St. Paul, Minn. (May 2, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement reacting to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management action reinstating Twin Metals Minnesota’s federal mineral leases.
“This official action solidifies the December 22, 2017, U.S. Department of Interior opinion regarding Twin Metals’ leases. Formally reinstating the federal mineral leases is yet another positive step toward the renewal of these leases and brings hope for restoring future mineral exploration by other companies interested in investing in the state. This action is welcomed by our members and supporters of fair process and economic development and job creation across the state. We are thankful for Twin Metals’ significant economic contributions to date in Northern Minnesota. And, we look forward to Twin Metals continuing to be allowed to follow established processes, including the renewal of their federal leases and environmental review for the to-be-proposed project.”
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, Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
218.590.6978
Duluth News Tribune
Laura Kircher
Our economy is diverse. Between mining, tourism, transportation, aviation, commercial, technology, retail, and hospitality, it takes a little bit of everything to keep the Northland running. The diversity is what makes us great. New businesses are finding success here because of our people and natural resources. We live in an amazing place, and business owners in all industries are committed to keeping it that way.
Our region is strongest when we understand and respect one another. It’s strongest when we find compromise, as state Sen. Erik Simonson of Duluth called for in his opinion piece in the News Tribune last month (Lawmaker’s View: “Let science, law, process dictate PolyMet permitting,” March 28). Our different industries complement one another. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
St. Paul, Minn. (April 23, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today supports the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) recommendation to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve the certificate of need for the Line 3 Replacement Project. At the same time, Jobs for Minnesotans disagrees with the ALJ’s condition applied to this recommendation to replace Line 3 in the same trench and instead strongly believes the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission should approve the certificate of need and route permit on Enbridge’s preferred route.
“We’re pleased that the Administrative Law Judge recommendation acknowledges the need for replacing aging infrastructure in our state,” said Harry Melander, president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council, a co-founding organization of Jobs for Minnesotans. “This recommendation is a step in the right direction toward putting our homegrown talent to work with quality jobs that support their families and create opportunities for the next generation. We do disagree, however, with the ALJ’s decision to recommend the pipeline be replaced along its existing route – this is not in the best interest of Minnesotans.”
The Line 3 Replacement Project will create 6,500 Minnesota jobs and represents a staggering total economic impact in the state of more than $2 billion and annual property tax revenue of $19.5 million each year according to a University of Minnesota Duluth study.
“Safe energy transportation projects like this one are essential to ensuring Minnesota’s economy remains competitive with the rest of the world,” said Doug Loon, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, a co-founding organization of Jobs for Minnesotans. “We’re thankful to the thousands of Minnesotans who took the time to provide input in shaping this project, and we look forward to a positive decision on the certificate of need and preferred route from the Public Utilities Commission as quickly as possible.”
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, Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Bemidji Pioneer
Jennifer Smith
[…]
In addition to investing in our system, we also invested more than $2 million into community grants and sponsorships that support environmental stewardship programs, community emergency response and safety initiatives as well as non-profits who are working to tackle issues such as poverty, hunger, human trafficking and homelessness. Our employees also spend hundreds of hours volunteering every year supporting children’s programs, park clean up initiatives, food pantries and more.
Duluth News Tribune
Sen. Erik Simonson
I fully understand and unequivocally accept the desire for Iron Range communities to want economic development in their hometowns. Iron ore mining has been a part of their heritage for generations, and they believe that evolution to other forms of mining is only natural and ought to be respected. You cannot, and should not, disparage anyone for wanting to make their home a more-prosperous place. Opening this proposed mine would result in many new jobs — and if you think for one minute they won’t be good-paying union jobs, think again. I seriously doubt Iron Rangers would have it any other way.
St. Paul, Minn. (March 15, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the following statement in response to today’s Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) ruling that the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Line 3 Replacement Project is adequate.
“The MPUC’s decision to deem the Line 3 Replacement Project’s environmental review adequate is a tremendous achievement for this crucial infrastructure project. The review and analysis were accomplished in a thoughtful and deliberate process involving a wide range of stakeholders. Jobs for Minnesotans is thankful to the state and public for their roles in shaping such a comprehensive and thorough document.
This moment is the culmination of years of work and paves the way for more than $2 billion in total economic impact in Minnesota. It also reinforces the importance of investing in integrity-driven projects that provide long-term returns for our state. Above and beyond creating a pipeline that will serve our safe energy transportation needs well into the future, Minnesota stands to gain an additional $19.5 million per year in property taxes from Enbridge. We anxiously await the MPUC’s summer 2018 decision on the certificate of need and route permit and believe there is strong justification for a similarly positive outcome for this much-needed project.”
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, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Mesabi Daily News
Rep. Rick Nolan
[…]
Here’s the truth of the matter: Right here in Minnesota, we have the resources and capacity – better than perhaps anywhere in the world – to mine these strategic minerals and do it the right way. We have tremendous companies that are committed to creating good paying jobs for generations to come, and we have rigorous state and federal rules and regulations that protect our precious land, air and water. Needless to say, it is absolutely imperative that we continue to maintain and strengthen these environmental standards in the years to come, using all available science and technologies.
By way of example, the proposed Polymet project on the Iron Range has gone through twelve long years of rigorous approvals and reviews by numerous state and federal agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and State Historic Preservation Office, the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, as well as public hearings with Minnesota citizens and consultation with our Native American tribes.
A Promising Future for Minnesota Mining
Mining People
Debra McCown Thomas
There’s excitement on the horizon for the mining industry in Minnesota, which is looking ahead to the promise of a big opportunity: an effort to mine the largest undeveloped copper-nickel deposit in the world.
Though perhaps not often in the spotlight, Minnesota is a big mining state–often in the nation’s top 5 in terms of the value of the minerals it produces–and has relied upon iron ore as an economic driver for more than a century. These yet-to-be-developed resources are located close to what has traditionally been the state’s iron-producing region.
[…]
The company closest to being ready to start work is PolyMet Mining Corp., whose NorthMet project is in its final permitting stages. According to the company’s website, PolyMet is “on track to be the first to commercially mine copper, nickel, and precious metals in Minnesota.”
Twin Metals […] is also progressing toward mining in the region.
Read More: http://miningpeople.org/archive/2018/2018janfeb_issue/index.html#12/z
St. Paul, Minn. (Feb. 9, 2018) – On behalf of Jobs for Minnesotans, Range Association of Municipalities and Schools and Mining Minnesota, we, along with so many others, were saddened to learn today’s news that Congressman Nolan will be retiring. We are deeply thankful for his commitment and service to the people, businesses and communities of Minnesota’s 8th District and his fearless support of the Iron Range.
Congressman Nolan has consistently believed in fair process and good science, and championed the values and economic growth of the Iron Range. We cannot express enough of our appreciation for the work he has done on behalf of responsible, modern industries and the jobs they support. The loss of his voice and support in the U.S. Congress will be deeply felt by Northeastern Minnesota.
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.
About RAMS
Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS) is comprised of 22 elected public officials from either a school district, a township board or a city council .along with two superintendents from a district within the boundaries of the Taconite Assistance Area of Northeastern Minnesota. The organization represents more than 72,000 residents and 49 public sector units of government, including 22 cities, 16 public school districts and 11 townships, in the 13,000 square mile Taconite Assistance Area (TAA) of northeast Minnesota. Learn more at www.ramsmn.org
About Mining Minnesota
Mining Minnesota is committed to sustainable and environmentally responsible mining of copper, nickel and precious metals. Driven by a diverse coalition of organizations, companies and individuals, Mining Minnesota works with local citizens, businesses and other organizations to bring growth and job creation to the state through responsible development of natural resources. Mining Minnesota seeks to provide the facts about copper, nickel and precious-metals mining in our state and offer a way for people to get involved and show support. Learn more at www.miningminnesota.com.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
Rock Solid Support PolyMet
Mesabi Daily News
Jerry Burnes
The scene was familiar, and so were the faces. At the first public comment hearing for the PolyMet permit to mine, the story was itself familiar as the mine’s supporters weighed in to state agencies over one of the final critical hurdles for the NorthMet project.
[…]
Aurora Mayor Dave Lislegard said PolyMet represented opportunities for the East Range to grow, pointing to a number of Mesabi East students in the audience. Those 30 students donned bright blue PolyMet T-shirts with “Tomorrow is Mine” on the back. Many of them weren’t born when the company began exploring and pitching the project to the state.
One of those students, Brandi Salmela, spoke during the public comment portion. Her grandfather was a miner and her father a construction worker on several of the area’s recent mining sites. She said a green light for PolyMet would continue the Range’s mining tradition for another generation.