The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may redo their Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the PolyMet copper-nickel mining operation proposed near Babbitt, MN. The original Draft EIS was declared “environmentally unsatisfactory-inadequate” by the federal Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year.
The Duluth News Tribune has the full story HERE.
The EPA criticized the original report for not addressing the issue of funds to be set aside for future clean-up nor adequately addressing wetland and endangered species destruction and water quality concerns.
Minnesota DNR and Corps of Engineers officials are still deciding how to proceed, but acknowledge that they may produce a supplement to the Draft EIS which would address the issues of concern.
The $600-million PolyMet project, if approved, is expected to create some 400 jobs during the 20-year life of the mine.