Mining Subcabinet Set Up
Gov. Dayton directed four commissioners to devise a plan
following jobs forum in Virginia; they quickly responded.
By BILL HANNA
Executive Editor - Mesabi Daily News (09/16/11)
ST. PAUL — A subcabinet on mining has been created as directed by
Gov. Mark Dayton. “It will not be a ceremonial group. It will be hands-on with mining development projects and will report directly to the governor,” Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board Commissioner Tony Sertich said in a telephone interview on Thursday.
Dayton heard from several people at an economic development forum in Virginia on Tuesday that delays on mining projects are frustrating developers and investors and keeping payroll checks from being earned in a more timely fashion for workers.
Sertich said Dayton, whose campaign mantra was “jobs, jobs, jobs,” turned to him during the forum and said he wanted to work immediately on the issue. He wasted no time. A conference call was set up on Wednesday and continued Thursday with Sertich and
Commissioners Paul Aasen of the Pollution Control Agency, Tom
Landwehr of the Department of Natural resources and Mark Phillips of the Department of Employment and Economic Development. They form the mining subcabinet.
They will decide soon on a point person hired in that new position. That person will:
• Make sure the agencies that deal with mining issues are hitting their deadlines.
• Keep lines of communication open with federal agencies involved and ensure there is state and federal coordination on projects.
• Make sure the mining subcabinet is hitting its marks for the governor.
“There will now be a single point of contact for mining companies and developers to go to,” Sertich said. IRRRB official Brian Hiti, who currently deals with community development and mining issues at the agency, will start right away as the point person until a permanent hire is in place, Sertich said. “The IRRRB will be taking the lead,” Sertich said.
The Iron Range taconite mining industry currently has upgrades
underway at plants, and new projects ranging from an Essar Minnesota mineto-steelmaking venture on the West Range to several copper/nickel/precious metals initiatives on the East Range.
What has triggered the most debate and controversy has been the PolyMet nonferrous project slated for the former LTV Mining Co. plant near Hoyt Lakes. That venture, which is being fought
by preservationist groups, has now had more than six years of environmental review. Yet it remains in the supplemental draft Environmental Impact Statement phase. The project would create 360 permanent jobs, hundreds more spin-off positions and 1.5 million hours of construction work.
“Job number one will be to look at where all the projects are currently at. A key piece will be our relationships with
federal regulations,” Sertich said. The IRRRB commissioner said
“everybody’s fully on board and supportive of our recommendations to the governor,” referring to all members of the subcabinet.
“The expectation is that the government needs to work well. We’re
not predisposing the outcomes. But we are saying that if we say we’re going to do something, then we’ll do it,” Sertich said. “With big developments there are so many layers of government involved. We need somebody committed to see the whole picture.”
Sertich had high praise for the governor’s decision to move quickly on the mining issue. “I think this is a positive step
forward. It shows commitment to making sure these projects meet
deadlines and timelines. It shows Gov. Dayton’s leadership to solve problems.
He is solutions-oriented to get jobs done. “He said get me a plan. That’s the sign of a good leader,” the commissioner said.
