A new type of mining is under consideration for Northern Minnesota. Exploration for sulfides such as copper, nickel, gold, platinum, and others has begun and one mining company hoped to get a state permit in 2009 and is now pushing for 2010. However, unlike taconite mining, when the sulfides are exposed to water and air, they produce sulfuric acid. Sulfide mines throughout the U.S. have left terrible contamination of lakes, rivers and groundwater with the acid and heavy metals.
MCEA is carefully monitoring PolyMet’s proposal for a new sulfide mine near Hoyt Lakes.MCEA is concerned about how the mine will prevent metals and sulfides in massive piles of waste rock from turning into sulfuric acid and leaching into nearby waters years, or even decades, from now. MCEA is also skeptical that a strip mine, which is being proposed instead of an underground mine, is necessary.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ draft environmental impact statement for the mine has been released and public comments will be taken through Feb. 3, 2010. With its experts, MCEA crafted an extensive response and found numerous problems, including the likely mercury contamination of fish, and a lack of discussion over how PolyMet would treat water for hundreds of years so when it leaves the site it doesn't contaminate rivers, lakes and groundwater. (A link to the comments is at right) The draft has noted destruction of hundreds of acres of peatlands and wetlands in Superior National Forest.
On Feb. 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed its comments and threatened to take the issue all the way to President Obama's Council on Environmental Quality. (A link to the agency's comments is at right.)
At the same time, after almost three years of discussion between the U.S. Forest Service and Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, the forest service agreed to do an environmental impact statement on mineral exploration and mining activities in the Superior National Forest.
The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are considering opening the forest to hardrock mineral exploration on federal lands for which the Forest Service holds the surface rights and the Bureau of Land Management holds the mineral rights.
The need for a full environmental review became obvious to MCEA when applications for hardrock mineral exploration were submitted within two miles of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the U.S. Forest Service indicated that large areas of the Superior Forest , including land bordering Voyageurs National Park, could be open to mineral exploration and mining.
The Forest Service asked for comments on the scoping document, which sets the boundaries on what the environmental impact statement will study and MCEA turned in extensive comments on the scoping document in May. The comments focus on both mineral exploration and potential mines which could result from the deposits found through the exploratory process. MCEA is waiting to see what is included in the final scoping document. The Forest Service has said the draft environmental impact statement will be completed sometime in 2010.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed comments on the PolyMet draft environmental impact statement on Feb. 18, 2010 and strongly criticized the document.
MCEA filed comments on the PolyMet draft environmental impact statement on Feb. 3, 2010 pointing out flaws and stating that no permits may be issued until the problems are fixed.
Read the exhibits and attachments that go with MCEA's PolyMet draft environmental impact statement comments of Feb. 3, 2010
MCEA sent a letter to Sens. Klobuchar and Franken objecting to their endorsement of the proposed PolyMet mine.
MCEA sent a letter requesting an extension on the comment period for the draft EIS beyond Feb. 3, 2010.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, with financial help from MCEA and other organizations, commissioned a short movie on sulfide mining.
MCEA filed comments on hardrock mining EIS scoping document
Read the Mining Simulation Report (Part II) (Part III). Appendix: I.