DNR - Quarterly PolyMet Permitting Update
January 11, 2017
To facilitate regular updates on the State’s review of PolyMet’s proposed NorthMet project, the DNR and MPCA will each be issuing quarterly messages to those who have signed up to the GovDelivery list. The agencies’ January 2017 messages are the first quarterly updates.
Permit to Mine
PolyMet submitted a Permit to Mine application to the DNR on November 3, 2016. Since then, the DNR has received reference documents and additional pages for the application from PolyMet. Additional submittals were uploaded to the NorthMet project website as they were received. The date of upload and specific page(s) are noted on the website where additions were made. DNR technical experts and external consultants continue to review PolyMet’s Permit to Mine application and we may add information to the application in the future.
Financial Assurance
DNR’s external consultant, EOR, has completed the three reports on financial assurance to help guide the agency’s review of the application. DNR and EOR’s review of the application is ongoing. The three reports are available on the DNR NorthMet webpage.
Financial Capabilities: This report assesses PolyMet’s ability to provide financial assurances required for the proposed project. It also assesses potential financial risks to the State.
Financial and Technical Metrics: This report identifies the liabilities requiring financial assurance, provides an assessment of those obligations, determines the data needed to quantify them, and discusses possible financial avenues for funding.
Case Studies: This report provides case studies of non-ferrous mines with insufficient financial assurance and reasons why they were underfunded. It also includes studies of non-ferrous mines that are providing financial assurance and achieving substantive long-term compliance.
