Nolan Responds to Administration’s Anti-Mining, Anti-Jobs Decision
Hometown Focus
Staff
U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan on Thursday released the following statement on the Administration’s anti-mining, anti-jobs announcement:
“Minnesota’s Iron Range got a real slap in the face and a punch in the gut by Washington bureaucrats this morning. The United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced their joint decision to withhold and deny consent on two of Twin Metals’ leases, which were previously renewed twice without controversy.
St. Paul, Minnesota (Dec. 15, 2016) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the decisions by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to deny Twin Metals Minnesota’s lease renewals and to withdraw federal lands from future development:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is outraged by the Obama Administration’s arbitrary and unprecedented actions to bar new mineral permits and leases on federally owned lands in northeastern Minnesota and to deny the renewal of Twin Metals Minnesota’s federal mineral leases. These acts are attacks on the future accessibility of critical minerals and on the people of northeastern Minnesota who have proudly and responsibly developed natural resources for generations. They send a chilling message to the communities that have held out hope that a new era of mining would ensure their long-term prosperity.
These actions ignore the clear consensus in northeastern Minnesota communities backing the long-established process for regulating the mining industry. Over the past several months, strong statements supporting access to minerals and a transparent regulatory process have been repeatedly delivered to the federal agencies by our Board and local elected officials representing thousands of citizens across the Iron Range. Many leading Minnesota lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, have also expressed support for the existing regulatory process.
In preempting the established and lawful process, federal agencies are taking an extreme step of denying the public the opportunity to evaluate mining projects on their merits. Not only does this action prevent due process on the Twin Metals mining plans, it threatens to halt for years – or even forever – other mineral development, including iron ore mining, in a vast 234,000-acre region outside of the federally protected Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Support for mining activities in the region remains strong. Twin Metals Minnesota and the MiningMinnesota trade association recently released results of a November 2016 regional survey that found more than 80 percent of residents support the existing process of allowing copper-nickel mining projects to go through rigorous state and federal environmental review. This action by the Obama Administration withdrawing access to federally owned minerals scraps the review process and ignores public sentiment favoring a tough but balanced, science-based review by appropriate agencies. The November survey also found that 66 percent of respondents opposed federal agency actions to prohibit mining in the Superior National Forest.
Federal agencies and the Obama administration have chosen to ignore the voices of those who have the most at stake, who live and work within and surrounding the Superior National Forest. Rural America made it abundantly clear in the November elections that jobs matter. The skilled Minnesota workforce that believes in mining with the highest safety and environmental standards has just been told their jobs don’t matter.”
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
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
Mining Group Honors Eagle Mine, PolyMet Mining
Upper Michigan’s Source
Staff
The American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) honored two Midwestern mining companies at its 122nd Annual Meeting last week in Reno, Nevada.
Minnesota based PolyMet Mining Inc. received AEMA’s Environmental Excellence Award for its responsible development of the NorthMet Project, located near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota.
Poll Finds Northeastern Minnesota Support for Copper Mining
Duluth News Tribune
John Myers
A new public opinion poll appears to show strong support among Northeastern Minnesota residents for proposed copper mining in the region.
The poll, conducted Nov. 12-14 and paid for by Twin Metals Minnesota, found that nearly two-thirds of the 400 people surveyed support copper mining.
PolyMet Submits Application for Permit to Mine
Duluth News Tribune
John Myers
PolyMet Mining Co. on Thursday submitted its massive application for a state permit to mine, the first ever for a copper mine in Minnesota.
The more-than-15,000-page document, years in the works, lays out the company’s detailed plans to blast open the mine pit, build a processing center near Hoyt Lakes, design and operate water treatment technology and then close the mine and rehabilitate the site when the copper, nickel, gold and other precious metals are played out.
The permit application, which the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will now review, also includes PolyMet’s proposal for a financial assurance package — money guaranteed and set aside to fix any problems that might happen years into the future, even if the company leaves town or files for bankruptcy.
The DNR is expected to review the applications over several months, demand changes and negotiate over how much money should be set aside to pay for any unforeseen trouble.
“There’s a certain amount of back-and-forth between the agency and the permit applicant as we identify areas where we need some supplemental information,” said DNR Assistant Commissioner Barb Naramore.
Read More: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/mining/4151253-polymet-submits-application-permit-mine
St. Paul, Minnesota (Nov. 3, 2016) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to PolyMet Mining’s submission of its Permit to Mine application for its NorthMet copper-nickel mining project in northeastern Minnesota:
“The submission of PolyMet’s Permit to Mine application marks a significant milestone in advancing the economic future of our state. Minnesotans have been advocating for this project, which will launch a modern and diverse era in mining, for more than 10 years. To be in the homestretch toward bringing more than 300 high-quality, full-time mining jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment to our state is a historic moment.
“At a time when economic investment can be uncertain, PolyMet offers hope and financial security for the hardworking men and women who call Hoyt Lakes and the surrounding region home. This is a future that will send children to college and will offer the promise of middle-class jobs for generations to come.
“PolyMet has demonstrated time and time again that it is a responsible company committed to meeting the state and federal government’s strict regulatory standards. A great deal of work by experts has gone into developing a thorough Permit to Mine application, and we look forward to regulators preparing the permit in a predictable and timely fashion.”
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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State Jobs Coalition Expands to Energy
Mesabi Daily News
Jerry Burnes
A statewide business group is putting its support behind Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement Project.
Jobs for Minnesotans announced Friday that it expanded its mission to support energy transportation projects, joining the group’s support of job creation from proposed copper-nickel mining in Minnesota.
St. Paul, Minnesota (Oct. 28, 2016) – Jobs for Minnesotans announced today that the coalition will be expanding its mission of supporting responsible industries committed to investing in Minnesota and following environmental standards to include support for energy transportation projects. This mission is in addition to the coalition’s longstanding support of sustainable job creation from proposed copper-nickel mining projects in Minnesota.
Enbridge, an energy transportation company, has proposed an investment of $2.6 billion for a replacement program for its existing Line 3 crude oil pipeline, which spans from North Dakota through Minnesota and into Wisconsin. The Jobs for Minnesotans Board of Directors voted unanimously to expand the organization’s mission based on the role Enbridge plays in the economic future of the state.
“This expanded mission is a natural progression of the efforts of our allies in labor, business and communities to ensure all Minnesotans have a prosperous future. We must advance projects that protect the environment and encourage investments that strengthen communities in Greater Minnesota, as well as enhance the economy statewide,” said Nancy Norr, board chair of Jobs for Minnesotans. “Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement Project will provide around 1,500 family-sustaining construction jobs in Minnesota as well as a $2.1 billion boost for the economy. Much like proposed copper-nickel mining projects in northeastern Minnesota, we can’t afford not to see this project move forward.”
The Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce jointly formed Jobs for Minnesotans in 2012 and remain closely aligned on the need to support statewide natural resource development and follow the established and fair review process.
“Minnesota belongs to all of us and we’re responsible for ensuring this state remains an unparalleled place to live, work and play for generations to come,” said Harry Melander, president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council. “These companies – Enbridge, PolyMet Mining, Twin Metals Minnesota and others – already do and will continue to provide good-paying jobs right here in Minnesota for thousands of people.”
“We’re very fortunate in our state to have some of the best environmental standards in the world,” said Doug Loon, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. “Our state and federal agencies should allow these projects to follow the transparent and predictable review process already in place to protect our water quality and environment. We need to send the message that Minnesota is open for responsible-minded businesses, and projects like Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement, which will ensure continued safe and reliable operations.”
With its new mission, Jobs for Minnesotans will continue to serve as a platform for supporters to stay educated and learn how to get involved to support job creation in the state.
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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Polymet Hosts Project Update, Site Tours
WDIO-TV
Baihly Warfield
*Click link to view video
It’s been a couple years since the public has been invited on to the Polymet site in Hoyt Lakes. Right now, it resembles a ghost town. But on Wednesday, dozens of visitors graced its dirt roads.
Polymet invited vendors, contractors, future employees and the public to an open house at the Giant’s Ridge chalet for a project update, which was followed by tours of the potential mine.
Read More: http://www.wdio.com/news/polymet-mining-/4302649/
Mining Minnesota Pitches for PolyMet
Business North
Beth Bily
PolyMet may have completed it’s the environmental review, but advocates are still stressing the merits of the proposed non-ferrous mining project. Now, with the PolyMet entering its permitting phase, Mining Minnesota is keeping up with its efforts to inform the public about its potential benefits.
Non-ferrous advocate organization, Mining Minnesota, took that message to the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday morning, noting the economic potential of PolyMet as well as other non-ferrous mining projects at various stages of development.
“Minnesota is a mining state,” Mining Minnesota Executive Director Frank Ongaro said, adding that it’s the third largest mining state in country in terms of employment, GDP contributions and labor income. “What we have is an opportunity to develop the next generation of mining and double the size of the mining industry.”
Non-ferrous mineral deposits located along the Duluth Complex in northern Minnesota include copper, nickel, platinum, palladium and gold, and others. In addition to Canadian-based PolyMet, several companies have invested in non-ferrous proposals including Antofagasta, Kennecott and Rio Tinto, to name a few.