Attend the event to tell these important decision-makers how important clean water, the BWCAW and healthy ecosystems are to you. Speak your mind about serious threats to the region, including the dangerous new sulfide mines proposed at the very edges of the wilderness. Remind our public officials that what happens in the Boundary Waters watershed can have serious impacts on the treasured wilderness.

Details:
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010
4:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Ted Mann Concert Hall
2128 Fourth St. South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(Directions)

Breakout sessions will allow you the chance to make the case for the highest level of protection for the wilderness. We have put together a page of helpful talking points to use when talking about these issues. Click here to download (PDF). Of course, bringing your own ideas is what the event is all about, so feel free to speak your mind!

Whether or not you can make it to the listening session, you can still have a voice in this process. The “America’s Great Outdoors” website has an interactive tool for submitting your ideas, voting for ideas you like, and discussing issues. Please go to the website, create an account, and get involved in the discussion.

Please attend next Wednesday. Click here to register and for additional details.

In the column, the long-time Twin Cities writer eloquently described the organization’s position regarding the tower, the legal protections of wilderness, and the Friends’ desire to find a solution that can benefit local residents while protecting the integrity of the BWCAW.

The Friends haven’t taken a position against cell phone coverage in the wilderness area. They are arguing only that the plan for a cell tower on a ridge near Fall Lake (the height above the landscape would be about 600 feet) would create a visual intrusion on the wilderness and that they hope to convince Lake County and AT&T to consider alternatives that would serve local customers without changing the wilderness.

This is a reasonable position — one that can be supported by any lover of the woods and waters but that does not brush aside the legitimate interests of local residents. But in a shrill era of “drill, baby drill” (before the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, at any rate), when preservation of the environment is in danger of being swept aside, even reasonable positions can seem like radical ones. But, in the end, environmental groups like the Friends are conservative: Conservation is what they ask.

Keep reading “Connect the wilderness at what cost?“

Responding to EPA, Friends, citizens

Many of the areas that are expected to be addressed are concerns raised in February by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In a letter at that time, the EPA ranked the project’s draft EIS as unacceptable and inadequate and said the project should not move forward as proposed.

The EPA criticisms closely aligned with extensive comments submitted by the Friends and other groups. The agency found that the mine’s pollution and environmental threats would be severe and unacceptable and it said that not enough data had been gathered and analysis performed to even fully understand what the impacts would be.

In April and May, the Friends led a petition campaign calling on the agencies to heed the EPA advice and do more work on the environmental review before moving any further ahead. More than 2,000 signatures were sent to government officials calling for adequate environmental review.

Will include land exchange

One significant addition to the environmental review will be a proposed land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. The proposed PolyMet mine site is on public land managed by the Superior National Forest. In order to start mining, PolyMet needs to acquire the land.

In 2008, Rep. James Oberstar and Sens. Klobuchar and Coleman introduced legislation seeking to circumvent usual processes and sell the 6,700 acres of public land outright. The Friends opposed the sale and it seems to have been abandoned. The company is now pursuing a land exchange. Because the entire mine proposal is based on the assumption PolyMet will acquire the land, review of such an exchange is essential to any environmental review.

The Forest Service has also increased its involvement in the review process, signing on as a co-lead agency with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources. The EPA is also being brought in as a cooperating agency.

“Damage deposit” information

Other work includes developing project alternatives that would cause less environmental degradation and including more information about financial assurance. It is unclear if the financial assurance will meet standards in proposed legislation at the Minnesota state capitol this spring.

The EPA criticisms of the mine proposal and the environmental review were widely-discussed at four committee hearings in the Minnesota legislature in March. A bill that sought to strengthen “damage deposit” rules did not move out of committee; among its provisions, the legislation would have required financial assurance to be included in draft EISs.

However, the level of detail that will provided about financial assurance is still unclear. A spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers told the Pioneer Press, “We will talk about different mechanisms. There may be a range of dollar amounts that will be provided, but that is yet to be fully fleshed out.”

Devil in the details

The decision to create the supplement draft EIS is a positive step, but the review process still demands close attention by citizens, conservation organizations and policy-makers. Because of the severity of the faults in the draft EIS, a significant amount of work needs to be done, including field work gathering additional data.

The public will have additional opportunities to be involved, including a comment period and at least one public meeting.

BWCAW guide Jason Zabokrtsky explains to reporters where they are paddling in relation to mining activity while photographers capture the moment.

On Thursday, June 17, the Friends and Border Lakes Outfitting organized a canoe trip for reporters along the South Kawishiwi River. The area is ground zero of exploration for new sulfide mines, and is just a few miles from the edge of the Boundary Waters.

The reporters, photographers, Boundary Waters guide and outfitter Jason Zabokrtsky, and Friends staff paddled several miles from the South Kawishiwi River BWCAW entry point downstream toward Birch Lake.

Along the route, the group saw the beautiful, wild area that is being targeted for mine development (primarily by Duluth Metals). The group also visited the area’s Outward Bound camp and cabin-owners who are already being affected by the intense exploratory activity occurring in the area.

Minnesota Public Radio

Stephanie Hemphill, MPR’s award-winning environment reporter, joined the trip and produced an excellent piece about the issue, looking in-depth at what is occurring, what the effects of drilling and other exploration activities have already been, and the concerns of local citizens about the potential pollution from mines.

Excerpt:

A trickle of water runs from a six-inch hole Duluth Metals is drilling some 3,000 feet into the earth, seeping into a pit that holds water and a scum of grey muck, finely ground rock from deep in the earth. [Steve] Koschak [owner of River Point Resort] says it probably contains copper and nickel traces.

“But look what it’s going into, a wetland,” he says.  “That’s all this is, is a network of spruce swamps, all interconnected, this all goes into Birch Lake, all this water.”

When the drilling is done, workers will bury the muck on site as required by the state. Duluth Metals says there won’t be enough mineral waste to be any cause for concern.

The drilling is a precursor to what could be a deep shaft mine, more than half mile below the surface of the earth.  A mine would produce many tons of ground-up waste sulfide rock.  When it’s brought to the surface, a chemical reaction occurs that produces sulfuric acid.  If the rock is not carefully isolated from air and water, it can acidify nearby streams and wetlands — possibly enough to poison the life in the water.

“At the edge of the Boundary Waters, miners probe for copper, nickel”

• View photo slideshow
• Listen

Duluth News Tribune

John Myers of the Duluth News Tribune also joined the trip and wrote a story about the potential economic value of the minerals, and about the concerns of pollution that could come from mines.

Excerpt:

Kawishiwi, mining opponents note, is Ojibwe for endless waters. While the PolyMet project is in the Lake Superior watershed, Duluth Metals is in the BWCAW watershed that flows north to Hudson Bay.

“The Boundary Waters is like one giant river flowing in and out of little lakes, that will flow right past all this (Duluth Metals) mining activity and then right back into the Boundary Waters,” said canoe guide Jason Zabokrtsky of Ely. “Anything that happens here will spread.”

Along a recent canoe trip sponsored by critics of copper mining, other wilderness supporters explained their concerns.

“No one is suggesting that these companies would pollute the water on purpose. But after BP and the coal mine disasters this year, it’s pretty clear that things happen that no one plans for and that they can’t stop.” said Tyler Fish of Ely, youth program coordinator at the Out­ward Bond Camp on the Kawi­shi­wi River. “People come here because it’s a place apart. How can it be a place apart with a mine across the road?”

“Estimated $1 trillion in the ground, but mining critics are concerned about BWCAW”

Thank you!

The following people and businesses made invaluable contributions to the event and the Friends is extremely appreciative for their help:

• Jason Zabokrtsky, Border Lakes Outfitting
• Steve and Jane Koschak, River Point Resort
• Deborah and Shirley Huskins
• Paul and Sue Schurke, Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge

Thanks as well to Tyler Fish, Bob and Pat Tammen, Carla Arneson, and others who took the time to speak with the reporters. And last but not least, thank you to Stephanie Hemphill of MPR and John Myers of the Duluth News Tribune for taking the time to do the trip and give the issue the excellent coverage they did!

AT&T has proposed to build a 450-tower on an elevated ridge within two miles of the Boundary Waters that will loom approximately 600 feet above the surrounding wilderness landscape, a height that rivals some of the tallest skyscrapers in the Twin Cities. The tower will be illuminated day and night with strobe and beacon lighting, and will be visible for miles inside the wilderness area on several popular lakes, including Basswood, Fall, Ella Hall and South Farm Lakes.

“The scenic beauty of the Boundary Waters, a 1.1-million-acre, federally-protected wilderness area, must be preserved now so the wilderness continues to be a natural, pristine and unspoiled environment for generations to come,” said Paul Danicic, Executive Director of the Friends.

The Friends has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the proposed tower to AT&T and to the Lake County zoning authority. The Friends sought to discuss with AT&T the need for an environmental assessment of the tower’s effect on the Boundary Waters and to consider less environmentally-damaging alternatives that would provide area residents with improved cell phone service. AT&T did not respond.

“Protecting the Boundary Water’s natural beauty is important not only for its own sake, but for the many Minnesota businesses that rely on revenue generated by the thousands of visitors each year,” added Danicic. “People come to the Boundary Waters for recreational opportunities and to experience the spectacular scenery in a natural environment. All Minnesotans share an interest to protect Minnesota’s most treasured natural space so that business can continue to thrive through tourism dollars.”

The lawsuit was filed in Hennepin County District Court alleging a violation of the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act. The lawsuit asks the court to enjoin the construction of the proposed tower and declare that the construction of the proposed tower would violate Minnesota Environmental Rights Act.

The Friends remains committed to finding a solution that meets the needs of area residents and preserves the Boundary Waters. AT&T’s failure to engage in any dialogue whatsoever about less environmentally-damaging alternatives leaves the Friends with no choice but seek relief in court.

"The Canoe King of Ely"

Join the Friends in Ely on the Thursday before the city’s popular Blueberry Arts Festival to watch award-winning films from around the world about nature and environmental issues. This is the second year that the Friends has sponsored the film festival in Ely.

Details

• When: Thursday, July 22 – 7 p.m.
• Where: Washington Auditorium, 600 East Harvey St., Ely (map)
• Cost: $8 adults/$5 children 12 and under

Sponsors

• Presented by Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
• Sponsored by Border Lakes Outfitting, Piragis Northwoods Company, Raven Productions, River Point Resort, Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge

Films

This year’s event will feature the following films. Check out their trailers!

The Canoe King of Ely
Bill Rom’s passion for the woods and lakes of Minnesota’s canoe country led him to transform the middle-class of America after WWII by making it fun and affordable to have natural recreational experiences.

Big River
This film investigates the environmental impact their acre of corn has had on the people and places downstream.

Flathead Wild
In July 2009, a team of photographers, scientists, local conservation organizations, and cameramen documented the beauty and the destruction of the Flathead Valley in Canada, which is threatened by mountain top removal and methane drilling proposals.

Split Estate
Imagine discovering that you don’t own the mineral rights under your land, and that an energy company plans to drill for natural gas two hundred feet from your front door. Imagine having little recourse, other than accepting an unregulated industry in your backyard.

Generations: A Perspective on Climate Change
This film humanizes the debate on climate change by exploring the delicate balance of winter and the intrinsic value of snow to people across generations and cultures.

Precious Waters
This film, produced by the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness in 2009, takes a hard look at the risks of new sulfide mining proposals in northeastern Minnesota.

Ride of the Mergansers
This perennial favorite documents life in a northern Minnesota merganser nest with unprecedented footage. With humor and joy, watch a mother merganser as she lays eggs, as the eggs hatch, as she finds relief from the chaos of the nest box, and ultimately coaxes her offspring out of the nest and into the world.

Bob Tammen

Two sides of the debate

In Monday’s segment, Shelby interviewed Joe Scipioni, president and CEO of PolyMet Mining Corp., and Hoyt Lakes mayor Marlene Pospeck about their support of new mines. Shelby also spoke to Scott Strand, the executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, and Bob Tammen, a resident of the Iron Range town of Soudan and a retired mineworker, about the perils of mining proposals in northeastern Minnesota.

Strand’s research has found this type of mining could cause long-term pollution and serious health threats.

“The reality is Polymet will still be opening up thousands of acres of sulfide ore that’s currently under ground,” said Strand. “When we expose sulfide ore to air and water, it produces sulfuric acid and it produces sulfates.”

The concern is that the acidic sulfates would find a way into the Partridge and Embarrass rivers and eventually into Lake Superior. That could lead to higher mercury levels in fish.

Polymet assures it will use new technology and other precautions to prevent pollution, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has so far rated the draft plan “environmentally unsatisfactory” and said it should “not proceed as proposed.”

Watch the full story »

One point from the segment deserves clarifying. Shelby stated that the area where PolyMet would mine has been “mined for decades.” In fact, the PolyMet mine site has never been mined before, although it is adjacent to an existing mining district.

The PolyMet proposal would destroy at least 1,000 acres of high-quality wetlands, the largest ever permitted in Minnesota, including peatlands of great significance to sequestering global warming gasses. The site was also identified as special habitat worthy of protection in inventories by government scientists in the late 1990s. It could even mean the destruction of the state’s entire population of the endangered floating marsh marigold.

A third way?

In Tuesday’s segment, Shelby offered his own opinions and ideas regarding the issue. He seemed to think that sulfide mining presents unacceptable risks to the state’s clean water, but that something must be done to develop new industries on the Iron Range, including the production of steel and, ultimately, wind turbines.

What if they made windmill towers with the steel from the range?

There’s one windmill farm on the Taconite Ridge in Virginia and the towers came from Indonesia.

What if the Range used its own people and own resources to begin Minnesota’s Energy Efficient Economy?

What if.

Watch the full story »

In both segments, the issue was portrayed as a black-and-white debate, with jobs on one side and nature on the other. But what was not mentioned is the potential negative economic impacts of sulfide mining in northeastern Minnesota. The region is home to the state’s biggest tourist destination, the BWCAW, and a $1.6 billion tourism and recreation industry.

Many who make their living in sustainable parts of the economy are worried that PolyMet and other mining proposals could mean short-term jobs for long-term environmental and economic pain. In addition to the contamination of clean water and public land, future clean-up operations, if mine “damage deposits” are inadequate, could fall to the state’s taxpayers to the tuns of tens of millions of dollars.

Speak up

Sign the “Send PolyMet to Summer School” petition to demand the highest level of environmental review. The Environmental Protection Agency gave PolyMet’s draft environmental review a failing grade. The proposal should not move forward until much more work has been done to provide adequate information, and prove that the mine won’t cause serious water pollution and other negative environmental impacts. Sign the petition today!

The Superior National Forest issued this statement today:

Beginning Friday, April 23, 2010, the Forest Service will close the entire Kekekabic Trail on the Superior National Forest to public use. The closure begins at Snowbank Lake Road: includes Wilderness Entry Point 74, Snowbank Lake Trail, Disappointment Lake Trail and all other associated connector trails and loops, Entry Point 56: and ends at Gunflint Trail County Road 12.

Superior National Forest managers are taking this step in response to the very high fire danger in northern Minnesota. The concern is that hikers could potentially become trapped if a wildfire starts and spreads in remaining blowdown fuels in the interior of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The Kekekabic Trail will remain closed until further notice.

This closure is in addition to a Forest-wide prohibition on the use of any campfires, charcoal or wood-burning campstoves on any national forest lands within the Superior National Forest. State and local government have enacted similar restrictions on other lands in northern Minnesota.

For additional information call 218-626-4300 or visit the Superior National Forest web site or the Minnesota Incident Command System web site.

Heading downriver.

UPDATE 5/17/2010: The canoe trip is now full and registration is closed. We’re looking forward to a great time on Saturday. If you missed out this time, stay tuned… we’ll be offering this popular event again!

Enjoy a fun urban canoe adventure with the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Wilderness Inquiry. We will paddle down the Mississippi River Gorge in nine-person “North Canoes” for a few hours and have lunch afterward at Hidden Falls Regional Park. Canoes, paddles, and lifejackets will be provided.

The event is rain or shine, so be prepared for the weather.

When:
Saturday, May 22, 2010

Where:
East River Flats to Hidden Falls Park, Mississippi River

Schedule:
9:00 a.m. – Drop off your car at Hidden Falls Regional Park North Gate and ride our shuttle to East River Flats
9:30 a.m. – Canoe from East River Flats to Hidden Falls
1:00 p.m. – Lunch at Hidden Falls (please bring your own bag lunch)

Map of the meeting location.

Please R.S.V.P. by May 17 to Sacha at 612-332-9630 or sacha@friends-bwca.org.

We hope you can join us!

$5 – 10 suggested donation per person

This year’s event will be held the weekend of May 7 and 8. Efforts will focus on “releasing” previously planted trees. Volunteers will help trim brush from around young trees to give them the boost they need to get established and grow.

Not only is this a great event to do some valuable ecological restoration work near the Boundary Waters, but it also a wonderful time of year to be in the north woods. And, with this year’s early arrival of spring, volunteers could easily tie in a wilderness canoe trip before or after the event!

In addition to the workday on Saturday, the weekend features several family-friendly events, including an interpretive hike on the new Centennial Trail, a welcome picnic and presentation about boreal owls, and a thank you dinner with a live band and dance.

Check out the Green Up website for details and registration. If you are planning to attend, contact Sacha Casillas at sacha@friends-bwca.org to let her know.

Gunflint Green Up website »