public meetings in Aurora and Blaine to provide comments on the company’s draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed NorthMet project. The organizing effort was combined with a public relations blitz of endorsements from Minnesota state and federal politicians -including the late endorsement of Senator Al Franken – the Minnesota AFL-CIO, construction groups and the Chamber of Commerce. Despite the large turnout, the public was unable to speak at either meeting.
“The ‘public hearings’ didn’t actually allow public comments to the audience,” said retired miner, Bob Tammen. “The only oral comments allowed were by individuals to stenographers in a tightly monitored room separate from the auditorium. That meant that the only outside speakers allowed were Iron Range legislators.”
Citizens wanting to give verbal public comment registered here in order to speak, privately, with a stenographer; Photo courtesy Lori Andresen
In a new public hearing format, described as “enhanced” by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), public comments were severely restricted with the only speakers allowed to voice opinions on the project being staunch political supporters of PolyMet’s NorthMet proposal. State Senator David Tomassoni and State Representative Thomas Rukavina gave speeches at the hearing in Aurora, on Wednesday, while State Senator Thomas Bakk chimed in at the Blaine hearing, the following day. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | public land, economy, lake superior, water pollution, Minnesota | Tagged: water pollution, dnr, economy, Minnesota, PolyMet, "Sustainable Mining" | Permalink
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Wiggle Worm: How Kennecott Got Off-the-Hook
January 25, 2009by Gabriel Caplett
Marquette County, Michigan – New information has surfaced suggesting that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) assisted Kennecott-Rio Tinto by forgoing proper procedure in allowing the company to reconstruct a road crossing in Fall of 2004. With Kennecott’s persistence, the DEQ approved an ill-designed plan to install a new culvert on the Triple A Road where a branch of the Salmon Trout River flows. Kennecott was contracting with Pete O’Dovero, of Associated Contractors, to rehabilitate the road crossing. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, water, wildlife | Tagged: coaster brook trout, deq, dnr, Kennecott, Michigan, Rio Tinto | Permalink
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DNR Delays Public Land Lease to Kennecott
January 11, 2008by Gabriel Caplett
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director, Rebecca Humphries, has delayed, indefinitely, an expected decision on Kennecott Mineral’s permits for its Eagle Project. Approval of a surface use lease permit and approval of the mining and reclamation plan have been delayed over concerns regarding ground subsidence, water flowage into the mine and siting of surface facilities. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan | Tagged: dnr, Eagle Mine, Kennecott, Michigan, Rio Tinto | Permalink
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DEQ Sued Over Kennecott Approval
December 20, 2007by Gabriel Caplett
One week after a controversial decision by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to permit a sulfide mine in the central Upper Peninsula, the National Wildlife Federation, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Huron Mountain Club and Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve today filed a contested case petition and a lawsuit against the MDEQ as the first step in a legal challenge to halt the mine.
“The opponents of the mine have presented MDEQ with over 1000 pages of unequivocal evidence that Kennecott’s proposed sulfide mine does not meet the state’s legal requirements and would result in profound pollution, impairment, and destruction of air, water and other natural resources,” Michelle Halley, attorney for NWF and the other co-petitioners explained. “The MDEQ has issued permits that are based upon defective, inadequate and incomplete applications and are therefore illegal,” she added. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Law, Michigan | Tagged: deq, dnr, Eagle Mine, Kennecott, Law, Michigan, Rio Tinto | Permalink
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Mines and Communities: Refusing to Play by Company Rules
February 7, 2007by Gabriel Caplett
On January 9, 2007, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) granted preliminary approval of Kennecott Mineral’s Eagle Mine permit. The potential metallic sulfide mine is on the Yellow Dog Plains, within a few miles of the shores of Lake Superior. This decision should not have come as a surprise to anyone. According to one member of the DEQ, “the DEQ [is] leaning toward approving the application regardless of any deficiencies.” This fact was already clear to anyone that has attended DEQ hearings/public forums on the issue. To be as polite as possible, the DEQ has found it difficult to mask their disregard for us Yoopers and citizens of Michigan.
Citizens rally in front of Michigan Capitol Building, December 2005; Photo courtesy Andy Gregg
1 Comment | civil disobedience, Eagle Mine, human rights, indigenous, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Law, Michigan, uranium, Wisconsin | Tagged: civil disobedience, deq, dnr, Eagle Mine, economy, human rights, Kennecott, Law, Michigan, native american, public land, Rio Tinto, uranium, Wisconsin | Permalink
Posted by LSMN
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