Mesabi Daily News
Rep. Rick Nolan
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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.
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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.
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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.
On Range, Ironclad Support for Copper Mining
Duluth News Tribune
John Myers
For Brandi Salmela, a senior at Mesabi East High School, Wednesday night’s public meeting on the PolyMet copper mine, proposed about 10 miles from her school, was a chance to talk about the future of her town and her family.
Salmela was among about 30 Mesabi East students wearing bright blue PolyMet T-shirts emblazoned with “Tomorrow is Mine” who came as a group to show support for the project that has been on the drawing board longer than they have been alive.
Salmela said the state’s first-ever copper mine can provide the kind of jobs that support families and schools on the Iron Rage, which she called a unique and special place in Minnesota.
Read More: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4400446-range-ironclad-support-copper-mining
St. Paul, Minn. (Jan. 26, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Forest Service announcement that the agency will prepare an environmental assessment to study the effects of a proposed mineral withdrawal in northern Minnesota.
“Today’s U.S. Forest Service announcement that the agency will pursue an Environmental Assessment instead of an Environmental Impact Statement to study the effects of the proposed mineral withdrawal in northern Minnesota is a step in the right direction but a far cry from rescinding the proposal. While we celebrate that the Forest Service is acknowledging what multiple studies have already shown – that there is no significant impact on the environment from withdrawal or exploration – the fact remains that the proposed mineral withdrawal would devastate the socio-economic well-being of our entire region and prohibit access to exploring critical mineral resources for our economy.
Several companies have already invested millions of dollars in our region through responsible exploration activities and if the proposed withdrawal is not rescinded, we risk those companies taking their investments elsewhere. This is about a region standing up for a way of life and the right to build a sustainable economic future for generations to come.
Our position remains the same. We urge the Forest Service to respect the established process of evaluating specific mining projects after they have been formally proposed and rescind the mineral withdrawal proposal.”
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
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
St. Paul, Minn. (Jan. 9, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission decision to uphold the review schedule for the Line 3 Replacement Project.
“We commend the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for its decision to uphold fair and predictable timelines for the Line 3 Replacement Project and request the Administrative Law Judge follow established process. It was clear that today the voices of thousands of supporters of timely reviews for safe energy transportation projects in Minnesota are being heard.
Despite the many delays the Line 3 Replacement Project has experienced to date, we are pleased with today’s decision to keep the project schedule on track. When followed in a timely fashion, Minnesota’s strict environmental permitting process offers companies and citizens confidence the projects will uphold public interests. Our members have supported this project for years based on its merits and are excited to see this integrity-driven project progress and support the economic wellbeing of communities.”
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
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
State of Minnesota Releases PolyMet’s Draft Permit to Mine
Duluth News Tribune
John Myers
The release of the draft permit to mine signals the state is generally satisfied with how PolyMet plans to build, mine and then close the operations without harming the environment — especially without releasing potentially acidic mine waste into the St. Louis River ecosystem.
It’s the biggest step yet for the proposed mine that’s been decades on the drawing board. But the project still must secure final permits, clear lawsuits and pass a possible contested case hearing process as well as find financing to actually pay for construction.
“This is a big step. It’s a big milestone,” said Tom Landwehr, DNR commissioner. “But we are nowhere near done… there are still so many steps that need to be required.”
Landwehr said regulators and the company have followed state laws governing mining to a T.
“At this point… all the requirements have been met,” Landwehr said.
Supporters and critics of the copper mine now have 60 days to submit public comments, with public hearings set for Feb. 7 in Hoyt Lakes and Feb. 8 in Duluth.
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Supporters say the estimated $650-plus million project — that will mine 32,000 tons of rock daily and employ about 300 people — will help diversify a regional economy that has been tied the cyclical iron mining industry for a century. The project will require an estimated 2 million construction hours.
St. Paul, Minn. (Jan. 5, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources release of the draft Permit to Mine for PolyMet’s NorthMet Project.
“Today’s release of the draft Permit to Mine is a historic achievement for the NorthMet Project and the state. It builds on our rich iron mining heritage and is a catalyst for a new era of responsible mining. Copper-nickel mining offers substantial private investment and long-term economic returns that will sustain families and communities and benefit our entire state. More broadly, the project will provide the crucial minerals we require as a part of our daily lives.
The rigorous reviews of the NorthMet Project design instill confidence that PolyMet has the right technology, the right environmental and financial protections, and the right leadership to chart a responsible path forward for copper-nickel mining in Minnesota. We believe PolyMet will meet all conditions outlined in the draft Permit to Mine.”
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
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
“Next Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) will review the decision of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to once again delay the Line 3 pipeline replacement permitting process. This delay is entirely unnecessary, but unfortunately unsurprising. In the last 7 years, legally established timelines for permitting projects in Minnesota have been routinely ignored by the MPUC, state agencies, and others that appear to have bowed to a small but vocal group of activists instead of following the law.
Just last month, the MPUC delayed a decision on the adequacy of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), ignoring the recommendation from Judge Eric Lipman that the FEIS should be deemed adequate, as well as testimony of state agency experts and MPUC staff who advised them the information necessary to make an informed decision was in the report. The ALJ has now added another delay, pausing other aspects of the regulatory process until the FEIS is deemed adequate. We encourage the MPUC to order the ALJ to proceed with the rest of the regulatory process while the FEIS process continues simultaneously. That approach would be consistent with the MPUC’s previous orders.
Doing otherwise will mean months of delay, and yet another construction season missed. Delays have real world consequences. Construction workers go without paychecks, local city and county governments go without tax revenue, local businesses that would profit during construction don’t get those profits. In addition, businesses around the nation looking to invest in projects that require permits from the MPUC continue to question whether or not they can get a fair chance to move their projects forward in Minnesota. All of this is bad for our state.
We implore the MPUC to bring common sense back to their proceedings, reverse the ALJ move, and get the process for permitting Line 3 back on track for a conclusion in April of this year.”
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49
Jobs for Minnesotans
Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Pipe Trades Association
North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters