Capitol Urges Feds to Reverse Mining Decision
Mesabi Daily News
Jerry Burnes
A bipartisan group of Minnesota legislators, including the state’s majority and minority leaders, wrote a letter to federal officials Wednesday criticizing the decision to deny the renewal of leases for Twin Metals Minnesota.
The letter, signed by 62 legislators, calls for Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to reconsider and reverse actions taken in December. It also asks them to “refocus your agencies on the proper task” of reviewing mining projects under past federal processes and not make “politically-driven” decisions.
Commentary: Exchange is Big Win for Iron Range
International Falls Journal
Congressman Rick Nolan
In a major step toward creating hundreds more good paying jobs in our region, the U.S. Forest Service announced this morning that they have finally agreed to the land exchange necessary for PolyMet to move ahead, access the NorthMet copper-nickel deposits and begin mining under the vast lands known as the Duluth Complex.
Land Exchange Approved for PolyMet
BusinessNorth
Staff
The land exchange allows the company to receive approximately 6,650 acres of surface land above and around the NorthMet ore body. It currently is owned by the Forest Service. In return, PolyMet will transfer four parcels of land totaling 6,690 acres to the Forest Service.
St. Paul, Minnesota (Jan. 9, 2017) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the federal Final Record of Decision approving the land exchange for PolyMet Mining’s NorthMet project:
“Jobs for Minnesotans celebrates this important milestone for copper-nickel mining in Minnesota. The federal Final Record of Decision for PolyMet’s land exchange validates the project’s comprehensive environmental review process culminating in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Furthermore, this decision acknowledges that this land exchange is in the best interest of the public.
The NorthMet project has been thoroughly examined by multiple state and federal agencies, and this decision takes us one step closer to bringing hundreds of jobs to an area of the state that desperately needs the economic opportunities that this project will provide. Following this momentous decision, we are confident that PolyMet will work efficiently with the agencies to complete the permitting process in a 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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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Board Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Office: 218.723.3905
Cell: 218.590.6978
People from Ely Also Back Mining
Mesabi Daily News
Larry Musich
In a Nov. 27 article in the Star Tribune (“Loved and loathed, she’s drawn line in BWCA”), anti-mining activist Becky Rom claimed that when she meets with members of Congress and officials at the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Land Management, or Department of the Interior, she and her fellow advocates “always say, ‘Hi, we’re from Ely.’ ”
Well, Ms. Rom: Hi, I’m from Ely, too! Ely was founded as a mining town. The Lake Vermilion gold rush brought many pioneers to the area in 1865. Although hardly any gold was found, it was discovered that the area did contain large deposits of iron ore. Thousands of new immigrants came to America at this time. Soon they came to the Minnesota Iron Range looking for work. When the Duluth, Mesabi and Iron Range Railway extended its rails from Tower to Ely in 1888, Ely began mining operations with the opening of the Chandler Mine. Ore was shipped to docks on Lake Superior in Two Harbors and Duluth.