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On January 30, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board of Directors postponed passing a $50 million grant to MSF. Copperwood mining project However, residents remain concerned about the environmental impact.
The Copperwood Project is located approximately 22 miles north of Wakefield. This would be the closest sulfide mine to Lake Superior in history. will do Mine based on section 5 What’s on the grounds of Porcupine Mountains State Park?According to the release of Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC).
UPEC held a livestream Thursday night to discuss the subsidy and criticism of the project.
The proposed grant would be a “significant step” in the development of the Copperwood Project, said Tom Grotewall, a Wakefield Township resident and founder of the Copperwood Project. Ta. protect poky’she said during a live broadcast.
“They’ve been competing for funding for over 10 years and still haven’t gotten it, so this $50 million grant is bigger than Copperwood’s entire market capitalization,” Grotewall said. . “The size of our bank accounts will double and, more importantly, official government approval will bring in an avalanche of funds from investors, ultimately giving us the funds to start construction.” there is a possibility.”
The Copperwood project is owned by a Canadian company called Highland Copper. White Pine North Mining projects near M-64. According to Highland Copper’s website, the Copperwood project is a “low capital-intensive project with a projected mine life of 10.7 years and the ability to rapidly reach commercial production.”
Highland Copper is already conducting environmental site preparation work for the Copperwood mine, which includes river diversions around the tailwaters basin and construction of compensation wetlands, officials said. press release From the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Protect the Porky’s petition It calls for a halt to construction on the Copperwood project. The petition has gathered over 11,000 signatures. Some of the concerns outlined in the petition are that the project would threaten outdoor recreation, cause air and water pollution, and threaten wildlife.
Grotewohl said the MSF board may vote on the grant at its next meeting on February 27.
Members of Protect the Porky’s Grotewohl said she is encouraging people to contact Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to express their concerns about the subsidy since she appointed him to the MSF board.
“If there is enough pressure on the governor, he may step in and influence the decision,” he said.
MSF is part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). MEDC is also responsible for the Pure Michigan Tourism Campaign.
“Pure Michigan promotes the beauty of Michigan’s natural areas and promotes outdoor recreation,” Grotewohl said. “Some may argue that the same organization that proposed and passed the grant for Copperwood, in the heart of one of the state’s most beloved outdoor recreation areas, is exhibiting some kind of contradiction in its philosophy. .”
The Tilden Mine near Ishpeming in Marquette County was also discussed during the livestream. UPEC Board Member Kathleen Heidemann discussed the environmental impacts of the proposed expansion. Mine stockpiles.
The expansion of the stockpiles on the northern side of the iron mine isPermanently destroy an additional 300 acres of land, 78 acres of wetlands, several freshwater ponds, and nearly a mile of streams that flow into Ely Creek.” states the UPEC press release.
“We don’t want the eagle and beaver landscape and the wolf habitat, which have been here for probably 1,000 years, to be disturbed to expand the mine reserves. It’s a waste,” Heidemann said. “And we are left with stockpiles and not a single one of these amazing beings left on the landscape.”
Heidemann said during the livestream that Ely Creek has already lost 41 percent of its wetlands due to its proximity to iron mines.
“In UP, we are so blessed with wetlands and there are wetlands everywhere, so I think a lot of times we take them for granted,” she says. “We can’t understand how they were lost elsewhere and take their functionality for granted…”
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Online hearing The proposed expansion will be discussed on February 28th.
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