Governor Dayton sent a letter last week to Twin Metals Minnesota denying the company access to state lands for premining activities. Twin Metals, which is sometimes confused with Polymet because both propose mining for copper in sulfide ores, would be located within the Rainy River watershed, just upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, while PolyMet would be at the headwaters of the St. Louis River. The governor’s letter is noteworthy not only because of his decisive stand, but because it’s become all too rare for any state official to speak of the BWCAW as the tremendous asset it is. In case you missed it, here’s an excerpt:
“…the BWCAW is a crown jewel in Minnesota and a national treasure. It is the most visited wilderness in the eastern U.S., and a magnificently unique assemblage of forest and waterbodies, an extraordinary legacy of wilderness adventure, and the home to iconic species like moose and wolves. I have an obligation to ensure it is not diminished in any way. Its uniqueness and fragility require that we exercise special care when we evaluate significant land use changes in the area, and I am unwilling to take risks with that Minnesota environmental icon.”
The BWCAW is all of these things, and it’s also a key driver of our local economy. Sulfide ore mining, which the Chilean giant Antofagasta wants to do at its Twin Metals location right along the edge of the BWCAW, would inevitably ruin its pristine waters–and its image among the tens of thousands who currently choose to visit it every year. Ruin the Boundary Waters, and you break the backbone of our vibrant and sustainable economy.
Dayton goes on to say that he has told the Bureau of Land Management—the agency that will decide whether to renew the expired mineral leases Twin Metals needs—of his “strong opposition to mining in close proximity to the BWCAW.”
We would all do well to follow his wise leadership. This would be a good time for Grand Marais city councilors and Cook County commissioners to affirm the value of the Boundary Waters–in its current state as a healthy ecosystem–as the community pillar it is, while opposing risky mining operations which could change that forever.
Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness opposes PolyMet and any sulfide ore mining in our water-rich region. Its “Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters” aims to keep it out of the BWCAW’s watersheds. Find out more at savetheboundarywaters.org.
Ellen Hawkins
Tofte
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