"This is the most beautiful lake country on the continent. We can afford to cherish and protect it."
- Sigurd F. Olson
- Sigurd F. Olson
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"This is the most beautiful lake country on the continent. We can afford to cherish and protect it."
- Sigurd F. Olson |
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Boundary Waters birds – free event April 28April 2, 2010 Breeding pair of Cedar Waxwings Which birds are breeding where? That’s one of the questions the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas project will answer. The goal of this 5-year, state-wide project is to document all Minnesota’s breeding birds and where in the state they nest. This presentation by Audubon Minnesota’s Bonnie Sample will describe how volunteer citizen scientists can contribute to this critical conservation project. We need to cover all of Minnesota, including the BWCAW. It’s fun, it’s easy, and project participants will definitely learn more about Minnesota’s breeding birds.
About Bonnie Sample:Bonnie is currently the MN Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator for Audubon Minnesota. A refugee from the world of corporate I.T., Bonnie is a recent graduate in the Masters program in Conservation Biology from U of MN where she conducted research on grassland birds in restored urban prairies. She is committed to the promotion of citizen science and avian conservation.
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“Send PolyMet to Summer School” – sign the petitionMarch 25, 2010We are proud to announce a new petition campaign insisting that PolyMet Mining Corp. and the responsible government agencies do remedial work to address serious concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Agency in February. Sign the petition » A Failing Grade
The EPA also said that the project should not proceed as proposed, but that the company and the responsible government agencies should do remedial work to bring it up to standards. The “Send PolyMet to Summer School” petition simply calls for PolyMet and the agencies to do exactly what the EPA said they should. Rather than proceed to the usual next step in environmental review, they should do more work and give the public a chance to review it and offer feedback. What did the EPA say?In its February 18, 2010 comments letter on the PolyMet draft Environmental Impact State (EIS), the EPA said:
The EPA rated the PolyMet draft EIS as “Environmentally Unacceptable (EU) / Inadequate (3).” This is the most negative rating possible. According to the EPA, “Environmentally Unacceptable (EU)” is reserved for projects that have “adverse environmental impacts that are of sufficient magnitude that EPA believes the proposed action must not proceed as proposed.” Is this unusual?Yes. The rating has only been given out to 41 of the 11,834 EISes the EPA has reviewed since 1987 (0.3 percent). Media coverage of EPA statement:
Participating OrganizationsLead: Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Add your name to the list! Contact greg@friends-bwca.org if you want to be included as a participating organization. Izaak Walton League of America-Midwest Offic
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Work for the wildernessMarch 16, 2010Numerous volunteer opportunities are available this spring and summer in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Opportunities range from multi-day canoeing and hiking trips to easier outing that let you sleep in a warm, dry bed at night. See below for details, and let us know if we missed anything!  Kekekabic Trail clearing, photo by Lynn Glesne BWCAW campsite and portage clearing tripOrganized by: Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness This will be a chance to get out there between ice-out and the fishing opener to get the BWCAW ready for another busy season. Contact Kris Wegerson and John Ipsen at jkjl@clearwire.net for information. Border Route TrailOrganized by: Border Route Trail Association The Border Route Trail is poised to be officially designated by Congress as part of the North Country Scenic Trail, which seeks to cross the U.S. from New York to North Dakota. The Border Route Trail Association is leading several projects this spring, including reconnaissance and possible initial layout for the newly proposed 2.5 mile trail connecting the South Lake and Caribou Rock Trails along the south side of Moss Lake. Full schedule and trip descriptions » Gunflint Green-UpOrganized by: Gunflint Trail Association (co-sponsored by the Friends) The Friends will travel north in May for the third year in a row to help with reforestation efforts in areas on the Gunflint Trail that were burned in the big wildfires of 2006 and 2007. This year’s efforts will focus on trimming vegetation around previously planted seedlings to help them grow. Visit www.gunflintgreenup.com for details and contact us at info@friends-bwca.org if you’re interested in participating. Superior National Forest volunteersOrganized by: Superior National Forest The Superior National Forest manages the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Friends cooperates with the Forest to recruit volunteers, primarily those who serve as season-long volunteers, traveling in the BWCAW with wilderness rangers. The Forest is also happy to work with individuals and groups for shorter projects. More information » Volunteer trail clearingOrganized by: Boundary Waters Advisory Committee Long weekend trips include clearing the Brule Lake, Kekekabic, Snowbank and Eagle Mountain trails and will be of varying difficulty. Most include staying in a rustic Forest Service cabin at night. Details and registration » Kekekabic Trail clearingOrganized by: Kekekabic Trail Club Trips are currently being organized and volunteers and leaders are needed. More details and contact information »
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Sulfide mining hearing scheduled in MN HouseMarch 16, 2010
Once again, it is really important to show our elected officials that there is broad public concern about this issue. The best way to do it is attend the hearings, wear a blue shirt, and look for folks handing out “Protect Clean Water” stickers. Check out the Minnesota Legislature’s website for additional information and details.
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“Damage deposit” bill for sulfide mines withdrawnMarch 11, 2010 Sen. Jim Carlson Legislation that would have strengthened Minnesota’s financial assurance regulations for sulfide mining was withdrawn by its author, Sen. Jim Carlson, last night. Sen. Carlson expressed both excitement about the possibility of new jobs from mining and grave concerns about the industry’s track record elsewhere in the country, which includes toxic water pollution, abandoned mines, and using bankruptcy to get out of its financial and environmental obligations. “It is disappointing that this legislation will not proceed at this time,” said Paul Danicic, executive director of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. “This was a chance for our legislators to adopt some practical policies to ensure that, if this mining is going to be done in Minnesota, it is done as safely as possible and our clean water and our wallets are protected.” Productive hearingsDespite the bill’s withdrawal, the hearings were a positive step toward addressing the risks of sulfide mining in Minnesota. After more than 10 hours of testimony about the issue during a series of three hearings this week, serious concerns about the possible negative impacts were finally heard by elected officials. Legislators were particularly interested in the recent letter sent by the Environmental Protection Agency to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the PolyMet Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The EPA gave the PolyMet environmental review its lowest possible rating, which has been given out to only 0.3 percent of all EISes the agency has reviewed since 1987. The agency also said that the mine project cannot proceed as currently proposed. Focus on EPA criticismThe EPA’s criticisms of the environmental review document and the mine proposal came up frequently during this week’s hearings. Department of Natural Resources staff that testified at the hearing stated they are currently working on setting up a meeting with the EPA to discuss the agency’s concerns, which include the lack of financial assurance discussion in the environmental impact statement, inadequate data, and unacceptable water pollution from the proposed mine. Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, the chair of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, which heard the testimony, closed the hearing by stating his reservations about the PolyMet project, “My confidence has been shaken,” he said, adding that many of the concerns raised “are things that effect our children, our wildlife, even our jobs and they are not being looked at to the highest standard.”
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Mining hearings scheduled at State CapitolMarch 1, 2010
The hearings will feature testimony from government agencies, mining industry proponents, scientists, citizen advocates, and experts in the field. It is critically important that people who care about protecting our clean water from toxic pollution from proposed mines show up at the hearings to show support to the legislators who will make important decisions about the issue in the near future. Details:Monday, March 8 12:30 p.m. – Room 107, Minnesota State Capitol
6 p.m. – Room 15, Minnesota State Capitol
Wednesday, March 10 6 p.m. – Room 107, Minnesota State Capitol
More details are coming soon, please sign up for our sulfide mining e-mail updates to receive an email later this week with additional information about attending these important hearings and being a visible, vocal supporter of Minnesota’s precious waters.
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Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness | 401 North Third Street, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1475
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In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that the PolyMet mine proposal presented unacceptable risks to the environment.
The Minnesota House of Representatives has scheduled an informational hearing about the laws and regulations that cover “damage deposits” for sulfide mining on Thursday, March 18, at 4:30 p.m. in the State Office Building, Room 5.
