Tag Archives: Legal

Why Wisconsin’s Kennecott Flambeau Mine matters to Michigan

Posted on by

The Rest of the Story about Kennecott’s Flambeau Mine and their request to the Wisconsin DNR for Certificate of Completion

Kennecott (AKA Flambeau Mining Company or FMC) has applied to the Wisconsin DNR for a Certificate of Completion (COC) for its reclamation activities at the Flambeau Mine site. What it boils down to is that FMC wants to get back its $11 million reclamation bond, based on the company’s claim that the site has been successfully reclaimed (If a COC is awarded, the State of Wisconsin can return up to 80% of the bond – the remaining 20% would be held for an additional 20 years).

This is not just a Wisconsin issue. The people in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Minnesota will be affected by the decision as well. You see, Kennecott is trying to gain approval to construct mines in both MI and MN at the present time and has been using the Flambeau Mine as its calling card, telling everyone what a wonderful job the company did at Ladysmith.

Continue reading →

EPA requires Kennecott Minerals to obtain underground injection control permit

Posted on by

From the US Environmental Protection Agency:

EPA EPA requires permit for proposed wastewater well
Release date: 03/23/2007

Contact Information: CONTACT: Karen Thompson, (312) 353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 07-OPA042

CHICAGO (March 23, 2007) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has notified Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co., Marquette, Mich., that it must obtain an underground injection control permit before it can begin construction of a proposed wastewater disposal well.

Kennecott is proposing to begin a mining operation in northern Michigan. The well would be used to dispose of industrial process wastewater.

EPA requires permits in order to protect underground sources of drinking water. Based on the significant volume of wastewater to be discharged and the industrial nature of Kennecott’s proposed well, permit conditions will be necessary to protect human health and the environment and to meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and underground injection control regulations.

Kennecott must submit a complete permit application for the proposed wastewater well to EPA within 60 days. They must also provide assurance to EPA that sufficient money has been set aside to properly close the well.

Cover-Up In Process?

Posted on by

Environmental Groups Suspect Cover-Up

WLUC TV6

A day after the Department of Environmental Quality’s surprise announcement that it was withdrawing it preliminary approval for a mine in the Yellow Dog Plains, environmental groups are now suggesting the DEQ might be involved in a cover-up …

“We still have concerns with the integrity of the process and what’s going on at the lower levels of the DEQ,” said Michelle Halley of the National Wildlife Federation, which opposes the mine. “There may be other reports or other information that are being suppressed.”

She also claimed that opponents of the proposed mine have been stymied in their attempts to get documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

DEQ Reverses Kennecott Preliminary Decision!!!

Posted on by

March 1, 2007

DEQ Reverses Kennecott Preliminary Decision!!!

Congratulations to everyone who has put their time and effort into this issue.


It is a wonderful step in a positive direction.
Let’s keep the momentum!

 

The MDEQ just released a statement explaining that new information on the structural integrity of the proposed Kennecott mine site on the Yellow Dog Plains has caused them to reverse their preliminary approval of the permit application. They also announced that the upcoming Public Hearings in both Marquette and Lansing have been cancelled.

Click here to view the Press Release

UPDATE: AP reporter John Flesher has a thorough article on yesterday’s acknowledgement by the DEQ that they hadn’t adequately considered reports questioning whether the mine’s roof would hold up. Read DEQ withdraws tentative backing of Kennecott Mine.

 

 

Please take a few minutes to celebrate, contemplate and communicate with others! We will try to provide more information to all of you as it becomes available. <!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> <!–[endif]–>

‘Smoking Gun’ memo revealed

Posted on by

Michelle Halley of the National Wildlife Federation issued a statement yesterday that you should read in its entirety. Here’s a taste:

Today, Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality issued a statement vacating its draft decision to permit a sulfide mine in the Upper Peninsula because of a ‘smoking gun’ memo critical of the mine that the agency’s own employees covered up …

We believe it is time for an independent investigation of the DEQ’s process for the Kennecott mining proposal, as well as other major permits that have come before the department.

We stand firmly behind the position we’ve had since Day 1: This mine puts the health of our people and communities at risk for no good reason … Sulfide mining has proven deadly to rivers, streams and communities in other states. And jeopardizing the health of our state for 75 jobs—that’s not the future we want for Michigan and our families. It’s not worth the risk.”

Read Michigan DEQ Admits Cover Up of ‘Smoking Gun’ Memo.

DEQ Will Hold Lansing Hearing March 12

Posted on by

UPDATE MARCH 2, 2007

The Department of Environmental Quality has withdrawn its proposed decision to approve a permit to conduct mining operations at the proposed Eagle Project Mine and cancelled the hearings. Read More>

Stay tuned to Save the Wild UP for further updates!

Congrats to all those who worked very hard to make this happen!

The DEQ announced today that in addition to Marquette hearings March 6-8, it will hold a public hearing in Lansing on a proposed decision to approve a mining permit to the Kennecott Eagle Mining Company to conduct nickel mining operations at the proposed Eagle Project Mine.

The Lansing hearing will be held March 12, 2007 at the Lansing Center from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Read the press release (PDF)

More information about the Kennecott Eagle Project is available on the OGS web page.

For information about the Lansing Center: 333 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933, Phone: (517) 483-7400