County/Kennecott ‘Woodland Road’ Decision Expected: October 18th

Posted on by

Over 200 people attended a public hearing hosted by the Marquette County Road Commission last Thursday (10/7).  The MCRC took public comment on Kennecott’s mining haul road proposal to be built “somewhere” between Triple A road and US 41, two miles either side of County Road FY.

Good testimony was given in opposition to the project ranging from wetland destruction to fugitive dust problems. The proposed location of the road is similar to the route that the EPA rejected back in May of this year. Kennecott has since then convinced Marquette County to develop the road instead.

The MCRC will announce its DECISION on whether to pursue the development of this new county road on Monday. Public comment will be taken.

MCRC Regular Board Meeting

October 18th – 6:30 pm

Ishpeming Township Hall

Public comment can be sent to the  Marquette County Road Commission via email, phone or mail:

1610 N. Second Street
Ishpeming, MI  49849
Phone: (906) 486-4491
Fax: (906) 486-4493
Email: lbrogan@marqroad.org

Commission Chairperson:  Darryll Sundberg,  dsund1971@msn.com

Vice Chairperson: Russell Williams   russ1451@hotmail.com

Commissioners:

Joseph Valente  valentejoe@charter.net

David Hall  dshall@pasty.net

Neil Anderson   dshall@pasty.net

General Manager: Jim Iwaniki   jiwanicki@marqroad.org

Notes from Cynthia Pryor:

Jim Iwaniki from the commission indicated that this will be a long process and he has not yet determined a final route and there will be many alternatives.  I asked for a forum for public participation as this was a community discussion not a Kennecott discussion if the county was to take this project on.

Things that struck me:

1.  I cannot imagine why these guys would want the grief this obviously contentious (comments were 1/2 and 1/2) debate on their table every inch of the way.  Kennecott has virtually passed on all of their troubles of building, permitting and maintaining a haul road to the County of Marquette.

2.  How can a public commission be “hired” as a vendor for a private developer – one county official called it a “unique partnership”. Yes, very unique.  The road commission manager cited other roads they had developed for developers – the Lowe access road 1/16th mile and the Target 1/2 mile loop around.  This enters a whole new dimension.  Kennecott carrying the freight.  The Commission will carry the onus of selecting it, designing it, engineering it, permitting it, building it and maintaining it – but Kennecott will pay for it.  Will they be paying Commission employees also?  Conflict of Interest or what?

3. THE COST.  It was to be a $50 million dollar road when Kennecott was building it, partially paved – mostly gravel.  This road will be a fully paved roadway – the costs will be astronomical.  The costs of public funding for maintaining it will also be astronomical.  This road goes through some serious terrain – some of the highest in the region – where snowfall amounts are easily triple what the city of Marquette is used to.

Get your comments into the road commission – even if you are far away. Those close by – stick with it!  We thank you.

Cynthia Pryor

Read John Pepin’s article in the Mining Journal:

http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/549451.html?nav=5006

For in depth coverage of the road issue, click here  http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2010/10/concerned-citizens-question-erosion.html

Rally for Justice

Posted on by

Rally in Marquette for Charlotte Loonsfoot

For complete coverage, photo’s and video, go to:

http://keweenawnow.blogspot.com/2010/09/sulfide-mine-opponents-rally-in.html

Supporters for Charlotte Loonsfoot gathered outside of the Marquette County Courthouse this morning bearing signs and flags and chanting messages: “Our Land, Our Water,” “Brit’s go home” and “Native Rights, Native Justice!” The message was clear that opponents of Kennecott’s Eagle Project will continue to work on protecting fresh water, public lands and the wilderness experience from destructive development.

One participant from L’Anse commented on RioTinto, “they’re not interested in spending their money here in the states. They will sell our minerals to China or the the highest bidder. We’ll get nothing.”

Local media coverage:

http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/549090.html?nav=5006

The Parker Files

Posted on by

Final – Jack Parkers Report of the Kennecott Application (1) (2)

Good evening folks:  After four years of working on it I have put together a summary of what I think of the Kennecott application for a mining permit – and their mining plan.

Rather than bogging down in details I have concentrated on what I believe to be the one most critical problem – that the mine is predicted to be UNSTABLE –  because of incompetent and deceptive design practices and faulty evaluations by the regulating agencies.  The evidence, from the opponents of the scheme and the DEQ experts too (Sainsbury and Blake), supports, without doubt, that the mine, as planned, will be unstable, yet both Kennecott and the MDEQ studiously ignore that evidence and continue to agree that “It is a good plan and we are going to stick with it.”

There are dozens of other serious errors and omissions in the application.  It is fair to label the application “incredibly incompetent”.

Jack Parker

Medical Professionals Against Sulfide Mining

Posted on by

Ad as it appeared in the newspaper:  STWUP 9-19 (5)

“We, the undersigned medical professionals, would like to express our concern and register our objection to the construction and operation of metallic sulfide mines in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Our concerns revolve around the following issues:

1. The inevitable contamination of our ground and surface water from acid mine drainage since there never has been a mine of this type that has not “leaked” (acidifying the water and leaching of heavy metals).

2. The impact of this contamination on the health of mine workers and the surrounding communities.

3. The blighting of wilderness areas which residents, visitors and the local economy depend upon for hunting, fishing and other forms of recreation and relaxation (our mental health).

4. The permitting process being driven by political forces and issues, not sound science. We have recently witnessed the incredible environmental and economic consequences of this form of permitting in the oil industry. It would seem reckless to allow this kind of risk to the Great Lakes.”*

*There are numerous irregularities and procedural violations that have occurred in the permitting process, including the MDEQ admittedly not following the non-ferrous mining law, that are currently being addressed through litigation.

Unlawful Utility Installation: Kennecott Fails to Ammend Permit

Posted on by

Kennecott Minerals’ mining permit does not authorize construction or installation of power lines along AAA road, however in a bold move today, their contracted company, “Great Lakes” began to bury power cable along this rural by-way. No amendments have been received or reviewed by the MDNRE concerning  this change in the permit application, allowing Kennecott to operate outside of the law. In a recent letter to the state, agency directors were asked to hold Kennecott to the law.

Parties Elec Letter

Please call Rebecca Humphries at 517-373-7917 and demand that the state enforces the mining statute!

Media Coverage: http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/548610.html?nav=5006

Kennecott’s “Construction”: DESTRUCTION

Posted on by

20' berm for privacy?

No blueberries here

Site of the former Spiritual Encampment

"The Dunes" Resort

Security

Future Brownfield Site?

Photo’s by Catherine Parker

The MDNRE recently approved changes to Kennecott’s mine site plan. The changes, which included alterations to the mine’s contact water basins, building housing the wastewater treatment plant and size of a rock storage area, were approved Sunday without public review and input.

“It looks like we’re going to end up with a site plan 90 percent different than what we started with,” Halley said. “That the public has never seen or had a chance to comment on.”

Halley said the deepening of the water contact basins could intersect with other water sources. She said the absence of crushing facilities will require additional blasting or crushing at the mine site, leading to more dust, while specifications for air ventilation membranes to keep the dust from reach the air remain unknown. She said neither Kennecott nor DNRE officials have adequately explained the important changes.

“One question leads to another and they’re not answering any of them,” Halley said. “It’s all this kind of a ‘trust us’ situation.”

WOODLAND ROAD: Proposed Re-route

According to the Mining Journal, the county of Marquette supports destruction of the wilderness and wetlands with its new county road proposal, linking Kennecott mine site with their Humboldt processing mill. Read more…  http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/548337.html?nav=5006

Kennecott Revises Project Site Plan: MDNRE Nods “No Problem”

Posted on by

Rio Tinto/Kennecott, in a letter dated August 4, 2010 provided sketchy information describing their recent modifications to their Eagle Project site plan. These modifications include moving and expanding several buildings including one that houses heavy explosives, moving and enlarging the TDRSA – the temporary development rock storage area (where all liners leak!)

Kennecott claims that “none of these modifications will change the overall footprint of the main surface operation – the surface facilities will be built within the existing fence line. Further these changes will not require any changes to the specific conditions of Mine Permit No. MP 01 2007 itself.”
Subsequently, the MDNRE agreed with Kennecott and determined the request did not constitute a significant change from the conditions of the original permit.  A small notice in the Mining Journal dated August 15, 2010 stated this determination.

Read Kennecott’s letter to the DEQ:

Letter_to_MDNRE_8-4-2010_330018_7

New and revised site plan, with DEQ blessings.

General_Arrangement_330017_7

Kennecott/MDEQ bypass Michigan’s Sulfide Mining Law: Legal Brief from Appellants

Posted on by

K_TBrief_on_Appeal_-_FINAL

Follow our link to the brief filed in July in Washtenow County Circuit Court. This brief is clear and for the most part, quite understandable, with overwhelming evidence that we are not protected at all by Michigan’s sulfide mining laws, because the MDEQ has chosen to permit Kennecott to ignore and violate the principle provisions of that law, and has virtually exempted Kennecott from cleanup of any area outside the current fence line, again in violation of the law’s provisions. As a result, miners, the environment, and citizens of the Upper Peninsula have NO PROTECTION against catastrophic failure of the mine or widespread pollution of streams and lakes. No other news media have published this evidence so far, but every concerned citizen needs to know what is going on.

For more information call SWUP office at 906-228-4444

Native Plant Walk along Woodland Road

Posted on by

NORTHWOODS NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OUTING

Proposed Kennecott haul road and North Country Trail
Michigamme Highlands, Marquette County, Michigan
Saturday, August 28, 10 AM Eastern (9 AM Central).

Leaders:
Emily Whittaker, Executive Director, Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve
Steve Garske, Invasive Plant Specialist, GLIFWC

This trip will begin near the southern end of the proposed mining haul road through the scenic Michigamme Highlands. We’ll drive the southern 2/3 of this gravel road. At the north end of the road we’ll take a hike along a seldom-visited and very scenic portion of the North Country Trail. This trail runs through an amazing variety of natural habitats ranging from open rock outcrops to northern hardwood forest and upland white pine and cedar. At the far end of the trail, we’ll visit a forest of  red oak and white pine, where a plant never before seen on an NNPS trip grows in perfusion! This area is also the heart of Michigan’s moose range, so there is a (small) chance that we could see a moose. This trip will also provide a chance to see a little of what the big mining companies are planning for this still-isolated and wild part of the UP.

What to bring: Hiking boots and clothing, bug dope (biting bugs were not bad at all as of last week) water, trail snacks, camera.

Directions: From Bruce’s Crossing, follow M28 and M28/41 east 68.5 miles to County Road FX, also known as the Wolf Lake Road. This road starts 1.5 miles east of the BP station in Humboldt. Follow the Wolf Lake Road north (with a short jog to the east at the beginning) from Hwy 28/41. From Marquette, drive west about 30 miles to Wolf Lake Road.

At the start of the Wolf Lake Road you should see a brown state sign with the words, “Access site – Wolf lake – Brocky Lake”. Go north 3.5 miles along this gravel road, where we will meet up for the rest of the trip. You can park off the road there if you wish to carpool. From here it is another 12.0 miles north along this road to the Dead River. (With reasonable care this gravel road is quite passable up to the river with a passenger car.) From the river we’ll walk 0.7 miles north to the start of the North Country Trail. The walk from the river to the easternmost hill on the trail and back takes about 2 hours at a moderate pace, so plan on 3-4 hours round-trip (including stops along the way).

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON ATTENDING, SO WE CAN PLAN AHEAD AND SO NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND!

Contact Steve at:
asimina@alphacomm.net
715-682-6619 x 126 (GLIFWC)

or

Emily Whittaker
ydwp@yellowdogwatershed.org
906-345-9223

by Thursday, August 26th, if you plan on attending.