Clean Water Groups Ask Regulators to Put PolyMet Permits on Hold
Groups ask for stay on permits for PolyMet.Groups ask for stay on permits for PolyMet. | Photo: Mn Center for Environmental Advocacy
Updated: November 08, 2018 01:31 PM
On Thursday morning, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and WaterLegacy brought a message to the state.
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They delivered a formal request to the DNR and the MPCA to stay PolyMet permits until the Court of Appeals weighs in. Those groups want the court to order those agencies to do an analysis (Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) of the larger and more intense mining plans described in a financial study done in March. Duluth for Clean Water supports these actions as well.
The groups believes the permits were based on a bait and switch, because the public comments on the permits were closed when the March study came out.
Water groups plan on delivering a formal request to the DNR, MPCA on Thursday.
Water groups plan on delivering a formal request to the DNR, MPCA on Thursday.
Duluth for Clean Water
This issue came up during a press conference with DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr last week. He said, "This is not a bait and switch. It is a proposed project that has been permitted. Any subsequent changes need to go through the same permitting process. They (PolyMet) are required under Canadian law to provide analysis of the mineral deposits, such that their investors are protected from fraud or misinformation. It is not a project proposal. It's (the March report) is a detailed financial analysis."
PolyMet said, "We can only do what our permits allow us. There is no ability to do anything different."
The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy may also appeal the issuance of the permits themselves, and will decide by December 1st. They are reviewing the permits now.
Last Thursday, the DNR issued 11 permits for the project. It was a significant milestone for the project. The MPCA is still working on theirs.
PolyMet is the proposed copper-nickel mine planned for the Babbitt area, and the processing plant would be in Hoyt Lakes.
