Tag Archives: Penokee Iron Mine

Filling in the Details: Mining Series

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By Sarah Witman, Communications Intern

With a vote expected on the mining bill next week, we want to fill in some of the more intricate details of the issues at hand. Clean Wisconsin is working to get Wisconsin voices heard in this fight to protect the state’s natural resources and beauty, instead of rolling back laws that protect it.

Photo copyright Pete Rasmussen

Our first post will tackle acid mine drainage, a primary concern for those who live near the proposed mine site. Acid mine drainage is water polluted by contact with mining activity, and it continues to take place long after the iron is gone and the mines have been abandoned. In short, it endangers the water we drink.

Another concern is the dangers of mercury to human health. Together we will trace the journey this toxin takes from the mining process into our waters, and into our bodies. This is of special concern to Wisconsin families as mercury can cause cognitive problems in infants and children and neurological problems in adults. Additionally, we know from the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission’s report last year that “air emissions from taconite plants are the largest source of mercury in the Lake Superior basin,” so this post will also take a look at poor air quality as a result of deregulated mines.

Then, we will profile existing mines as far north as Alaska to right here in Badgerland. Looking at past failures and successes is the most true-to-life way to see the impacts of mines on states’ environments, and understand the value of well-written mining legislation.

We’ll also be giving an in-depth look at the cultural, spiritual and environmental significance of the Penokee Hills — the area where an out-of-state mining company has already shown interest in setting up shop. The site is in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, home to many species of native plants and animals that could be displaced. It is also near an internationally recognized wild rice bed and wetland, and a variety of pristine lakes, rivers and streams that flow into Lake Superior.

We want Wisconsin to be on the same page as we fight dangerous changes to Wisconsin’s mining laws. While things are changing daily in our mining fight at the Capitol, the conversation here will fill in the finer details.

 

Mark your calendars! Green Bay Mining Forum Scheduled for Thursday

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Tyler Forks River located near the proposed mine. Photo Credit: Mario Quintana

This Thursday, February 23rd, residents of Northeast Wisconsin will have a great opportunity to learn more about proposed mining legislation and the impact it could have on Wisconsin’s natural resources at a public forum in Green Bay. The event is sponsored by the Brown County Conservation Alliance, the Green Bay Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Penokee Hills Education Project. Here’s some information sent along by the organizers:

What: A public educational forum to discuss current mining law in Wisconsin and current legislation proposed in the state legislature.
Panelists will include:
George Meyer, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and past Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Mic Isham, Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) Board of Commissioners chairman and Lac Courte Oreilles tribal council officer
Jennifer Giegerich, Legislative Director of the League of Conservation Voters
When: Thursday, February 23rd, 6:00-9:00 pm

Where: UW Green Bay, Phoenix Room C

Notes: Each of the panelists will have 25 minutes of presentation about their expertise. The second half of the program will be dedicated to a question and answer portion led by the moderator. The audience is encouraged to ask the panelists questions about the regulations of mining and the legislation that is currently being debated in the Senate. Verbal and written questions will be accepted
-Contributed by Sam Weis, Communications Director

Proposed Northern Wisconsin Mine Warrants Concern

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The mining company known as Gogebic Taconite is busy selling the economic benefits of its proposed 22-mile-long strip mine in Northern Wisconsin, while understating the environmental risks such a mine would bring.

As John Muir once said, “Nothing dollarable is safe, however guarded,” and the mining company is using this logic to sell its proposal to the public.

The front page of today’s Wisconsin State Journal reads “Mine seen as economic boon.” The subhead reads “But the taconite proposal first must pass environmental muster.”  The article focuses on the 2-3 thousand jobs that the company claims the mine would create in Northern Wisconsin, then mentions some ambiguous environmental threats the mine would bring.

Because an environmental impact study has not yet been conducted, it is difficult to determine precisely how dangerous the proposed mine would be, but there is certainly reason for concern.  Just a few of these concerns include:

  • Past shaft and pit mines in the Lake Superior basin have impacted ecosystems through deforestation, erosion and sedimentation, acid drainage and industrial development.
  • The Bad River Watershed (that drains the area the mine is proposed in) contains 72 rare and endangered plants and animals.
  • The Bad River empties into Chequamegon Bay through 16,000 acres of wetlands, woodlands, and sand dune ecosystems, is one of the largest undeveloped freshwater estuaries in the world, and is home to waterfowl, songbirds and several species of fish.
  • The mining company has said it would need to construct a 300 megawatt power plant to provide for the energy needs of the plant.  It has told local officials that it would like to use coal, which emits extremely high levels of pollution.
  • The mining operation itself would likely entail significant emissions of silica, asbestos, and dust.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the environmental threats that the mine could bring, but it is more than enough to raise considerable concern about the project.  Northern Wisconsin’s pristine environment is one of our state’s most valuable economic assets, and it helps drive a tourism industry that supports 300,000 jobs in the state.

As Gogebic Taconite moves forward with its proposal, we will be watching carefully at Clean Wisconsin to make sure that the company and state officials adequately address these important concerns.

-contributed by Sam Weis, media specialist