Vermilion Park Legislation Advances
A bill in the Minnesota State Senate which would raise the limitation on what the state can spend for the purchase of 3,000 acres of land for a new State Park on Lake Vermilion cleared a hurdle yesterday.
Legislation/Policy
PolyMet Issues Come to State Capitol
Issues surrounding PolyMet Mining Company’s proposed copper-nickel and precious metals mining operation near Babbitt, reached the Minnesota state capitol yesterday at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
Senate Committee to Consider PolyMet
Next week, the Minnesota Senate’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee will hear testimony on issues surrounding PolyMet Mining Company’s proposed NorthMet copper-nickel and precious metals mine.
Vermilion Park Development Money to Wait
Even if the $18-million sale of 3000 acres of U.S. Steel land to the State of Minnesota for a park on Lake Vermilion is made this year, funds to fully develop the park will likely have to wait for another two years.
National Park Firearms Law Changes Today
A change in Federal law effective today allows possession of firearms in Voyageurs National Park by people who can legally possess firearms under Federal, Minnesota, and local laws.
Chorus Grows for Wolf Delisting
A growing chorus in favor of removal of the eastern gray wolf from the federal Endangered Species List could culminate in a lawsuit to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to turn management of the species over to state agencies.
Vermilion Park Bill Passes First Test
A bill in the Minnesota State Senate authorizing the state to pay up to $18 million to U.S. Steel for 3000 acres of land to create Vermilion State Park cleared its first hurdle yesterday.
Could Land Swap Hamstring PolyMet?
Could restrictions on the Superior National Forest land where PolyMet Mining wants to establish Minnesota’s first copper-nickel mine stymie the company’s plans to open its project in a timely fashion?
A Deal for State Lands in the BWCAW?
Might a deal between the State of Minnesota and the federal government be in the making to transfer State-owned land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the feds?
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
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.
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.
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.
Groups Request More Action to Reduce Haze in National Park and Wilderness Areas
Last week several environmental groups asked federal agencies and the state of Minnesota to take a more active role in preventing air pollution that contributes to haze over Voyageurs and Isle Royale National Parks and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Forest Service Taking Comments on South Fowl Trail
The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the development of a new snowmobile trail from McFarland Lake to South Fowl Lake in far northeastern Minnesota. The new trail was necessitated by the closure of the Tilbury Trail which crossed land included in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Minnesota’s Regional Haze Plan Open to Public Comment
A regional haze plan developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control agency seeks to address visibility impairment and haze in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. The plan is open for public comment until September 3.
Road Ban in National Forests Upheld
A federal appeals court recently reversed a Bush administration ruling allowing commercial activity in more than 50 million acres of pristine national forests.
Guns in Voyageurs: Not Yet
A law passed in May that will allow loaded firearms in Voyageurs and other national parks is not in effect yet. That’s the message Voyaguers officials are spreading, noting that the law doesn’t take effect until February 22, 2010.
Wolves Back on the Endangered Species List
Two weeks ago, five wildlife protection groups filed a complaint against the removal of Great Lakes Wolves from the Endangered Species List. Today, wolves are back under federal protection as the …
Groups Sue Over Wolf Decision
Five wildlife protection groups have filed a complaint in Federal District Court challenging the removal of federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the Upper Midwest.