PolyMet mine would destroy important natural area

The Friends has recently discovered that the site for PolyMet Mining Corp.’s NorthMet sulfide mining project was identified as special habitat worthy of protection in several assessments performed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late 1990s.

Despite this, PolyMet and the Forest Service are proceeding with plans to transfer the land out of public ownership so that the mine can proceed, which would irreparably harm the land’s ecological value.

A history of the research and analysis process shows that the site passed multiple levels of evaluation and was deemed by agency scientists worthy of protection because it represents some of the highest-quality habitat left in the landscape.

PolyMet’s mine would destroy approximately 2,000 acres of this natural area.

Click here to read the full report tracing the history of the research and evaluation of this piece of land.

Learn more about the issue on the newly-expanded sulfide mining section of our website.

One Comment

• Loon Commons: Dedicated to Protecting and Restoring Minnesota’s Environment » Blog Archive » PolyMet mine site identified as important habitat says:

  June 4, 2009 at 3:41 pm

  [...] For more information, visit the Friends website. [...]

  Reply