Reader’s View: Remember, Mining Supports Minnesota Schools
Duluth News Tribune
Michael Cole
In the battle between pro-mining and anti-mining groups, the issues always seem to be jobs and pollution. Forgotten, it seems, is another important issue. That issue is the Permanent School Trust Fund. This fund was created when Minnesota was granted statehood and is part of the Minnesota state constitution. The idea was to have a permanent fund to help public schools with funding, the payments based on a per-pupil formula for each public school district in Minnesota.
Study Shows Mining Impact Triples Tourism
Mesabi Daily News
Jerry Burnes
A 10 percent increase in mining activity would benefit the Duluth-Arrowhead region more than three times as much than a similar tourism boost, according to a new study by the Praxis Strategy Group.
The study, sponsored by advocacy group MiningMinnesota, concluded a 10 percent increase in mining would create 567 new jobs compared to 161 in the tourism-impacted areas. Average earnings in those created jobs would average out to $66,300 in mining and $25,000 in tourism.
In D.C., a Changing Tone on Withdrawal
Mesabi Daily News
Jerry Burnes
The meetings were set in a private hallway on Capitol Hill last week, just outside the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar emerged first, and at a separate meeting time U.S. Sen. Al Franken briefly left the hearing for one of President Trump’s most important appointments.
A coalition of six representatives from the Iron Range were waiting for the lawmakers, packets of information in hand.
The gatherings were orchestrated as part of a larger effort by the Range delegation to persuade Washington to roll back a proposed mining activity moratorium on more than 234,000 acres of federal lands in the Superior National Forest. Less than a week earlier, the U.S. Forest Service collected public comments and extended the deadline by 120 days, but the cordial face-to-face time with senators, congressmen and agencies was a measured lobbying effort to hear the impacts from the Range itself.
Our Views: A Fight Worth Fighting
Mesabi Daily News
Editorial Board
Mining advocates have asked over the last several months, “How do we fight it?” referring to the barrage of opposition to copper-nickel projects. It’s the $1 billion question concerning Twin Metals. Answering it will take a strong chorus of voices to show federal agencies how the project would serve as a leading economic driver for the Ely region, providing a small degree of diversification within the mining industry.
On Thursday the U.S. Forest Service hosts the first of what will now be two public comment hearings on a proposed land withdrawal from future mining leases. More than 234,000 acres are on the chopping block — for potentially 20 years — including acreage the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management already denied Twin Metals from exploratory access to research its concept for an underground copper-nickel mine.
The Range is in This Fight Together, for Our Hometowns
Mesabi Daily News
Arik Forsman
Fortunately, it’s not too late to join our fight and stand up for what’s right. Public comments are being taken until mid-August through a link at jobsforminnesotans.org or via email to the U.S. Forest Service (comments-eastern-superior@fs.fed.us). You’re also welcome to join us in Duluth from 5-7:30 p.m. in Symphony Hall at the DECC for the hearing in a show of support for mining.