Polymet
DEIS FLUNKS!!!!!
The DEIS is the next to final stage of the Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers on the project being done.
NEWS !!!!
From the EPA Received by US Corps of Engineers February 18
"Based on our review of the DEIS, EPA has rated the DEIS as Environmentally Unsatisfactory - Inadequate, or EU-3. Environmentally Unsatisfactory (EU) indicates that our review has identified adverse environmental impacts that are of sufficient magnitude that the EPA believes the proposed action must not proceed as proposed. " Read More Here
EPA's Ken Westlake describes the EPA Role in Permitting of Mining
Video here
It's not your Grandpas' kind of mining
You do your dishes after dinner, should mines have to be clean when they are done mining? Is it ok for them to leave their dirty toxic waste and not clean it up?
Mining has long been a cyclical portion of the Minnesota economy. A new kind of mining is proposed - copper nickel hardrock mining is proposed in the Duluth Complex.
The EPA has identified hardrock mining as the top polluting industry in our nation. Hardrock mining is proposed at the Polymet Northmet Mine - it produces toxic waste throught releasing sulfuric acid into the wetlands and waters. We're told that we need to risk this kind of mining to have "jobs". What we don't hear about is the cost to society of increased fetal developmental harm, and of the expense of a superfund site.
That's the old way of thinking. We can have strong employment and diverse careers available for our families and a a healthy environment - and we should demand both.
The organizations in Minnesota that have been responsible for developing jobs in diverse industries have failed. We need to hold them accountable.
Protections in Minnesota are described by industry as sufficient to protect the people, however we need to read the fine print on all this. There are existing mines from which toxic waste is leaching now.
Our lakes rivers and streams are very high in mercury and that mercury is made more harmful by the specific kind of pollution leaching from these mines, it becomes bioavailable. It accumulates as small organisims take it in and larger organisms eat them and in humans we know the body preferentially passes it on to babies in the womb, where mercury harms the developing nervous system.
Is fishing in Minnesota going to be popular if the fish is inedible? Do we care about the effect on our youngest citizens? Common sense tells us mining companies should pay a damage deposit that assures us that they will clean up the toxic waste they leave.
We need to consider carefully what is enough money to insure that they actually will clean up their toxic waste and that the standards our state holds them to get their depost back are strong. Do you know the standards?
You make sure that if you get your roof repaired the roofers have to clean up the mess - you make sure it's in the contract. If your neighbor hired a plumber who left a big mess and then went bankrupt, would you hire the same plumber even if the company had a new name? Under what circumstances would you allow toxins to be put in your water?
The DNR OHV Plan for CVSF
Welcome Hunters!
There are many areas of the Cloquet Valley State Forest for traditional hunting.
The CVSF is outlined in green below and lies just north of Duluth.
Hunter Walking Trails
Click below for detailed jpg to find places to hunt on foot
Traditional Hunting Areas for Footed Hunters
Only a few areas of the Cloquet Valley State Forest have been designated for traditional forest use and are shown above encircled in orange, as natural areas for hunting and fishing. Not all of the areas are public lands, so be sure to check to avoid trespass. Hunters leave their trucks and motorcycles and atvs outside these areas and hunt in the traditional way our parents and their parents did, on foot. These areas are quieter and wildlife experience more natural habitat conditions with less risk of fire and contamination with invasive species. Most fires in Minnesota are caused by humans.
There are over 1500 miles trails and access roads, forest roads, minimum maintenance roads, roadside ditch trails and township roads and hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands open for those needing motorized assistance to hunt and info about those those can be found on the DNR website
If you need information contact the numbers below
Hunters on foot or those who use mobility devices all terrain vehicles to get around may inquire about specific details of interest to them.
Rich Staffon 879-0880 223 Area Wildlife Manger
Martha Minchak, 218 723-4768 224 Asst Area Wildlife Manager
Chris Balzer 879-0880 233 Asst. Area Wildlife Manger
Contact Rich for information or Martha for information about hunting in general and Chris for information about specific trails and areas in the region north of Duluth.
Enforcement Information
State Patrol : Duluth (218) 723-4885
K262 Duluth (W) Randy Hanzal 218-729-4995 St. Louis (W)
K263 Duluth (E) Kipp Duncan 218-525-2800 St. Louis (E)
Mobility Devices
Jade Templin at 651-259-5598 (toll-free - 800-657-3929) or jade.templin@dnr.state.mn.us
Info from MN DNR on Mobility Devices
*info from MICHIGAN on Mobility Devices
Driving Vehicles in the Forest
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/index.html
Released
1/09 Unfortunately despite wide local public support to the contrary the St. Louis County Board pressed the DNR for the open unless closed option - the least restrictive system legal in Minnesota. Open unless closed creates serious environmental problems and human use conflicts. Except for a few areas the entire forest is "managed" or "open unless posed closed" creating a situation ripe for abuse by motorized recreation users intent on access by motorized vehicle to every nook and cranny of the entire forest. Only a few areas are either limited or closed and these amount to less than 5% of the total acres of the forest! Too bad St.Louis County refuses to follow Aitkin's lead and go with the limited option which can lead to well planned and maintained trail systems for all types of users including those who do and do not prefer motorized equipment to hunt and fish and enjoy the forest!
http://www.co.aitkin.mn.us/Departments/Land/recreation.html Aitkin County chose the "limited" classification and as such can make much more diverse choices.
MINING Non Ferrous Mining In NE Mn
A foregone conclusion ... Jobs Jobs Jobs?
A threat to our ecosystem and every lake river and stream in MN?
We are smack in this issue in the CVSF and we need to be better informed as a community. Inform yourself, inform your friends, do the analysis you need to do to be sure our state chooses wisely.
Our legislators Bakk and Dill and most of the "Range Coalition" are behind this mining project. You have to be the one to be informed and speak your mind.
You are a resident, a constituent and a person who drinks this water.
Only you can prevent Acid Mine Drainage.
This bill was put forth by legislators last session, with the strong support of the Minnesota Environmental Community. MEP member Friends of the Cloquet Valley State Forest supported those legislators' efforts. The legislation was not permitted to even get a hearing - it was blocked by the Range Deligation. It is unknown if any protection will be sought by any legislators in the coming session.
The range delegation controls many committees in the legislature due to their seniority. This is simply how the legislature works - senior members get to control committees.
Property Values and Water Quality
In a 2003 Study the correlation between water quality and lake property values was established in a study by two Bemidji State University professors. Prof. Patrick Welle and Prof. Charles Parson examined 1,205 properties sold between 1996 and 2001 on 37 lakes in six regions in northern Minnesota: Aitkin, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, Walker, Park Rapids and Bemidji. They found water clarity was the most significant factor in determining the purchase price in every region. Read the study : Welle Parson Study from BSU
Methyl Mercury impacts cognition and the impact of it's harm can can be calculated. Methyl Mercury is increased by Sulfuric Acid Drainage from Non - Ferrous Mining
To Join or help contact FriendsCVSF@gmail.com
FriendsCVSF@gmail.com
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