St. Paul, Minn. (January 26, 2022) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the Bureau of Land Management announcement they are canceling Twin Metals Minnesota’s mineral leases renewed in 2019:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is outraged by the Biden Administration’s politically motivated action today to cancel Twin Metals Minnesota’s mineral leases. This action is the latest in a series of recent attacks on the future accessibility of critical minerals and on the people of northeast Minnesota who have proudly and responsibly developed natural resources for generations. This administration is playing political football with the future long-term prosperity of an entire region and putting its own climate change strategy at risk.
“If the administration was at all interested in evaluating the science behind the ability to mine safely in this region, they would proceed with reviewing the Twin Metals mine proposal that’s been sitting on their desk for 2 years before arbitrarily canceling its leases.
“This action ignores the rigorous science-based environmental review process outlined in law. They know the environmental review process will prove this project can mine safely, so instead of advancing the process, they’re trying everything possible to circumvent science and stop the project to appease political campaigns acting as environmental groups opposing mining in Minnesota.
“You cannot combat the climate crisis through green energy technologies like electric vehicles, solar panels or windmills without the minerals that are located in northeast Minnesota. We as a country cannot continue to shut out an industry in one breath and then expect to have the ability to make this critical clean energy transition in another.”
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 70,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 members 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: Brian Hanson, Board Chair
brian@apexgetsbusiness.com
218.730.7330