New mine proposals in northeastern Minnesota have prompted a group of local citizens and businesses to plan an anti-mining “action center” on Ely’s Sheridan Street. The office will provide information to visitors and residents, and is expected to open by Memorial Day weekend.
The effort is being spearheaded by Steve Piragis, proprietor of wilderness outfitter Piragis Northwoods Company. Piragis recently told the Duluth News Tribune, “We’re basically stepping up and taking a stand and saying we don’t think this kind of mining is going to work here. That it’s going to be very hard to have this kind of mining and still avoid polluting the Boundary Waters watershed.”
The group hopes to educate up to 25,000 visitors this summer, and also spur about 16,000 of them to take action by contacting Congress and President Obama, urging leaders to prohibit mining near the wilderness.
The center will be located in a house which Piragis purchased and is leasing to Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness. It will be staffed this summer primarily by volunteers and college interns. Read more at the Duluth News Tribune.