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TOP STORY:

Feds Ask Minnesota to Tighten Haze Regulations

The heads of Voyageurs National Park and the Superior National Forest asked Minnesota Pollution Contol Agency board members to tighten restrictions on taconite and coal-burning power plants as the state impliments new haze reduction regulations.

Activists Gearing Up for PolyMet Comment Period

Environmental organizations are pouring over the more than 1500-page Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining’s proposed NorthMet copper-nickel operation. The groups are preparing for the start of the 45-day public comment period which opens on Monday, November 2.

PolyMet Draft Enviromental Impact Statement Released

The much-awaited Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining’s proposed copper-nickel mining and processing operation near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota has been released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

PolyMet Impact Statement Delayed

The release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine near Babbitt has been delayed, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has announced.

Quetico, Atikokan Mull Downtown Park HQ

Officials from Quetico Provincial Park and the town of Atikokan are considering a plan to move the Ontario park’s headquarters to Atikokan’s Main Street. Currently, the park headquarters are located in the Ontario government offices on the edge of town.

Bracing for the PolyMet Fight

With the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining’s NorthMet mine due this week, observers are preparing for an argumentative comment period over what could be Northeatern Minnesota’s first non-ferrous mining operation.

Namakan Hydro Field Studies Completed

Field studies for the Namakan River Hydro Development Project proposed by the Ojibway Power and Energy Group have been competed, the organization announced recently. OPEG expects publication of its Draft Environmental Report on the project in November.

Analyzing the Odds for a Vermilion State Park

Negotiations between landowner U.S. Steel and the State of Minnesota for the purchase of what would be the first new State Park in 30 years stalled when the parties disagreed on the value of the property. Is there still hope for a new park on the shore of Lake Vermilion?

Cook County Board Opposes Buffer Zone

The Cook County Board of Commissioners recently voiced its opposition to the establishment of a buffer zone near the limits of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The statement comes as the U.S. Forest Service considers the impact of snowmobile noise in the siting of a new trail to South Fowl Lake.

PolyMet Impact Statement Due Shortly

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Poly Met Mining’s proposed copper-nickel mine near Babbitt will be released the week of October 19. A public comment period on the project will commence on November 2, which will include public meetings in Hoyt Lakes and the Twin Cities.

Bringing Broadband to the North Shore

Voters in Cook County will decide on a sales tax in November that would support the construction of a fiber optic network and the expansion of high speed internet to the North Shore. Proponents argue that Internet connection is vital to economic sustainability.

Bad Economy Slowing Timber Sales

Timber put up for sale by public landowners is often going unsold to loggers who find themselves with reduced opportunities to sell cut wood due to the depressed market for new homes and the closure of some northern Minnesota wood mills.

Boundary Waters Prescribed Burn Update

Prescribed burns planned for the Gunflint Ranger District in September were canceled due to budget short falls, but continued fuel reduction in the blowdown is planned – weather permitting.

National Parks and Voyageurs in the Spotlight

With National Parks getting a lot of attention these days, Minnesota Public Radio took a close look at the past, present, and future of Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota’s only National Park.

Gray Wolves Back on Endangered List

Grey wolves in Minnesota were recently put back on the federal endangered species list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a notice last week formally re-establishing the animals’ protected status.

Celebrate Minnesota’s National Park Legacy

The Bell Museum of Natural History hosts the premier of Twin Cities Public Television’s “Minnesota’s National Park Legacy” this Thursday, September 24th. Join the film’s producer and National Park Superintendents to be among the first to view the film.

Invasive Mussels Found Near Isle Royale

A colony of non-native mussels has been found in Isle Royale National Park’s Washington Harbor, park officials revealed yesterday. The discovery raises concern over the island park’s large native mussel populations.

Voyageurs National Park Fall Rendezvous Restores Native Shoreline

Volunteers met at Voyageurs National Park last weekend, September 11 – 13, to plant native trees and wildflowers and restore disturbed shoreline within the Park. Part of the Fall 2009 Volunteer Rendezvous, they are part of a growing effort by Voyageurs National Park Association and friends and supporters of the park to contribute to a healthy and vital park and community.

Forum Previews Sulfide Mining Debates

A forum yesterday previewed the discussion that’s likely to take place in more official precincts when the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for northeastern Minnesota’s first non-ferrous mining project is released later this fall.