Mesabi Daily News 7/10/2010
Mesabi Daily News
July 10, 2010
Gubernatorial candidates of the two major political parties all say they would, as governor, work to streamline the state's permit process for mining and other projects.
The PolyMet copper/nickel/precious project is in the final stages of the Environmental Impact Statement process - but that's after more than five years of environmental review at a cost of more than $20 million.
And that's far too long, say DFL candidates - party-endorsed House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton and former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza - and Republican-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Emmer of Delano. The $602 million PolyMet project alone would create 400 permanent jobs, more than 1.5 million man hours of construction work and hundreds of spin-off jobs. It is the farthest along of several nonferrous ventures.
"Waiting six years and longer for an answer is not acceptable," said Kelliher.
"The second year of my administration we would take a comprehensive look - from top to bottom - to streamline the review process to remove duplication and triplication. The permit process should not be able to make a project economically unfeasible," Dayton said.
"The EIS was created to provide a fair and balanced approach on the economic and environmental issues of projects. But it has crossed the line. It is no longer balanced. Some people are using the EIS to prevent the advancement of job opportunities. That's what is happening with PolyMet, and it's not acceptable," said Emmer.
Comments from Kelliher, Dayton and Emmer were in telephone interviews. Entenza responded by e-mail with clipped answers, mostly yes and no. On the permitting process, Entenza simply said "yes" when asked if he would work as governor to streamline the mining permit process.
Kelliher, Dayton and Emmer said they would not work for more financial set-asides by companies of nonferrous projects, as has been proposed by some lawmakers and environmental groups concerned about PolyMet and other possible ventures.
"Overall people are just concerned to make sure there are the resources available to protect any cleanup. Existing law provides that," Kelliher said.
"I wouldn't want to make it more stringent. It's already in statute and sufficient. I would oppose anything that would be punitive to destroy projects and jobs," Dayton said.
"Absolutely believe we have standards in place. We have adequate standards now, we have a good system in place. The EIS, instead of protecting resources and being used as a tool for everyone, including business, to operate in a good framework ... is now being used at times as a tool to prevent these projects from moving forward," Emmer said.
"I support job creation efforts on the Iron Range that are consistent with our existing environmental laws," Entenza said.
All candidates said they believe mining and the environment can work together, producing jobs with good land and water resources practices.
"We all want the same things that have nothing to do with party affiliation. We all want clean air and water and to be good stewards of the land. But we also need to pay attention to jobs," Emmer said.
"We can create jobs and protect clean water. Both can be done in the state. And technology has advanced to help us do so. There is a future for mining in Minnesota. It can be done responsibly and with protection," Kelliher said.
"The two of them (mining and the environment) can definitely be complementary. We can serve the best interests of both. And the state can benefit from my experience in the (former Gov.) Rudy Perpich Administration (as commissioner of Economic Development and Energy and Economic Development," Dayton said.
AI
