St. Paul, Minn. (June 30, 2020) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the following statement regarding the announcement that the Bureau of Land Management has issued the Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Twin Metals Minnesota project:
“Jobs for Minnesotans welcomes today’s announcement by the Bureau of Land Management on the Twin Metals Minnesota project. The issuance of the NOI is an expected and promising step forward that marks the beginning of the scoping process for the project’s multi-year federal Environmental Impact Statement.
As part of this process, Twin Metals will need to prove it can meet or positively exceed federal and state standards for environmental protection to earn the right to mine. While this announcement clears the first of many hurdles in the federal process, it is separate from the state regulatory process. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is leading the state review process that will assure the project will meet the strict standards in place to protect human health, water quality and the environment.
The upcoming public scoping process allows for all voices to be heard, and we look forward to providing our input on the Twin Metals project. We are confident that both the federal and state environmental review processes—grounded in science, informed by public engagement and carried out by dedicated public officials —will effectively review all aspects of the project and determine whether the project should be permitted.
Twin Metals’ proposed mine has the potential to help revitalize the economy of northeastern Minnesota by creating more than 750 high-wage, family-sustaining mining jobs plus 1,500 spinoff jobs in the region. And, it will provide strategic minerals critical to the medical industry, broadband communications technology and the transition to a green economy.
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978