North Shore to be Gypsy Moth Battle Zone
This summer, Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior will again be the front-line in the battle between agriculture officials and the exotic invasive insect known as the gypsy moth.
TOP STORY:
Congressman Pushing PolyMet Project
Newly-elected Minnesota 8th-District Congressman Chip Cravaack met recently with company officials, regulatory agencies, and elected officials in an attempt to expedite PolyMet Mining’s proposed copper-nickel mine near Babbitt.
Advocates Want PolyMet Partner Scrutinized
Environmental advocates want Minnesota regulators to consider the track record of one of PolyMet Mining’s financial backer when it considers permitting the company’s copper-nickel mine near Babbitt.
BWCAW Reservation Fee Lowered
The fee charged to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness visitors for reserving permits will be cut in half in 2011, Superior National Forest officials announced yesterday.
Bat Disease Causes Soudan Mine Concerns
A disease responsible for the death of more than a million North American bats is a cause of concern for managers of Soudan Mine Mine State Park in northeastern Minnesota.
Cut in Moose Hunting Permits Likely
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials are likely to cut the number of moose hunting permits in half next fall due to the continued decline in the population of moose in northeastern Minnesota.
DNR Seeks Comments on BWCAW Lakes
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking comments on its management plans for a number of lakes and streams in the Finland area, including six lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Ontario Parks Launches Online Reservation System
Ontario Parks has launched a real-time, online system which will allow visitors to reserve specific campsite or yurts with a few clicks of their computer and a valid credit card.
Moose Decline Continues in NE Minnesota
The number of moose in northeastern Minnesota continues to fall, according to aerial survey results released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The current population is now estimated at 4900 animals, down from the 5500 estimated last year.
Initiative Focuses on Voyageur Legacy
A tourism initiative for the landscape between Thunder Bay, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba plans to use the area’s legacy as the route of the voyageurs to draw tourists.
Meeting to Connect Communities, Land
Finding new ways to connect local communities to the public lands near them is the thrust of an upcoming meeting of the Heart of the Continent Partnership scheduled for February 24-25 in Eveleth.
Harsh Winter Tough on Deer Herd
Cold temperatures and deep snow are beginning to have an impact on northern Minnesota’s deer herd, according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources observations.
PolyMet Won’t Produce Copper Metal
PolyMet Mining’s plan to mine and mill copper, nickel, and precious metals near Babbitt won’t result in production of finished copper metal on-site, the company announced in a change of plans yesterday.
GPS-Collar Moose Study Underway
In an on-going effort to understand the reasons behind decline in Minnesota’s moose population, a study using global positioning system technology to track the massive ungulates in underway.
PolyMet Hires Former MPCA Commissioner
PolyMet Mining, the Canadian firm that hopes to build a $600-million copper-nickel mine near Babbitt, has hired former Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Brad Moore as an Executive Vice President.
Broad Implications for PolyMet Loan Suit?
A lawsuit brought by a coalition of environmental groups questioning the legality of a Iron Range Resources loan to PolyMet Mining could have wide-ranging implications for projects supported by Minnesota state government money, some worry.
Coalition to Sue Over Park Air Quality
A coalition of environmental organizations intends to sue the Environmental Protection Agency and two other federal agencies over haze pollution in national parks and wilderness areas, including Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Wolf Lawsuit Stayed Until June
A lawsuit brought by two Minnesotans and joined by the state’s Department of Natural Resources calling of removal of Upper Midwest wolves from the federal Endangered Species List has been stayed until June.
Environmentalists Sue Over PolyMet Loan
Five environmental groups are suing the State of Minnesota over a $4-million loan that Iron Range Resources approved for PolyMet Mining as part of its plan to mine copper, nickel, and precious metals near Babbitt.
Wilderness News Print Edition Fall-Winter 2010
The Fall-Winter 2010 Issue of Wilderness News Print Edition is now online! Follow women into the wilderness, take a trip back in time, and catch up with one of the Gunflint Trail’s most adventurous families…