Range Association of Municipalities & Schools (RAMS) is leading a delegation of local elected officials to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, April 21 to meet with Congressman Rick Nolan, and Deputy Director Lance of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). All 15 public school districts in the Taconite Assistantance Area (TAA) including ISD 166 in Grand Marais are members of RAMS. RAMS will carry the message to D.C. that when it comes to the issuance of state and federal land leases, Governor Mark Dayton does not speak for the Iron Range.
Mayors, Chuck Novak – Ely; Andrea Zupancich – Babbitt; Mark Skelton – Hoyt Lakes; and Councilor Dave Lislegaar – Aurora, communities who are all members of RAMS, will express the sentiments of their communities on the importance of allowing federal land leases for the continued exploration and permitting of precious mineral mining in northeastern Minnesota. Steve Giorgi, executive director of RAMS will lead the delegation that will also include Nancy Norr, director of regional development with MN Power, which will broaden the base of opposition against Governor Dayton’s position on allowing state and federal land leases in the region.
The RAMS delegation will also speak loudly in opposition to Congresswoman McCollum’s bills H.R. 1796 and 2072 that would prohibit any and all mining leases in the Rainy River Watershed Basin, an area encompassing over 27,000 square miles and includes nearly 1.3 million acres of state Permanent School Trust Fund lands. The delegation will also be meeting with Senator Al Franken and Senator Amy Klobuchar and other members of the Minnesota congressional delegation.
Steve Giorgi
Executive Director RAMS
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