Dear Michigan,
On January 19, the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality announced their preliminary decision to grant air, water, and (sulfide)
mining permits to Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company. The MDEQ NEEDS to hear from you about the air,
water, and mining permits. The comment period ends on April 5, please send your written permit
comments to Steve E. Wilson, MDEQ, Geological Survey Office, 525 W. Allegan, PO
Box 30256, Lansing, MI 48909-7756, or by email to wilsonse@michigan.gov.
The air and mining permit materials and documents are
located on the department website at http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3311_4111_18442-130551--,00.html.
Included there are the draft General and Special Permit Conditions that were
released a few days ago. The draft groundwater discharge permit is located
at http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_4117-121556--,00.html.
I’ll post the DNR files when I locate the website where you can access
them. (See below for the list of permits the DEQ and DNR will hear comments
on.) The official public hearing notice is located at http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3311_4111_18442-160119--,00.html
Both MDEQ and MDNR staff will be available to hear your comments at all
hearings.
For Marquette -- The MDEQ
is holding three days of consolidated hearings in Marquette
on March 6, 7, & 8 at Northern
Michigan University's
University Center,
in the Michigan
and Huron Rooms, from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm and from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Come
visit the room down the hall hosted by Sierra Club, MEC, MLCV, and NWF, where
you can also get answers to your questions about the permits.
Also in
Marquette – you are invited to a workshop
on March 3 sponsored by Sierra Club, MEC, MLCV, and NWF that will be held at
NMU's University Center from 1 to 4 pm, in the Cadillac/Brule
rooms. Workshop presenters will cover some of the permit deficiencies and the
best ways to make sure your testimony is heard by the DEQ. .
For Lansing – the MDEQ
will also hold hearings on March 12 at the Lansing Center
from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Also in
Lansing – you are invited to a workshop to
be held on March 12, also at the Lansing
Center down the hall from
the hearing room, sponsored by Sierra Club, MEC, MLCV, and NWF that will be
held from 11:30am to 12:30pm and from 4:45pm until 5:45pm. The room will also be
open during the hearing.
At both hearing locations, the DEQ will hear comments for: DEQ
Air Use Permit; DEQ draft Groundwater Discharge Permit; DEQ proposed decision
to grant the mining permit; DNR draft Surface Lease; DNR draft Reclamation Plan.
Note that sulfide mining has never been
done without harm to the environment. The target minerals, nickel and copper,
are locked in sulfide ores. When these are brought to the surface and exposed
to air and water, a chemical reaction occurs that results in sulfuric acid. This
can cause changes in pH, making waters more acidic and that in turn can release
heavy metals into water. Both groundwater and surface waters can be harmed, along
with aquatic life such as fish and their food organisms, and there’s no
reversing this process once it begins. We believe that Michigan should NOT grant these permits to Kennecott,
because Kennecott has not yet met the burden of proof that no harm to our
waters will occur. They’ve also not met the burden of proof that the
crown pillar (mine support structure) won’t collapse, and they essentially
ignored the MDEQ’s written request for more modeling. For more
information on this, contact Forest Ecologist Marvin
Roberson at marvin.roberson@sierraclub.org.
You can also find our first set of comments at www.michigan.sierraclub.org.
We also believe that Michigan’s DNR should not grant a
surface use permit to Kennecott to dig their mine hole into. Kennecott already
owns many thousands of acres of surface land, along with thousands of acres of mineral
rights. They should be required to use their OWN land as the preferred
alternative -- instead of fencing off OUR public land from OUR public use for
35 years. See Kennecott’s reclamation plan at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/MiningandReclamationPlan_186442_7.pdf
where they explain how they plan to put a fence around over 100 acres of beautiful
public land, with a huge KEEP OUT sign, for 35 years. (I’ll be 80 years
old then. How old will YOU be?) This is because the alternative of using
public land would be less expensive than using their own land, because their
land is sandy and gravely, and difficult to dig a shaft into. But that problem
is not our problem, it’s theirs. It’s just not worth it for a few
jobs for a few years. The Upper Peninsula deserves better, and so do the
citizens of Michigan
who use and enjoy our beautiful public lands.
If you feel the
same, please write DNR Director Rebecca Humphries and tell her so. Rebecca
Humphries, Director Dept. of Natural Resources, Mason Building, Sixth Floor, P.O. Box 30028, Lansing
MI 48909
humphrir@michigan.gov. The Natural
Resources Commission advises Director Humphries, you can write to them as
well. Find their contact info and meeting calendar at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10366_11862---,00.html
.
~Rita Jack
><><><><><>><><><><>
Rita Jack
Water Sentinels Project
Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
109 E. Grand River Ave.
Lansing, Michigan 48906
tel: 517-484-2372
www.michigan.sierraclub.org
www.sierraclub.org/watersentinels
Make all Michigan's waters fishable and swimmable.
~Rita Jack
><><><><><>><><><><>
Rita Jack
Water Sentinels Project
Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
109 E. Grand River Ave.
Lansing, Michigan 48906
tel: 517-484-2372
www.michigan.sierraclub.org
www.sierraclub.org/watersentinels
Make all Michigan's waters fishable and swimmable.