Mining companies have one reason for setting their sights on Northeastern Minnesota: Extracting minerals.
They have no benevolent desire to create jobs or pay taxes. They have poured millions of dollars into public relations campaigns convincing and promising regional politicians that their project is the economy’s “savior,” knowing that if they spent enough time and money hyping job creation, they would be able to railroad through environmentally-risky mines. Has anybody looked at how PolyMet came up with its 400 jobs number? Or are we supposed to “trust them,” like we are supposed to in every part of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement process?
Making promises is how this industry works. PolyMet mining will not be done right. Their DEIS points to numerous pollution problems. This is a low-grade ore deposit that has never been mined in Minnesota. The company will have neither the incentive nor the resources to clean up their toxic messes.
PolyMet is vigilant in its claim that we need these metals for electronic products. Along with their hype of jobs, PolyMet’s propaganda for mining these dangerous sulfide ores is based on a fear of product shortages. None exists.
However, clean water is undeniably scarce … and priceless. Damage to it is irrevocable. Contrary to what the politicians would like us to believe, there are countless vacationers to Minnesota and thousands of concerned Minnesotans who have serious issues with this proposed mining project.
We may be Minnesota nice, but we aren’t Minnesota stupid.
Jane Koschak
Ely
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