Feds: PolyMet Environmental Review “Unsatisfactory”

February 23, 2010

US Senator and comedian Al Franken is one of PolyMet's staunchest supporters

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a strong critique of an environmental review of PolyMet’s proposed NorthMet mine, located outside of Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, and is recommending the mine “must not proceed as proposed.”

According to the agency, PolyMet’s project “may have substantial and unacceptable adverse impacts on aquatic resources of national importance.”  The criticism comes months after a slew of state and federal politicians issued statements of support for the project, assuring the public and media the review was rigorous and the mine would not harm the environment.

In a December 9 support letter for PolyMet US Senator Al Franken told the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the project should be approved:

“Throughout this multi-year process, PolyMet has done their due diligence and has faithfully followed the law.  This includes providing all the necessary information for the draft environmental impact statement (EIS).  The resulting draft describes the many steps PolyMet will take to minimize environmental impacts.” Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | Minnesota, PolyMet, public land, water pollution | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by LSMN

Video: Hearing on Rio Tinto’s Michigan Haul Road

February 11, 2010

Leave a Comment » | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Law, Michigan, wildlife, public land, economy, water pollution | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
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More Coverage: Controversial Kennecott mine permits OK’d at 11th hour

January 15, 2010

Dept. rules that sacred rock is ‘not a place of worship’ 

by Eartha Melzer, Michigan Messenger 

A member of the Summer Cloud drumming group performs during a 2008 ceremony at Eagle Rock

Two days before the DEQ ceases to exist and a week after its director stepped down, DEQ moved to wrap up a long standing fight over permits for a planned nickel sulfide mine by concluding that only buildings may be considered “places of worship.”  

A rock that is sacred to Anishnabe people need not be considered when issuing a mining permit because state law only recognizes buildings as places of worship, the Department of Environmental Quality announced Thursday.  Read the rest of this entry »

9 Comments | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Law, Michigan, indigenous, public land | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
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Through the Looking Glass: Michigan DEQ Says Michigan DEQ Followed Law In Rio Tinto Approval

January 14, 2010

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced today that it is giving final approval of Rio Tinto’s proposed Eagle Mine project, located on public land in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 

The decision comes during a time of transition for the agency.  Steven Chester resigned from his post as head of the DEQ three week’s ago and was temporarily replaced by Deputy Director Jim Sygo.  Today’s news release issued by the DEQ does not indicate who, at the agency, made today’s decision.

According to DEQ press secretary, Bob McCann, Jim Sygo “delegated” decision-making authority to Frank Ruswick, DEQ Senior Policy Advisor, who ”conducted the review of the case and made the decision to sign the final order.”

The DEQ had earlier approved Rio Tinto’s mining application in December 2007.  The decision was appealed in a lengthy contested case hearing.

In an August 2009 recommendation, Administrative Law Judge Richard Patterson stated that Rio Tinto and the MDEQ “did not properly address the impact on the sacred rock outcrop known as Eagle Rock” and suggested moving the mine’s entry portal away from the rock.  During the contested case , DEQ lawyers argued that Eagle Rock is not a place of worship because it is not a constructed building, such as a Christian church or a mosque.

In November, then DEQ Director Steven Chester requested that Judge Patterson clarify his position on the one stipulation that wasn’t fully in Rio Tinto’s favor.

Today’s DEQ decision affirms the agency’s opinion that Eagle Rock is not a legitimate place of worship, as defined under Michigan mining law, and that the religious rights of area Native Americans are irrelevant in the Eagle Mine case. Read the rest of this entry »

6 Comments | Eagle Mine, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Law, Michigan, public land | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
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Rio Tinto Set to Make Off With $140 Billion in Public Mineral Wealth; Company and Plan Criticized

December 17, 2009

Resolution Explores for Copper Outside Superior, Arizona; Photo courtesy Flickr

Rio Tinto, a company that has made its name exploiting public and indigenous mineral wealth for decades, is set to make off with an astounding $140 billion in publicly-held mineral rights, in Arizona, for what is expected to be North America’s largest copper mine.

On Wednesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved a land swap allowing Resolution Copper Mining (a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP-Billiton) access to 2,400 acres of the Tonto National Forest.  The area contains sites sacred to local Native American tribes and was previously protected from mining activities by the Eisenhower administration.

According to the Arizona Republic, in a deal reached between the Obama administration, Senate Democrats and Arizona Senator John McCain, the only thing standing in Resolution’s way is a federal environmental review that must be completed prior to the land deal.

An opponent of the deal, US Representative Raúl Grijalva has concerns with Rio Tinto’s human rights record and urges a full investigation before a land swap is considered. Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Kennecott-Rio Tinto, indigenous, human rights, copper, public land, economy | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
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Rio Tinto Drops Exploration Plans on Public Forest Land in Iron County, Michigan

November 19, 2009

Rio Tinto has notified the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Ottawa National Forest (ONF) that it “no longer wishes to pursue” exploration on public forest land in Bates Township, located in Iron County, Michigan.  Rio Tinto’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Kennecott Exploration, applied to explore the lakefront parcel in 2007.

A fisherman docks his boat on Perch Lake, no longer a proposed Rio Tinto exploration site; May 2009 GC

“I would like to think the public opposition that formed, when residents were finally indirectly informed of Kennecott’s application, was a major factor in Kennecott’s decision,” said Richard Sloat, lifelong resident of Iron County.

According to Gale Stowell, Bates Township Zoning Administrator, the township has a strong zoning ordinance that places certain restrictions on mining and exploration.

“If anyone came to do mining in our township they would have to have a public hearing.” Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan, wildlife, public land | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
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Marquette County Approves Public Portion of Rio Tinto’s Haul Road for Proposed Eagle Mine

October 20, 2009
Sticker distributed before meeting by Rio Tinto's Chantae Lessard

Sticker distributed before meeting by Rio Tinto's Senior Advisor for Government and Community Relations, Chantae Lessard

West Ishpeming, Michigan - Last week Rio Tinto’s head spokesperson for the proposed Eagle Mine, Deb Muchmore, informed AP that she is the new spokeswoman for a “citizen” campaign:  Citizens to Protect Michigan Jobs.  Today’s public meeting regarding Rio Tinto’s proposed haul road, for the mine, featured public comment from a number of current and potential Rio Tinto employees, many sporting pro-road stickers passed out by Chantae Lessard, Senior Advisor for Government and Community Relations for Rio Tinto.

The organizing effort paid off for the company with a large turnout in support of the project Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Eagle Mine, public land | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
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Kennecott and Trans Superior to Explore in Ottawa National Forest

March 18, 2009

by Gabriel Caplett

Marquette, Michigan – Despite the global economic downturn, debt-burden and deferment of its keystone Eagle nickel project, Kennecott Minerals is pushing forward with new prospecting activities on public forest land in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Joining the fray is a Canadian junior exploration company, Trans Superior Resources, which is quietly continuing the search for uranium and metallic minerals. Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | cameco, Kennecott-Rio Tinto, Michigan, public land, uranium | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
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Kennecott Threatens Utah Public Land

December 31, 2008

By Gabriel Caplett 

Salt Lake County, UT – Once more, Kennecott has gotten its way with the public’s land. This time it is in Salt Lake County, Utah.

For over a year, the company has been attempting to continue prospecting on two, large, public recreation areas, despite intense public and political opposition.

In an agreement reached between the Salt Lake County Council and the company, Councilman Joe Hatch says the process was rushed and that Kennecott behaved in a threatening and arrogant manner. Read the rest of this entry »

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Aquila Representative Faces Criticism at Public Meeting

December 15, 2008

Menominee, Michigan – Canadian junior mining exploration company, Aquila Resources, hosted a public information meeting at the VFW Hall, Monday, to present its opinion on a controversial topic: acid rock drainage. The company has been exploring its Back Forty Project under intense opposition from local residents and elected officials. The company recently sold its Humboldt Mill facility to Kennecott-Rio Tinto. The company also supplied Kennecott with state mineral leases for its proposed Eagle Project mine over a decade ago.

Aquila hosted “guest speaker” Al Trippel, an environmental consultant with Environmental Resources Management (ERM), based out of London, England. Trippel acted as the mining company’s representative throughout Michigan’s “Part 632″ statute and rules process that crafted legislation regulating the metallic sulfide mining industry. Trippel is currently on Aquila’s payroll, conducting baseline environmental studies necessary prior to submitting a mine application.

Aquila consultant, Al Trippel

Aquila consultant, Al Trippel; Photo courtesy Teresa Bertossi

Aquila’s advertisement for the presentation, in the Menominee County Journal, noted that the meeting was being held “in response to public requests for unbiased, educational, fact-driven information from an expert.”

Teresa Bertossi, Marquette County resident, claimed that publicity surrounding the event showed a lack of “integrity” at Aquila. According to Bertossi, the advertisement did not disclose that Trippel works for the mining company and, in order to be truly unbiased, the company should “have brought in a university professor or a scientist that does not work for Aquila” to present information. Read the rest of this entry »

3 Comments | Aquila, gold, Michigan, public land, water pollution | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
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