Peruniak Honored, Featured in Ontario
Retired Quetico Provincial Park naturalist and author Shirley Peruniak, who was named to the Order of Ontario yesterday, was recently profiled by the Canadian newspaper the Kingston Whig-Standard.
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Suit Planned Over Tailings Basin
Three environmental advocacy a groups are planning a lawsuit over pollution violations from the tailings basins of the former LTV Steel plant near Hoyt Lakes which PolyMet Mining intends to use for its planned copper-nickel mining operation.
Shirley Peruniak Named to Order of Ontario
Shirley Peruniak, a park naturalist known as “the heart and soul” of Quetico Provincial Park, is being named to the Order of Ontario, the most prestigious honor awarded by the province.
Voyageurs Park to Get its Day in D.C.
In March, Voyageurs National Park will have a day to itself with Minnesota’s U.S. Senators and Representatives in Washington D.C., when a delegation heads to the nation’s capitol to lobby for Minnesota’s only National Park
Deal Struck for Lake Vermilion Park
A deal to purchase 3000 acres of land abutting Lake Vermilion has been struck between the State of Minnesota and U.S. Steel Corporation, paving the way for what would be the state’s first new State Park in 30 years.
Voyageurs’ Park Ice Road Open
It’s truly winter at Voyageurs National Park these days: the ice road from the Dove Island Boat Landing to Rainy Lake City and the Black Bay Ski Trail is now open. In addition, all of the park’s ski and snowmobile trails are groomed and open for recreation.
Cross-Border Partnership Recognized
The Heart of the Continent Partnership was honored recently for its “ongoing effort to promote trans-boundary cooperation and research” at the World Wilderness Congress, the organization has announced.
Namakan Hydro Comment Period Opens
The inspection and public comment period for the proposed Namakan River Hydro Development Project got underway in late December with the release of the project’s Draft Environmental Report by the Ojibway Power and Energy Group.
Gypsy Moth Numbers Increasing
The number of gypsy moths in northern Minnesota continues to rise, despite successful efforts to eradicate established populations of the exotic insect.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture reported recently that it trapped 28,000 gypsy moths in the state in 2009, more than double the 2008 count.
BWCAW Lottery Registration Open
Registration for the lottery drawing for permits to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is underway until January 15, officials at the Superior National Forest have announced. The drawing opens registration for the 2010 BWCA season.
Northern Minnesota Haze Rules Passed
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency passed new regulations aimed at reducing haze over northern Minnesota, including Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The MPCA board voted 7-1 in favor of the new rules, despite calls for tighter restrictions.
PolyMet Meetings Underway
The first of two public meetings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining Company’s proposed copper-nickel mine near Babbitt is history. Roughly a thousand citizens converged on Aurora last night to support or question the project.
Environmentalists Protest Meeting Format
Environmental advocates are expressing concern about the format of the public meetings on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining Company’s proposed NorthMet project.
PolyMet Public Comment Meetings Ahead
The two public comment meetings for PolyMet Mining Company’s proposed NorthMet projct take place tomorrow and Thursday in Aurora and Blaine, Minnesota respectively. The meetings are part of a 90-day public comment period for what could be Minnesota’s first copper mine.
Ely Mayor Charged with BWCA Violations
Ely Mayor Roger Skraba has been charged with three counts of federal wilderness violations in the BWCA. He is accused of entering the wilderness area without a permit, possessing a motor vehicle within the wilderness, and removing property.
Ely Guides Concerned with Regulations
Ely-area outfitters recently voiced concerns about U. S. Coast Guard regulations for businesses that guide clients on federally navigable waters. The agency requires that outfitters be licensed and that they and their employee know first aid and CPR as well have background checks and undergo drug testing.
Hopes for Vermilion State Park Dimming
Time and money seem to be working against efforts to establish a new state park along the shores of Lake Vermilion. The State of Minnesota isn’t expected to renew efforts to buy land for the park from U.S. Steel until the spring of 2010.
Watershed Forum Scheduled for March 10-11
The 2010 International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum is set for March 10 and 11, organizers announced yesterday. The forum will be held at Rainy River Community College in International Falls.
Deer Harvest Down in NE Minnesota
Part-way through the firearms deer hunting season, harvest numbers are down in Northestern Minnesota. Wildlife managers say the reduction reflects a decrease in deer population.
Franconia Minerals Project Progressing
With the stated goal of becoming the second operating copper-nickel mine in the Duluth Complex of Northeastern Minnesota, Franconia Minerals Corporation announced today that it is initiating waste rock characterization studies on its the Birch Lake deposit.