The Bureau of Land Management has announced it is prepared to renew mineral leases needed to continue developing a copper-nickel mine near Ely.
The leases were first issued for a 20-year term in 1966, and subsequently renewed several times, most recently by Twin Metals. The Obama administration decided it had the necessary discretion to reject the renewals in 2016, but officials working for President Donald Trump reversed that decision, and essentially said the government has no power to reject the renewal.
The agency made the announcement while releasing an Environmental Assessment (EA), which the agency says includes new protections for the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and other natural resources. A 30-day public comment period closes on Jan. 22.
“The leases are located in the Rainy River Watershed near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,” the BLM says. “The EA includes updated stipulations identified by the U.S. Forest Service to be imposed on the leases in order to mitigate possible risks to water resources and wilderness areas.”
The announcement comes as welcome news to the mining company, which was in legal limbo since its renewal application was denied. Twin Metals is wholly owned by Chilean mining conglomerate Antofagasta PLC.
“Twin Metals looks forward to the timely and proper completion of the lease renewal process,” the company said in a statement. “We continue to look forward to the opportunity to present a formal Mine Plan of Operations for review by the federal government.”
New stipulations on the leases include updated language and changes made to comply with laws and regulations that have come into effect since the leases were first granted.
Minnesota governor Mark Dayton, who took steps in 2016 to halt state-owned mineral leases in the area, decried the decision.
“The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is a priceless, irreplaceable environmental asset for our State and Nation that must be protected. Endangering its pristine waters and natural wonders for the sake of foreign corporate profits is shameful and wrong,” Dayton said.
The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, which pushed for the initial renewal rejection, also lambasted the move as motivated purely by politics.
“The Trump Administration’s unlawful renewal of toxic mining leases next to the Boundary Waters goes against good science, obvious facts, and basic common sense,” said Becky Rom, National Chair. “It also goes against the will of Minnesotans, 70 percent of whom oppose this dangerous mining near the Wilderness. The Trump administration is trying to do an end run around the environmental review process and ram through federal approvals while they still can.”
The Environmental Assessment is available to view here.
To provide your input on the plan, use this online form or mail comments to MN Hardrock Lease Renewal EA Project Manager, Northeastern States District Office, 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 200, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Comments and personal information may be made publicly available at any time.