The Environmental Protection Agency has put up a new web page on Kennecott’s proposed mine. Please take some time and click here to check it out!
Author Archives: Save the Wild UP
Margaret Comfort Completes Walk Across the UP
Margaret Comfort of Bourbonnais, Illinois completed her two-week walking journey on Labor Day that logged 175 miles, beginning at Kennecott’s proposed nickel mine site on Eagle Rock near Big Bay to St. Ignace and the Mackinac Bridge. The trek was highlighted by rallies and visits to several UP communities along the way that brought awareness to the issue of metallic sulfide and uranium exploration and mining.
Comfort, along with a vehicle support team and several volunteer walkers was generously supported by concerned citizens, businesses and tourists along the way. Donations of food, firewood and funds overwhelmed the walkers. “The love and concern from people opening their hearts and helping out was amazing,” says Comfort. “Folks honking and waving energized us to keep moving towards our goal—the Mackinac Bridge Walk. If I had more time, I would walk all the way to the Capital in Lansing, camp out on the front lawn, and ask our legislators some tough questions. What is the ultimate goal of this destructive new mining process? Why is the state even considering allowing this to happen? Who is to benefit from this risky resource extraction?”
Banners reading “Protecting our Water, Step by Step, from Eagle Rock to the Mackinac Bridge” were prominent on support vehicles and T-shirts worn by the walkers. Says Comfort, “We were always within walking distance of a wetland, stream, inland lake or a Great Lake. That is why we were out there…to help protect our most precious gift of water and the Great Lakes.”
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, Save the Wild UP, Keepers of the Water and Northwood’s Wilderness Recovery sponsored the Walk and provided information and materials to communities along the way. For more information and photo’s of the Walk click here.
Our Heartful Gratitude to the following contributors to The Walk from Eagle Rock to the Mackinac Bridge:
The Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve
Save the Wild U.P.
SASM – Students Against Sulfide Mining
Northwoods Wilderness Recovery
Keepers of the Waters
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
Ojibwe Cultural Museum, St. Ignace, MI
Bay View Inn, Epoufette, MI (Sharon Stevenson)
Beaudoin’s Café, Naubinway, MI (Robert and Gene Beaudoin)
Big Cedar Campground, Germfask, MI (Tonya, Barry, Kenny Peters)
Hog Island Country Store and Cottages, Naubinway, MI (Sandy & Tom Jacobs)
King’s Fish Market, Naubinway, MI (Russ & Sally Schultz)
Lakenenland (Tom Lakenen and family)
Michigan Welcome Center (Harvey)
Naturopathic Associates, MQT (Dr. Katy Nelson)
John Anderson
Teresa Bertossi
Scott Bouma
Barb Bradley
Solomon Brown
Tom, John, and Jan Bushey
Gabriel Caplett
Gene and Carla Champagne
Doug Cornett
Lon and Lynn Emerick
Nick and Sharon Cartier
Lon and Lynn Emerick
Marcia and Sven Gonstead
Gail Griffith
Rachelle Giulianni
Gale Hausfeld
Michelle Halley
Teri Irving
Sue Jacobson
Wendy, Milo, and Kiah Johnson
Bill and Thomas Kinjorski
Bethany Lyons
Kora Mills
Kristi Mills
Myra McDonald (Detroit)
Chauncey (“River Walker”), Nancy, and Jeremiah Moran
Sue Radloff
Lynn and Ben Rebertus
Lynn Roovers
Cynthia and Bob Pyror
Tom and Johnny Reed
John Saari
Teresa and John Scram
Mary Vaisanen
Beth Webb
Emily Whittaker
Jeff from MQT
EPA Requests More Information from Kennecott
The EPA has completed the initial review of Kennecott’s permit application for the underground injection control permit application for the treated water infiltration system. The EPA will make a draft decision if they determine the information to be sufficient for a permitting decision. According to Dr. Stephen Roy of the EPA, an informational meeting with be held in October (the exact date has not yet been determined). A public hearing will follow the informational meeting. He also informed us that a web page containing information on the proposed Eagle Project should be up by the end of the week on the EPA’s website. Please read the attachment for more detailed information regarding the deficiencies and stay tuned to savethewildup.org for updates about the upcoming EPA meeting and hearing.
Join Us for the Labor Day Bridge Walk
Cross the Mackinac Bridge on foot September 1, 2008! Show your support for the Great Lakes and help us spread the word about uranium and metallic sulfide mining.
This will be the last segment of the Eagle Rock to the Bridge Walk. It will be a culmination of a 200 mile journey that began on August 17 at Eagle Rock just north of Marquette. Margaret Comfort, along with a support team of drivers and walkers are making there way to St. Ignace step by step while meeting with communities along the way to raise public awareness of the threats of uranium and metallic sulfide mining to the Yellow Dog Plains and to our Great Lakes Waters. Click Here to read more about the Walk.
Where:
Meet at St. Ignace Big Boy Restaurant on US-2
When:
6:30 am Meet at Big Boy
7:00 am Start walking the Bridge!
8:30 ish Shuttle back to St. Ignace $5 fee
Walkers are Half Way to the Bridge
The group of walkers that have been supporting Margaret Comfort on her campaign to “Protect our Water!” have made there way 108 miles across the UP to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Upon completion of the Seney segment, the group will rest one day before heading out to walk the second half of the journey- Germfask to St.Ignace and the Labor Day Bridge Walk with Governor Granholm.
Margaret Comfort, initiator of the trip from the Yellow Dog Plains to the Bridge comments, “This trip has been such a joy. People have been honking and waving all along the way!”
“We urge all who can to come join us at the Bridge for the final 5 miles of this UP trek,” says Cynthia Pryor of the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve.
The Walk has been supported by several environmental organizations and donations from concerned citizens and interested participants. For more info about the route, walk updates and how you can help, contact Save the Wild UP at 228-4444 or www.savethewildup.org.
For immediate contact, call Kristi Mills 250-3350
Or SWUP office, 228-4444
Click here to see some photos
Flambeau Mine Author Challenges Kennecott’s Jon Cherry to Public Debate
A recent letter to the editor in the Marquette Mining Journal from Laura Furtman (co-author of “The Buzzards Have Landed”) challenges Kennecott’s Jon Cherry to a public debate on the issue of the Flambeau mine in Wisconsin.
To the editor:
As the co-author of “The Buzzards Have Landed: The Real Story of the Flambeau Mine,” I hereby challenge Kennecott’s Jon Cherry to a public debate.
I traveled 250 miles to speak at the Protect the Earth Summit in Marquette (Aug. 2-3) because current data does not support Kennecott’s version of what’s happening at the Flambeau Mine site.
I wish Mr. Cherry had attended my workshop to educate himself about the ongoing water pollution problems at this reclaimed mine site. Instead, he continues to spew out the public relations rhetoric that prompted my visit.
Join the Walk! Eagle Rock to the Bridge
Eagle Rock to the Bridge is Underway!
Walk in Margaret’s Shoes
Margaret Comfort of Bourbonnais, Illinois along with other dedicated individuals, hopes to raise funds and bring added attention to the threat of metallic sulfide mining and uranium mining in the UP by walking from the proposed Eagle Project site on the Yellow Dog Plains in northwest Marquette County to the Mackinac Bridge. The team will journey across the Upper Peninsula raising awareness about the harmful effects of this type of Mining. Along the way the group will be meeting with communities to:
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“You can help”
Click here |
- Highlight threats of metallic sulfide mining to the Yellow Dog Plains and our Great Lakes waters.
- Show the connection of watersheds and people of the Upper Peninsula.
- Encourage folks to join Governor Granholm for her Annual Walk across the Mackinac Bridge on September I, 2008 (Labor Day) to show their disapproval of Metallic Sulfide Mining.
Click on the links below for more details:
- Press Coverage
- Photos
- Labor Day Bridge Walk Information
- Dates and route
- Ways that you can help
- Eagle Rock to the Bridge Sponsor Form
- Eagle Rock to the Bridge Brochure
- Route Map
- Printable Poster
A Letter from Margaret…
| Dear Citizens of Northwest Lower Michigan,
Over a dozen mines for copper, nickel, gold, zinc, and possibly URANIUM are currently on the drawing boards for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, home to some of the most pristine rivers and aquifers in the world. Acid Sulfide Mining has the potential to pollute both glorious Lake Michigan and mighty Lake Superior. This type of mining is not like that of the old days. It has the potential to pollute for hundreds of years.This type of mining has already caused irreparable harm near the Flambeau River in northern Wisconsin. The mine there closed in 1997; however, ten years later, there are still toxic levels of iron, copper, and manganese in the region – very harmful to fish and at levels (manganese) known to cause Parkinson-like tremors in humans. In fact, the state of Wisconsin will no longer allow such type of mining unless or until a company can show that a mine has operated and been closed for 10 years without causing such mess. Read about it in “The Buzzards Have Landed” (www.deertailpress.com). Also, this type of mining is being explored less than 25 miles from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota. Sulfide mining also has the potential to permanently eradicate the last known spawning grounds of the rare coaster brook trout along the south shore of Lake Superior. The demand for raw materials to feed China’s industrial machine could turn Michigan into a “colony” and will pollute it (and China) at the same time. Also, we here in the U.S. can consume more “stuff” and China and other developing industrialized and newly-affluent nations can have items like cars, refrigerators, and cell phones. The chickens (?vultures?) have finally come home to roost. Yes, this may be karmic and yes, who are we (the U.S) to deny others…however, it is a REALLY DUMB IDEA to pollute pristine rivers that feed our Great Lakes – our ONLY source of fresh water and truly irreplaceable gems. As the issues of “not enough water” and “not enough clean water” rise to the forefront here in the US (and they inevitably will), we will be left with a nightmare if these types of mines are allowed to take foot anywhere near the Great Lakes. My beloved Michigan is beset with economic woes – not enough jobs; but these mining jobs are short-term and the potential health ramifications will last a life-time (whereas the workers’ health insurance will not!). Over 100 U.P physicians and 40 Michigan physician assistants have signed a resolution seriously questioning sulfide mining. These mines will also pollute the air and utterly destroy the peace and quiet of a people who treasure and respect the wild (the local citizens and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community). In fact, drilling is slated to occur right through “Eagle Rock” – a sacred site to the Community. The mines are also dangerous from a highway/road/transportation standpoint. Check out the following websites www.yellowdogwatershed.org, www.savethewildup.org, www.northwoodswild.org for more details. More importantly, join us as we walk from the Yellow Dog Plains (western Marquette County) to The Bridge during the last two weeks in August – just in time to walk The Bridge on Labor Day. You can walk for a few hours, a weekend, or do the entire trip. Don’t be fooled. This is NOT just an isolated “Yooper problem”; nor is it just a “Michigan problem”. IT IS A GREAT LAKES PROBLEM. Having lived on gorgeous Beaver Island, Boyne City, Petoskey, and Marquette and having spent many a summer in the Traverse region, I know how precious these lakes are … how they feed our souls and refresh our spirits. It would be a TRAVESTY to see them destroyed. Get off your duff this summer and walk with us from the Yellow Dog Plains to The Bridge. Contact us at the websites listed above or call 231-330-0589. Come see the splendor of the U.P and what we ALL (yes, you) risk losing. Margaret Comfort |
If you are interested in participating in the walk, please call Margaret at (231) 330-0589.
The role of British mining companies in conflict and the violation of human rights
Rio Tinto says: “Wherever we work, we are committed to minimizing the environmental effects of our activities and to ensuring that local communities benefit as much as possible from having Rio Tinto as a neighbour.” Leigh Clifford, Rio Tinto Chief Executive, 2000-07145
Rio Tinto does: The Grasberg mine in West Papua, Indonesia has been probably the most heavily criticized mine in the world in recent years, featuring as the subject of a series of revealing media reports. The mine is a joint venture between Rio Tinto and US corporation Freeport-McMoRan, and represents the largest gold deposit and third largest copper deposit in the world. It is protected by Indonesian military and police forces involved in well documented human rights violations in suppressing West Papua’s independence movement.
The conflict in West Papua has caused over 100,000 deaths over the past decades. Serious human rights violations have occurred near the mine, and the companies have regularly been accused of complicity in them owing to their reliance on the military and police to provide security for company operations.
Click here to read about Rio Tinto’s human rights violations
Coaster Brook Trout Comment Period Reopened
[Comment period closed]
SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 Deadline!
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is requesting public input regarding the coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) for their endangered species status review. The information you submit can include agency reports and other collections of scientific data. The USFS is not required to hold public hearings on a species status review, but is providing a new comment period to afford the public an additional opportunity to provide information or submit any remarks that would otherwise have been presented at a public hearing.
The submissions cannot merely state support for or opposition to the action under consideration without providing supporting information. The USFS makes its determination based on the best scientific and commercial data available.
Submit comments via website:
Click here to submit comments electronically and your entire submission will be posted on the website.
Submit comments via hardcopy (letter):
Public Comments Processing
Attn(FWS-R3-ES-2008-0030)
Division of Policy and Directives Management
US Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Drive Suite 222
Arlington, VA 22203
Faxes or emails will not be accepted.
The entire USFS announcement is as follows:
| Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List the U.S. Population of Coaster Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) as Endangered
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), correct and reopen the comment period for the March 20, 2008, 90-day finding on a petition to list the U.S. population of coaster brook trout. DATES: We will consider information received or postmarked on or before September 8, 2008.
We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We will post all information received at http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see the Information Solicited section below for more details). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jessica Hogrefe, East Lansing Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2651 Coolidge Road–Suite 101, East Lansing, MI 48823-6316; telephone 517-351-5467; facsimile 517-351-1443. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 20, 2008, the Service published in the Federal Register a notice of 90-day petition finding and initiation of status review concerning the petition to list as endangered a population of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) known as coaster brook trout throughout its known historical range in the conterminous United States (73 FR 14950). In the DATES section of that document, we solicited requests for public hearings and established a date by which we would receive such requests.This part of the notice was printed in error and we will not hold public hearings for this 90-day finding. Section 4(b)(5) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), states, “With respect to any regulation proposed by the Secretary to implement a determination, designation, or revision referred to in subsection (a)(1) or (3) [proposed or final rule to list a species as endangered or threatened, or proposed or final rule to designate any habitat of such species to be ritical habitat], the Secretary shall * * * promptly hold one public hearing on the proposed regulation if any person files a request for such a hearing within 45 days after the date of publication of general notice.” Notices of 90-day findings on petitions to list species are not proposed regulations. The Service does not generally hold public hearings for nonrulemaking findings, and will not hold any public hearings regarding the coaster brook trout 90-day finding. For a 90-day finding, we request information from the public that improves our understanding of the status of the species. This information typically includes agency reports and other collections of empirical data that is best gathered in the form of written comments. If, in the future, we publish a proposed rule for this species (e.g., a proposed listing), we will allow the public an opportunity to request a public hearing at that time. Information Solicited We are, however, providing a new comment period with respect to the 90-day finding to afford the public an additional opportunity to provide us information for our status review or submit any remarks that would otherwise have been presented at a public hearing. We have also contacted directly the persons who requested a hearing to advise them of this additional opportunity to submit information. Please note that submissions merely stating support for or opposition to the action under consideration without providing supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in making a determination, because section 4(b)(1)(A) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) directs that determinations as to whether any species is a threatened or endangered species shall be made “solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available.” At the conclusion of the status review, we will determine whether listing is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded. You may submit your information concerning this status review by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not consider submissions sent by e-mail or fax or to an address not listed in the ADDRESSES section. If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission–including any personal identifying information–will be posted on the Web site. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this personal identifying information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Information and materials we receive will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, East Lansing Field Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). [[Page 45936]] Authority: This action is authorized by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: July 31, 2008. H. Dale Hall, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. E8-18206 Filed 8-6-08; 8:45 am] |
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
Protect the Earth a Success: New Photos Added
A Protect the Earth Summit sponsored by Yellow Dog Summer, Keepers of the Water, and Students Against Sulfide Mining was held this weekend, August 2 and 3. The summit began with workshops and a rally and culminated with a walk to Eagle Rock on the Yellow Dog Plains, accompanied by blueberry picking. Nearly 140 citizens from Upper and Lower Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario attended the walk to Eagle Rock.
“This weekend’s Earth Summit marked a turning point for the movement to protect our land and water from metallic sulfide and uranium mining. Wisconsin stopped metallic sulfide mining, and the power of that movement was realized in the diversity and unity of the local people, and diversity and unity are exactly what Protect the Earth gatherings are all about. Protect the Earth proved that dangerous mining is not a done deal in the UP, Minnesota or anywhere, as long as communities are willing to work together.” Gabriel Caplett (Yellow Dog Summer).
Click here to read Gabriel’s letter to the editor in the Marquette Mining Journal
