"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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October 2009 e-newsletterOctober 19, 2009Dear Friend,
When the public comment period begins on November 2, the state will need to hear from you about your concerns. The Friends will be performing in-depth analysis of the DEIS and we’ll communicate our findings to you and, of course, to the responsible state and federal agencies. Because of the scale and significance of the sulfide mining issue, and because so many people are yet unaware of what it could mean for the future of our clean water, we have been working very hard this summer on an exciting project. On November 11, we will debut a short film titled “Precious Waters: Minnesota’s Sulfide Mining Controversy.” We want as many people as possible to see this film and be inspired to take action to protect our lakes, rivers and streams, and we’ll need your help spreading the word. More on all of this below. As always, thanks for reading. Sincerely, Greg Seitz PS: As I mentioned in the last newsletter, I was planning my first October BWCAW trip. We went in at Sawbill on October 1 for six days. In short, it was a cold, wet and amazing adventure. You can see some photos and a brief trip report on our “Boundary Waters Digest” blog. “Precious Waters: Minnesota’s Sulfide Mining Controversy”
“Precious Waters” takes a hard look at the sulfide mining industry’s history of failed predictions and the threats new mines pose to northeastern Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and streams and sustainable economy, as told through the voices of citizens, scientists and advocates. We hope you will join us for the premiere and a discussion afterward with the filmmaker and several individuals featured in the film. A reception will follow. Details: 7 – 9 p.m. — Wednesday, November 11 The film will also be available online and as a free DVD in early November. Please think about people or groups that you think might want to watch it. Stay tuned for more information. We hope you can join us on Nov. 11! Please call us at 612-332-9630 or send us an e-mail at info@friends-bwca.org if you have any questions. Agencies criticize PolyMet proposal A map of the wetlands at the PolyMet mine site The Draft Environmental Impact Statement should be available on the DNR’s website this week. The Friends has already joined partner organizations in requesting an extension of the expected 45-day comment period to give us and other interested individuals and organizations the chance to fully analyze the proposal. Comments on previous versions of the DEIS by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Native American tribal entities reveal reveal an extraordinary level of doubt about the proposal and have confirmed our belief that this project is not as benign as the industry would like us to believe. In addition to noting several other areas where the DEIS is incomplete, the E.P.A. stated: “The PDEIS does not include information on financial assurance. EPA recommends including financial assurance information because one key component to determining the environmental impacts of a mine is the effectiveness of reclamation and closure activities.” Read more about agency concerns about PolyMet… Fall newsletter online
“Urban wilderness” event trip report
Friends staff and members had a great time paddling down the Mississippi River on Sept. 26. A break in a stretch of cold, rainy weather blessed us with sunshine and blue skies. About 70 people turned out for the event, filling eight voyageur canoes. Despite passing under major vehicle bridges and canoeing right through the heart of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, we enjoyed some fall colors, at least one Bald eagle, a couple of Great Blue Herons, a kingfisher and other wildlife. There was also lots of great conversation about the Boundary Waters and other adventures around Minnesota. Read more and check out photos from the event. In the news
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Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness | 401 North Third Street, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1475
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A short film from the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
