U.P. Grassroots Campaign to

Defend Our Water and Stop the Eagle Mine

Our water…our lives…

Friends,
Please join a new campaign that SWUP (Save the Wild UP) and  WAVE (Water Action Vital Earth), is organizing to halt development of the Kennecott Eagle Mine. It is called the U.P. Grassroots Campaign to Defend Our Water and Stop the Eagle Mine.  

The purpose of the campaign is to arouse, inspire, and mobilize our citizens to make a renewed effort to block the mine.  Its specific objective is to convince Governor Snyder to issue an executive order to halt work on the mine and call for a complete third party impact study on every aspect of the Eagle Mine project.

The campaign is urgently required. It may be our last, best chance to stop the mine.  Kennecott has indicated that it may begin blasting the mine’s portal in mid-September through Eagle Rock.   Eagle Rock is a sacred site of the Anishinabe people.  It has also become a symbol for all of us of the sacredness our precious, fragile ecosystem

The open ended campaign began on July 9 with a rally in Marquette. While it has a political objective, the campaign will have a spiritual, nonviolent foundation. WAVE member Scott Rutherford began an open-ended water-only protest fast on July 9. His statement is enclosed.
Governor Snyder refused an earlier appeal we made to halt development of the mine. We explained the great danger the mine posed to our water and to our health—and the health of our children and their children. We found his decision unconscionable. We advised him that he had failed to discharge the responsibility of his office to protect the health and well being of the citizens of our state. In response to his refusal, we have organized the campaign.

Here are some ways that you can support us:

• Send us an email, letting us know you endorse the campaign.

• Ask your members to participate in our “Write-In, Call-In Campaign.” Tell the Governor to halt work on the mine and order an EIS!

Write-in dates: August 7-21. Call-in dates: August 11 and 12.

Write: Governor Rick Snyder, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing MI 48909,

Email: rick.snyder@mich.gov or FAX: (517) 335-7858

Call: Tel. (517) 373-3400;

More information is available at the SWUP website: http://www.savethewildup.org/.

• Join us at the Protect the Earth gathering at Van Riper State Park on August 6.  Details are on our website.

A closing thought. We believe the Eagle mine is a symbol of the consequences of an alliance between the corporate sector of our economy, dominated by multi-national giants like Rio Tinto, and our state government that has effectively disenfranchised the citizenry. We no longer have an effective voice in the most basic decisions that affect our health and well being. How are we to regain our voice? We believe it can only be done by creating our own alliances, finding common ground, and working together to regain our voice. We will have an opportunity to talk about how we can move ahead together at the Protect the Earth gathering and, hopefully on other occasions. Please let us have your views on this important matter.

Scott Rutherford fast statement-1-1