Namakan River Dam Proposal Back On the Table
Revived project faces financial and environmental challenges.
Land and Resource Use
Major Twin Metals Partner Declines To Increase Stake in Project
Mine proposal near the Boundary Waters loses significant source of funding. Chilean mining company Antofagasta PLC has declined an opportunity to take a bigger financial stake in the Twin Metals project near Ely, MN. The move means the company—which has invested more than $200 million in the joint venture so far—will pass up the chance for a controlling stake in the project, and operations will revert to junior mining company Duluth Metals.
Legislation Seeks to Route North Country Trail Through Arrowhead
Rep. Nolan introduces bill to resolve long-standing issue, take advantage of existing hiking trails in northeastern Minnesota
Details Emerge About Locations of Twin Metals Mine Facilities
The company has shared new information about access, water sources, and waste disposal for its proposed copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters.
Risk Management Consultant Questions PolyMet
In a newspaper column, Terry Larkin asks how much risk is okay when considering the mine proposal.
Poll Shows Support for PolyMet Amidst Many Undecided Minnesotans
Results of a Star Tribune poll include supporters outnumbering opponents two-to-one, and a lot of people who haven’t made up their minds.
Study of Mine Waste Impacts on Wild Rice Released
Research on how sulfates affect the official state grain of Minnesota will be used to determine if a key water quality standard should be changed.
Controversial Snowmobile Trail Litigation Nears Conclusion
The South Fowl snowmobile trail is back in court after more than a decade of controversy.
Public Input Sought on Isle Royale Wolf Management
Hearings this month will offer information and ask for feedback about how to respond to the decline of the island’s wolf population.
Helping Northern Forests Survive the Heat
On the front page of October 20 Sunday Star Tribune, an article “Saving the Great North Woods” addresses many climate-related issues and their implications to the future of the Quetico Superior …
Polls Show Declining Public Support for New Mine Proposals
Survey conducted by Mining Truth coalition shows as residents learn details about mine proposals, opposition increases.
Islands on Two Northern Minnesota Lakes Acquired by Public Agencies
Islands on Lake Vermilion and Burntside Lake will be protected from development after being purchased by the U.S. Forest Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, respectively. The Trust for …
Montana Economist Presents in Minnesota on Mining Cost-Benefits
Retired University of Montana economics professor and researcher Tom Power was in northern Minnesota this week to speak about the risks of mining-dependent economies. He gave presentations in Duluth and Ely …
Cormorant Control Approved for Lake Vermilion
According to the Ely Timberjay newspaper the DNR recently announced their decision to kill up to 10% of the Double Crested Cormorants on Lake Vermilion, in Minnesota, this summer. In addition, …
2013 Poll Indicates Public Opposition to Sulfide Mining Exceeds Support
48% of Minnesotans polled oppose sulfide mining in northeast Minnesota while 39% favor it. Results of the January, 2013 poll, sponsored by Minnesota Environmental Partnership, were the first to demonstrate that …
Finnish Musher Wins WolfTrack Classic
The Duluth News Tribune reports that Musher Jennifer Freking of Finland won Sunday’s 10-dog, 60-mile WolfTrack Classic Sled Dog Race from Ely to Cook, MN. It was the 5th annual running …
Minnesota Moose Population Drops by a Third in One Year
According to Saint Cloud Times reporter Glenn Schmitt, MN DNR aerial survey results last month indicate a 35 percent drop in the northeast Minnesota moose population from the previous year and …
EPA Issued Rule to Cut Haze over BWCAW
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park will both get added protection from haze under a new ruling from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to the EPA, …
Boundary Waters Advisory Commission Meets with Forest Service to Discuss Restoration of Pow Wow Hiking Trail
When most people think of summer recreation in the Boundary Waters Wilderness, images of canoes, blue lakes and fishing come to mind. To a cadre of backpacking enthusiasts the BWCAW is …
St. Louis County Board Favors BWCAW Land Swap
U.S. Representative-elect Rick Nolan may have gone on record saying the BWCAW Land Swap probably wouldn’t see traction this year, but this month the St. Louis County Board passed a resolution …