Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Grows
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has acquired 19 acres of land adjoining Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, with which it will expand the popular North Shore of Lake Superior attraction.
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Vermilion Comment Period Closes Today
The public comment period on the proposed master plan for Lake Vermilion State Park closes today. Interested citizens can still chime in on plans for the new 3000-acre park on-line.
Lawsuit Aims to Loosen Wild Rice Water Standards
A lawsuit filed Friday by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce seeks to loosen water quality standards in areas where wild rice is grown, saying current regulations are too restrictive and based on faulty science.
Copper Mining Firms to Merge
Duluth Metals, Ltd. has agreed to buy Franconia Minerals Corp. in a merger of companies hoping to mine copper and nickel in Northeastern Minnesota.
Critics Concerned by Loan to PolyMet
Environmental advocates are concerned with a $4-million loan granted by the state of Minnesota’s Iron Range Resources board to PolyMet mining which hopes to open a controversial copper-nickel mine near Babbitt.
PolyMet Seeks $4-Million Loan from State
PolyMet Mining is asking for a $4-million loan from the State of Minnesota to help it buy land that it will swap with the U.S. Forest Service for land at its planned mining site near Babbitt.
2011 BWCAW Permit Lottery Now Open
The lottery for 2011 permits for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is open until January 15, 2011 for BWCAW visitors who hope to assure themselves of permits for specific entry points on specific dates.
Klobuchar: Wolves Delisted in 2011
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will remove Minnesota’s gray wolves from the Endangered Species list by the end of next year.
Regional Deer Harvest Up 20%
The number of deer harvested in northern St. Louis County during the recently concluded 16-day firearms deer season increased 20% from last year, according to Minnesota Deparment of Natural Resources statistics.
Easement Conserves 76,000 Forest Acres
A conservation easement agreement will keep some 76,000 acres of northern Minnesota forest protected for sustainable forestry, wildlife habitat, and recreation, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced yesterday.
Book Gathers Boundary Waters Writing
A new book — The Firegrate Review: A Canoe Country Chapbook — published by the wilderness advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, gathers the BWCA experiences of 19 writers in a collection of stories, essays, and poems.
DNR to Host Vermilion Park Open Houses
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host two public open houses to solicit public comment on the draft master plan for the Vermilion and Soudan Underground Mine State Parks.
Endocrine Disruptors Found in Kabetogama
Chemicals that cause endocrine system disruption in aquatic animals were found in Kabatogama Lake, one of the lakes that makes up Voyageurs National Park, according to a recent study.
Atikokan Looks Ahead to Gold Mine
Atikokan, the northern gateway community to Quetico Provincial Park, is considering what steps to take to become gold mining town. Osisko Mining expects to have a gold mine in the Atikokan area, perhaps by 2015.
DNR Seeks Grand Marais Fishing Comments
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comments for its review of management plans for a number of Grand Marais-area lakes and streams.
Voyageurs Moose Study Seeks Answers
A GPS-based research study on the moose that inhabit Voyageurs National Park seeks to unravel the knotty question of what exactly is causing the decline in the animal’s population in northeastern Minnesota.
County Aims to Curb Public Land Growth
Northeastern Minnesota’s St. Louis County has commissioned a study to determine how best to keep private land in the county from becoming publicly owned.
Moose Hunters Find Success
Despite warm temperatures during the start of the hunting season and a declining moose population, northeastern Minnesota moose hunters were more successful bagging animals this season than last year.
Petition Filed Over Taconite Plant Emissions
Five environmental advocacy groups including the Voyageurs National Park Association and the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness have filed a petition with the federal Environmental Protection Agency objecting to an air pollution permit granted to the United Taconite processing plant in Forbes, Minnesota.
Ruling Against Sierra Club Upheld
A ruling by a lower court dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club against the Forest Service over the Superior National Forest management plan has been upheld.