The St. Louis County board finished out the year by going on record in favor of nonferrous mining in northern Minnesota. The commissioners held a public hearing at the Morse Town Hall in December, 2011, in Ely, MN, before voting on the matter.
According to coverage in the Hibbing Daily Tribune and the Duluth News Tribune, a large crowd attended the meeting, including a bus of about 25 mine supporters from Hibbing, MN. The commissioners heard from dozens of citizens, who tended to be divided into two groups: those concerned about clean water and environmental consequences, and those who hoped mining would bring new jobs to the region.
Read the Hibbing Daily Tribune coverage HERE.
The commissioners eventually voted 4-3 in favor of a resolution that supported nonferrous mining after adding a clause requesting environmental cleanup in the event of a mine closure. They also made a point of expressing support for existing environmental review and permitting processes.
The December 22, 2011, decision came just two days after the Duluth Central Labor Body severed ties with Occupy Duluth because of the group’s opposition to the PolyMet mining project.
Coverage in Business North reported that it was a unanimous decision by the Labor Body’s board. Read the full story HERE.