ST. PAUL, Minn. (Oct. 8, 2013) – Jobs for Minnesotans announced today the results of a new statewide survey showing increased support for mining in Minnesota.
A majority of voters (56 percent) favor expanding Minnesota’s mining industry, with a plurality of voters (48 percent) supporting copper-nickel mining specifically. Only 22 percent of voters oppose copper-nickel mining while a third of voters (31 percent) don’t know enough about copper-nickel mining to say.
“Overall, Minnesotans hold positive attitudes towards our state’s mining industry and the development of copper-nickel mining,” said Harry Melander, Jobs for Minnesotans board member and president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council. “Minnesota has the opportunity to gain thousands of jobs through these mining projects. Support for copper-nickel mining not only demonstrates our state’s commitment to the mining industry but also the support for economic growth on the Iron Range and across the state.”
Voters express confidence in regulations on the mining industry and respect the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) ability to oversee new mining projects. A majority (51 percent) of voters think that government regulations on the state’s mining industry should either remain the same (35 percent) or be made less strict (16 percent).
“Minnesotans’ confidence in the DNR’s ability to oversee copper-nickel mining projects is clear across regional and demographic groups in the state,” said David Olson, Jobs for Minnesotans board member and president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. “Any new mining projects must demonstrate they will meet the standards and regulations put in place by federal and state agencies. While they care about protecting the environment, voters feel that these regulations are strong enough to ensure Minnesota’s environment will be protected as new mining projects develop.”
Copper-nickel mining projects are needed to provide the materials that are increasingly needed for every innovative technology or product that our economy produces. Producing raw materials in state allows Minnesota to produce the metals needed for the green economy with the strictest environmental and labor standards.
The survey was conducted by Global Strategy Group (GSG) and commissioned by Jobs for Minnesotans. The survey consisted of 603 interviews in Minnesota between September 2nd and 8th, 2013. An additional 200 interview oversample was conducted in Minnesota’s Iron Range region.
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in October 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. This coalition represents businesses, middle class workers, labor, local governments and other supporters of job creation in the state of Minnesota. Jobs for Minnesotans was created to educate and provide information about the direct and ancillary job creation that the strategic metals mining can produce for the state.
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Media Contacts:
Nancy Norr
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978
Harry Melander
harstpbt@mtn.org
651.224.9446