News & Articles Archive
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August 20, 2008 – 1:24 pm
A recent letter to the editor in the Marquette Mining Journal from Laura Furtman (co-author of "The Buzzards Have Landed") challenges Kennecott's Jon Cherry to a public debate on the issue of the Flambeau mine in Wisconsin.
| To the editor:
As the co-author of "The Buzzards Have Landed: The Real Story of the Flambeau Mine," I hereby challenge Kennecott's Jon Cherry to a public debate.
I traveled 250 miles to speak at the Protect the Earth Summit in Marquette (Aug. 2-3) because current data does not support Kennecott's version of what's happening at the Flambeau Mine site.
I wish Mr. Cherry had attended my workshop to educate himself about the ongoing water pollution problems at this reclaimed mine site. Instead, he continues to spew out the public relations rhetoric that prompted my visit.
Here's just one example of what I mean …: He claims that the Flambeau Mine is an example of how mining can be accomplished "with the environment protected." Yet the company's quarterly data, on file with the Wisconsin DNR and reported in my book, shows that heavy metal pollution in the groundwater at the Flambeau Mine site far exceeds what their fancy computer modeling predicted would happen.
The most dramatic example is the heavy metal manganese: the established drinking water standard for manganese is 50 parts per billion (ppb); Kennecott predicted that manganese levels at the Flambeau Mine site would rise to 520 ppb (due to acid mine drainage); but in reality, manganese levels measured in a monitoring well within the backfilled pit have reached 42,000 ppb (80 times worse than predicted). This is Kennecott's own data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Furthermore, Kennecott predicted that the manganese levels will remain elevated for over 4,000 years. This is of serious concern from a health perspective.
As a pharmacist, I searched the medical literature and discovered that excess manganese in drinking water can cause nerve damage similar to that seen in Parkinson's disease. One such report where people were poisoned cited a manganese level of 14,000 ppb in their drinking water.
Knowing that levels of 42,000 ppb have been reported at Flambeau makes Mr. Cherry's comment about environmental protection worthy of debate at the very least.
The people of Michigan deserve to get the … facts about the water pollution at Wisconsin's reclaimed Flambeau Mine site. I invite Mr. Cherry to join me in a vigorous and open debate.
Laura Furtman
Webster, Wis. |
To encourage participation in the debate, you may contact Jon Cherry at jon.cherry@riotinto.com or (906) 486-1257.
August 18, 2008 – 3:43 pm
Eagle Rock to the Bridge is Underway!
Walk in Margaret's Shoes
Margaret Comfort of Bourbonnais, Illinois along with other dedicated individuals, hopes to raise funds and bring added attention to the threat of metallic sulfide mining and uranium mining in the UP by walking from the proposed Eagle Project site on the Yellow Dog Plains in northwest Marquette County to the Mackinac Bridge. The team will journey across the Upper Peninsula raising awareness about the harmful effects of this type of Mining. Along the way the group will be meeting with communities to:
- Highlight threats of metallic sulfide mining to the Yellow Dog Plains and our Great Lakes waters.
- Show the connection of watersheds and people of the Upper Peninsula.
- Encourage folks to join Governor Granholm for her Annual Walk across the Mackinac Bridge on September I, 2008 (Labor Day) to show their disapproval of Metallic Sulfide Mining.
 Click on the links below for more details:
A Letter from Margaret…
| Dear Citizens of Northwest Lower Michigan,
Over a dozen mines for copper, nickel, gold, zinc, and possibly URANIUM are currently on the drawing boards for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, home to some of the most pristine rivers and aquifers in the world. Acid Sulfide Mining has the potential to pollute both glorious Lake Michigan and mighty Lake Superior. This type of mining is not like that of the old days. It has the potential to pollute for hundreds of years.This type of mining has already caused irreparable harm near the Flambeau River in northern Wisconsin. The mine there closed in 1997; however, ten years later, there are still toxic levels of iron, copper, and manganese in the region - very harmful to fish and at levels (manganese) known to cause Parkinson-like tremors in humans. In fact, the state of Wisconsin will no longer allow such type of mining unless or until a company can show that a mine has operated and been closed for 10 years without causing such mess. Read about it in "The Buzzards Have Landed" (www.deertailpress.com). Also, this type of mining is being explored less than 25 miles from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota. Sulfide mining also has the potential to permanently eradicate the last known spawning grounds of the rare coaster brook trout along the south shore of Lake Superior.
The demand for raw materials to feed China's industrial machine could turn Michigan into a "colony" and will pollute it (and China) at the same time. Also, we here in the U.S. can consume more "stuff" and China and other developing industrialized and newly-affluent nations can have items like cars, refrigerators, and cell phones. The chickens (?vultures?) have finally come home to roost. Yes, this may be karmic and yes, who are we (the U.S) to deny others…however, it is a REALLY DUMB IDEA to pollute pristine rivers that feed our Great Lakes - our ONLY source of fresh water and truly irreplaceable gems. As the issues of "not enough water" and "not enough clean water" rise to the forefront here in the US (and they inevitably will), we will be left with a nightmare if these types of mines are allowed to take foot anywhere near the Great Lakes.
My beloved Michigan is beset with economic woes - not enough jobs; but these mining jobs are short-term and the potential health ramifications will last a life-time (whereas the workers' health insurance will not!). Over 100 U.P physicians and 40 Michigan physician assistants have signed a resolution seriously questioning sulfide mining. These mines will also pollute the air and utterly destroy the peace and quiet of a people who treasure and respect the wild (the local citizens and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community). In fact, drilling is slated to occur right through "Eagle Rock" - a sacred site to the Community. The mines are also dangerous from a highway/road/transportation standpoint.
Check out the following websites www.yellowdogwatershed.org, www.savethewildup.org, www.northwoodswild.org for more details.
More importantly, join us as we walk from the Yellow Dog Plains (western Marquette County) to The Bridge during the last two weeks in August - just in time to walk The Bridge on Labor Day. You can walk for a few hours, a weekend, or do the entire trip.
Don't be fooled. This is NOT just an isolated "Yooper problem"; nor is it just a "Michigan problem". IT IS A GREAT LAKES PROBLEM. Having lived on gorgeous Beaver Island, Boyne City, Petoskey, and Marquette and having spent many a summer in the Traverse region, I know how precious these lakes are … how they feed our souls and refresh our spirits. It would be a TRAVESTY to see them destroyed.
Get off your duff this summer and walk with us from the Yellow Dog Plains to The Bridge. Contact us at the websites listed above or call 231-330-0589. Come see the splendor of the U.P and what we ALL (yes, you) risk losing.
Margaret Comfort
Bourbonnais, IL
"Forever a Michigander" |
If you are interested in participating in the walk, please call Margaret at (231) 330-0589.
August 14, 2008 – 12:15 pm
Rio Tinto says: “Wherever we work, we are committed to minimizing the environmental effects of our activities and to ensuring that local communities benefit as much as possible from having Rio Tinto as a neighbour.” Leigh Clifford, Rio Tinto Chief Executive, 2000-07145
Rio Tinto does: The Grasberg mine in West Papua, Indonesia has been probably the most heavily criticized mine in the world in recent years, featuring as the subject of a series of revealing media reports. The mine is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and US corporation Freeport-McMoRan, and represents the largest gold deposit and third largest copper deposit in the world. It is protected by Indonesian military and police forces involved in well documented human rights violations in suppressing West Papua’s independence movement.
The conflict in West Papua has caused over 100,000 deaths over the past decades. Serious human rights violations have occurred near the mine, and the companies have regularly been accused of complicity in them owing to their reliance on the military and police to provide security for company operations.
Click here to read about Rio Tinto's human rights violations
August 12, 2008 – 2:55 pm
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting public input regarding the coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) for their endangered species status review. The information you submit can include agency reports and other collections of scientific data. The USFS is not required to hold public hearings on a species status review, but is providing a new comment period to afford the public an additional opportunity to provide information or submit any remarks that would otherwise have been presented at a public hearing.
The submissions cannot merely state support for or opposition to the action under consideration without providing supporting information. The USFS makes its determination based on the best scientific and commercial data available.
Submit comments via website:
Click here to submit comments electronically and your entire submission will be posted on the website.
Submit comments via hardcopy (letter):
Public Comments Processing
Attn(FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030)
Division of Policy and Directives Management
US Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Drive Suite 222
Arlington, VA 22203
Faxes or emails will not be accepted.
The entire USFS announcement is as follows:
| Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the U.S. Population of Coaster Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) as Endangered
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), correct and reopen the comment period for the March 20, 2008, 90-day finding on a petition to list the U.S. population of coaster brook trout.
DATES: We will consider information received or postmarked on or before September 8, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit information by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
- U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: [FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We will post all information received at http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see the Information Solicited section below for more details).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jessica Hogrefe, East Lansing Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2651 Coolidge Road–Suite 101, East Lansing, MI 48823-6316; telephone 517-351-5467; facsimile 517-351-1443. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 20, 2008, the Service published in the Federal Register a notice of 90-day petition finding and initiation of status review concerning the petition to list as endangered a population of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) known as coaster brook trout throughout its known historical range in the conterminous United States (73 FR 14950). In the DATES section of that document, we solicited requests for public hearings and established a date by which we would receive such requests.This part of the notice was printed in error and we will not hold public hearings for this 90-day finding. Section 4(b)(5) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), states, "With respect to any regulation proposed by the Secretary to implement a determination, designation, or revision referred to in subsection (a)(1) or (3) [proposed or final rule to list a species as endangered or threatened, or proposed or final rule to designate any habitat of such species to be ritical habitat], the Secretary shall * * * promptly hold one public hearing on the proposed regulation if any person files a request for such a hearing within 45 days after the date of publication of general notice." Notices of 90-day findings on petitions to list species are not proposed regulations. The Service does not generally hold public hearings for nonrulemaking findings, and will not hold any public hearings regarding the coaster brook trout 90-day finding. For a 90-day finding, we request information from the public that improves our understanding of the status of the species. This information typically includes agency reports and other collections of empirical data that is best gathered in the form of written comments. If, in the future, we publish a proposed rule for this species (e.g., a proposed listing), we will allow the public an opportunity to request a public hearing at that time.
Information Solicited
We are, however, providing a new comment period with respect to the 90-day finding to afford the public an additional opportunity to provide us information for our status review or submit any remarks that would otherwise have been presented at a public hearing. We have also contacted directly the persons who requested a hearing to advise them of this additional opportunity to submit information. Please note that submissions merely stating support for or opposition to the action under consideration without providing supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in making a determination, because section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) directs that determinations as to whether any species is a threatened or endangered species shall be made "solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available." At the conclusion of the status review, we will determine whether listing is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded. You may submit your information concerning this status review by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not consider submissions sent by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed in the ADDRESSES section. If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission–including any personal identifying information–will be posted on the Web site. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this personal identifying information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Information and materials we receive will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, East Lansing Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
[[Page 45936]]
Authority: This action is authorized by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: July 31, 2008. H. Dale Hall, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E8-18206 Filed 8-6-08; 8:45 am] |
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
A Protect the Earth Summit sponsored by Yellow Dog Summer, Keepers of the Water, and Students Against Sulfide Mining was held this weekend, August 2 and 3. The summit began with workshops and a rally and culminated with a walk to Eagle Rock on the Yellow Dog Plains, accompanied by blueberry picking. Nearly 140 citizens from Upper and Lower Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario attended the walk to Eagle Rock.
"This weekend's Earth Summit marked a turning point for the movement to protect our land and water from metallic sulfide and uranium mining. Wisconsin stopped metallic sulfide mining, and the power of that movement was realized in the diversity and unity of the local people, and diversity and unity are exactly what Protect the Earth gatherings are all about. Protect the Earth proved that dangerous mining is not a done deal in the UP, Minnesota or anywhere, as long as communities are willing to work together." Gabriel Caplett (Yellow Dog Summer).
Click here to read Gabriel's letter to the editor in the Marquette Mining Journal
 
       
Help Stop Metallic Sulfide and Uranium Mining
Keepers of the Water, Yellowdog Summer, and Students Against Sulfide Mining are organizing a Protect the Earth Summit for August 2 and 3 to bring communities together throughout the Great Lakes Region and the Midwest that are concerned about metallic sulfide and uranium mining. We all share and depend on clean land, air and water for our survival and must work together to protect the health of our communitties and ecosystems. Please join us for free workshops, speakers, music, food, dance, and a walk to Eagle Rock.
Protect the Earth Summit Program
| Inland drilling |
| A debate over mining in Upper Michigan |
 |
| by Jon Magnuson |
 |
| On the southern shore of Lake Superior, rugged edges of deep green forest merge with cliffs of sandstone and million-year-old granite to mark the northern boundary of Powell Township. For most Michigan citizens, this remains a remote, forgotten corner of the Upper Peninsula, an economically depressed region that economists often call America's "second Appalachia." For those who live here, it has become a battleground between an international mining company and a patchwork coalition of residents, fisherfolk, church leaders, environmentalists and an Indian tribe.Read More… |
Eric Hansen is the author of "Hiking Michigan's Upper Peninsula" and "Hiking Wisconsin". His recent op-ed entitled, "Headwaters are no place for toxic new mining" was recently published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. We encourage you to write to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and thank them for covering the issue… perhaps with a little encouragement they will cover the issue even further.
Following, are a few lines from Eric's op-ed…
"Take a moment to think about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the nearby patches of Wisconsin, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan that border it. Picture the sparkling waterfalls, blueberries, brook trout and wave-washed shores there — the multitude of reasons so many think of this as God’s Country.
Thing is, change is in the air — and there’s a fair chance that it won’t be a good thing for the unspoiled waters of the U.P. — or for our water quality here, downstream, in Wisconsin.
New proposals for mining in the U.P. involve a method — metallic sulfide mining — known for its record of toxic water pollution."
click here to read the op-ed
Promises Broken
Thursday July 24, 2008
In April, local community members attended Rio Tinto's Annual General Meeting where Chief Executive Bret Clayton (Rio Tinto Copper, London) agreed to hold a public meeting with the mine opposition back in the states.
However, on Wednesday July 24th Bret Clayton snubbed the community as he visited Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Clayton instead only took time to meet with the Lake Superior Community Partnership and the Marquette County Ambassadors.
"Rio Tinto's decision not to meet with anyone knowledgeable about the proposed mine seems obviously calculated as nothing more than a PR opportunity," said Michelle Halley, an attorney with the National Wildlife Federation. "The company opted to meet with hand-picked community members who have been fed the sugar-coated version of the project from Kennecott since its inception.
But ironically, Clayton frequently uttered the word "community" throughout his presentation.
At the meeting Clayton stated, ". . . we want to come into communities . . . We're very excited about the opportunity that we have to invest in the Upper Peninsula here in the region and be a part of your community . . . we want to be welcomed into communities because they recognize that we are a company that you want to work with and that will share values with you, that will listen and work with you".
Clayton further stated "community engagement is very important and we think we've done a good job of that." According to Clayton, Rio Tinto is "working to always improve its reputation by "doing things to the highest standard."
A good job and high standard? Considering Bret Clayton didn't even take 5 minutes to visit with the community while in the Upper Peninsula, he sure is laying his "community" involvement on pretty thick.
Public relations 101 for Mr. Clayton: if you want to be welcomed into a community, you probably shouldn't ignore us, dodging opposition to your project won't make it go away. In fact, how can we trust Rio Tinto and Kennecott to protect our freshwater resources if they can't even keep a simple promise to meet with us?
Poor treatment of local communities is bad for business.
We called Kennecott today to request a meeting with Bret Clayton, but Mr. Bret "Sneaky" Clayton had already disappeared back to London.
Attend a meeting in Duluth or Cleveland or send written comments before July 22
The U.S. Coast Guard released a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the rulemaking: "Dry Residue Discharges in the Great Lakes". In this rulemaking the Coast Guard proposes to deviate from federal and international laws and permit the dumping of cargo- such as limestone, iron ore, coal, and grain- from commercial vessels into the Great Lakes.
The public can comment through July 22 on the proposed Coast Guard policy by submitting written comments or speaking at a public meeting. Public meetings are scheduled for July 15 in Duluth, Minnesota, and July 17 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Background:
When ships on the Great Lakes dump waste material into the water, it is called "cargo sweeping" or "dry cargo discharge." The actual quantity of waste material dumped into the lakes in a single shipping season is astounding. In 2004-2005, U.S.-flag carriers dumped more than 653,000 pounds of iron ore, 219,000 pounds of coal, 228,000 pounds of limestone and 11,300 pounds of other material into the Great Lakes.
Many of the cargo residues — especially iron ore and taconite — contain mercury and other toxic metals that can harm natural habitats in the lakebeds, as well as people who eat fish contaminated by the metals. Environmental effects of cargo sweeping are largely unknown.
Clear laws exist on both the international and domestic levels that prohibit the dumping of garbage in any of the internal waterways of the United States. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the primary international treaty covering the discharge of pollutants into the ocean. The United States is signatory to MARPOL, which articulates that garbage is not to be dumped within 12 nautical miles off the oceanic coast and therefore does not allow dumping in the Great Lakes. To implement MARPOL Congress passed the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) in 1987. Under both MARPOL and APPS operational wastes (ie: cargo residues) fall under the definition of garbage.
The Coast Guard's draft interim enforcement policy required under APPS, in place since 1997, has allowed ships to "sweep" cargo residues that litter vessel decks off the side of the ship and into the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. Congress recently ordered the Coast Guard to examine cargo sweeping and its effects and the Coast Guard has now proposed a rulemaking on the practice.
The Coast Guard's proposed rule is illegal, because dry cargo residues fall under the description of garbage in domestic and international law and are thus prohibited to be dumped into inland waters. The Coast Guard should be developing rules that set standards and deadlines to virtually eliminate dry cargo dumping to protect the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River ecosystem and comply with the law!
Take Action: Comment to the Coast Guard in writing or at one of the two public meetings
Make your comments at the public meetings, or submit them in writing by July 22nd. The Coast Guard's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking can be viewed, and comments can be submitted, online here.
Other means of submission include:
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590- 0001.
Refer to Docket No. USCG-2004-19621 on your submission.
Duluth, Minn. Cleveland, Ohio
July 15, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. July 17, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
Holiday Inn The Forum Conference Center
200 W. 1st St. 1375 E. 9th St.
Duluth, Minn. Cleveland, Ohio
Phone: 218-727-7492 Phone: 216-241-6338
For more information:
The Coast Guard's draft EIS can be found here, go down to the bottom of the page to find the draft EIS and its 20 appendices.
Read Great Lakes United's 2006 comments to the Coast Guard when they were preparing the EIS here
Please feel free to contact:
Alliance for the Great Lakes: Lyman Welch, 312-939-0838 ext. 230 or lwelch@greatlakes.org
Great Lakes United: Jennifer Nalbone, 716-213-0408 or jen@glu.org
Mark Mattson, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, 416-861-1237
National Wildlife Federation: Michael Murray, 734-887-7110 or murray@nwf.org
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