St. Paul, Minn. (March 31, 2022) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the below statement following today’s announcement from the White House that President Biden will invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) to secure American production of critical minerals in order to bolster the country’s clean energy economy and reduce reliance on China and other countries:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is pleased with President Biden’s announcement today. This is a step in the right direction to bring the sourcing and processing of these minerals home, which will have a positive impact on national security, global environmental protections and investment and jobs in our country. This action proves that domestic mining must be part of the solution to securing mineral supply and achieving carbon emission reduction goals.
“We hope this change in policy is reflected in all aspects of securing the supply chain for these critical minerals. While this action encourages investment in our country, we cannot build more electric vehicles, solar or wind farms without a transparent, predictable and timely regulatory process for proposed mining projects.
“Northeast Minnesota holds the vast majority of U.S. reserves for cobalt, nickel and platinum group metals, with a strong mining heritage and union workforce. We strongly urge the President and his administration to also rescind the mineral withdrawal proposal in the Superior National Forest currently under review, and reinstate Twin Metals Minnesota’s valid mineral leases. As prime examples in Minnesota alone, both of these recent actions are contradictory to the DPA announced today.
“President Biden detailed the DPA will be authorized to support the production and processing of minerals and materials used for large capacity batteries–such as nickel, cobalt —minerals needed for green energy technologies and found in northeast Minnesota. The Department of Defense will implement this authority using its environmental, labor, community, and tribal consultation standards, which are the strongest in the world.”
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 70,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 members 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: Brian Hanson, Board Chair
brian@apexgetsbusiness.com
218.730.7330
St. Paul, Minn. (January 26, 2022) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to the Bureau of Land Management announcement they are canceling Twin Metals Minnesota’s mineral leases renewed in 2019:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is outraged by the Biden Administration’s politically motivated action today to cancel Twin Metals Minnesota’s mineral leases. This action is the latest in a series of recent attacks on the future accessibility of critical minerals and on the people of northeast Minnesota who have proudly and responsibly developed natural resources for generations. This administration is playing political football with the future long-term prosperity of an entire region and putting its own climate change strategy at risk.
“If the administration was at all interested in evaluating the science behind the ability to mine safely in this region, they would proceed with reviewing the Twin Metals mine proposal that’s been sitting on their desk for 2 years before arbitrarily canceling its leases.
“This action ignores the rigorous science-based environmental review process outlined in law. They know the environmental review process will prove this project can mine safely, so instead of advancing the process, they’re trying everything possible to circumvent science and stop the project to appease political campaigns acting as environmental groups opposing mining in Minnesota.
“You cannot combat the climate crisis through green energy technologies like electric vehicles, solar panels or windmills without the minerals that are located in northeast Minnesota. We as a country cannot continue to shut out an industry in one breath and then expect to have the ability to make this critical clean energy transition in another.”
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 70,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 members 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: Brian Hanson, Board Chair
brian@apexgetsbusiness.com
218.730.7330
St. Paul, Minn. (January 24, 2022) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the below statement following today’s news the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in PolyMet and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) favor in six of the seven issues that were challenged:
“Jobs for Minnesotans is pleased with today’s ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals regarding the PolyMet NorthMet project’s water discharge permit. We appreciate the Court’s strong affirmation that the MPCA permit for PolyMet is protective of Minnesota’s waters. The extensive scientific record of the project prevailed yet again and the environmental review process was upheld.
“It’s now time to move PolyMet forward. On the one issue remanded back to the MPCA, which arose from a U.S. Supreme Court precedent-setting ruling made more than a year after the permit was issued, we encourage the agency to move quickly to address the matters identified by the Court.
“Mining opponents are running out of legal challenges and appeal options for the PolyMet project. Every Court decision that has so far reached final conclusion has been in PolyMet’s favor. The scientific record for the project has proved that we can both mine these metals safely and protect the environment.
“This is another positive step forward and we encourage all supporters to remain strong and hopeful as we look forward to the construction of this project. This ruling moves the state’s first copper-nickel-precious metal mine one big step closer to reality and Minnesota one step closer as a major U.S. supplier of critical minerals needed to meet aggressive U.S. carbon reduction goals.”
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 70,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 members 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: Brian Hanson, Board Chair
brian@apexgetsbusiness.com
218.730.7330
PolyMet’s MPCA Air Permit Remains in Effect
St. Paul, Minn. (December 20, 2021) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the below statement following today’s news the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released its revised finding on PolyMet’s air emissions permit and determined it will remain in effect:
“Jobs for Minnesotans celebrates the reactivation of the PolyMet NorthMet project’s MPCA air permit. The extensive scientific record of the project prevailed yet again. Today’s news moves the state’s first copper-nickel-precious metal mine one big step closer to reality and Minnesota one step closer as a major U.S. supplier of critical minerals needed to meet aggressive U.S. carbon reduction goals.
“We look forward to the day coming soon when well-paid, skilled Minnesota workers are building this important project and Minnesota miners are filling current gaps in the supply chain for these minerals. The U.S. and global demand for copper, nickel, cobalt and other critical metals is exponentially increasing due to the need build solar arrays, wind farms, energy storage, electric vehicle batteries and other climate change solutions. Now more than ever, it is critical we secure the ability to safely mine these metals domestically, where these projects are held to the highest environmental and labor standards in the world.”
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 70,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 members 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: Brian Hanson, Board Chair
brian@apexgetsbusiness.com
218.730.7330
Take Action: Fight for Minnesota’s Economic Future
Two federal agencies have taken politically motivated actions that jeopardize the future of statewide benefits from Minnesota’s mining industry and ignore established regulatory and environmental review processes. These actions will have a devastating impact on the creation of thousands of jobs in northeast Minnesota and the region’s communities, economy and mining industry.
Recently, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a proposal to withdraw 225,000 acres of federally owned land and minerals in northeast Minnesota from future leasing, exploration and potential development. At risk is the potential for thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages, regional economic investment and revenues for Minnesota schools. On October 21, 2021, the USFS formally started a 90-day public comment period to gather public input on the proposed request for withdrawal.
If you support job creation and the future of mining in Minnesota, take action now!
Make your voice heard by providing public comments to the federal agencies. Email your comment and register to participate in one of three virtual public meetings – space is limited, register ASAP:
- Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 1 to 4 p.m. CST – Register here
- Saturday, January 15, 2022, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST – Register here
- Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 5 to 8 p.m. CST – Register here
Public comments should be directed to the USFS and BLM at BLM_ES_Lands@blm.gov or mail to: F. David Radford, Deputy State Director of Geospatial Services, BLM Eastern States Office, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia 22041.
Please use (copy and paste) the below sample message as your comment’s starting point, amend as you see fit:
Subject: Superior National Forest Withdrawal Application
I oppose the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management taking any action to pursue the withdrawal of lands and minerals in northeast Minnesota from future leasing, exploration and potential development. This action ignores the established and rigorous environmental review process for mining projects.
If enacted, the withdrawal proposal will cause the state of Minnesota to lose thousands of potential jobs that would result from future mining projects, billions of dollars in future investment in northeast Minnesota, and billions in potential revenues supporting the state’s K-12 education system.
The targeted federal lands are in an area of historic mining activity where mining is currently allowed and encouraged by federal and state law. The withdrawal would provide no additional environmental protections than those that currently exist under state and federal law and established environmental standards including the National Environmental Policy Act.
The proposed withdrawal will also shut out the domestic source of raw minerals needed to combat the climate crisis. Minerals that the U.S. is currently reliant on foreign sources.
I urge the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to reject this decision and its devastating impact on the future well-being of Minnesota citizens and communities.