Tell the Army Corps to Reject PolyMet’s Wetlands Permit

Step-by-Step Guide to Submit a Comment on the USACE Form

• Click here to access the Army Corps project page.
• Click “I Accept” to the popup agreement.
• Look for the Project Name: “NewRange Copper Nickel LLC – NorthMet Mine” (DA Number MVP-1999-05528-WMS) in the list.

• Look on the left side for a small blue comment bubble. It will look like this: 
• Click the comment bubble. A pop-up screen with a form will appear.
• Fill in your contact info. Your first and last name are required fields, marked with a red asterisk like this: *
• Write your comment:
  1. Copy the text below to start, OR
  2. Click here to download an editable Word doc of the comment text below. Helpful Tip: We recommend editing/drafting your comment in a Word or Google Doc first so your comment won’t be lost if the form glitches.

• Type in a brief message in “Summary of Comments” text box: Dear U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Please see my attached comments on the NewRange proposed NorthMet Mine. Sincerely, **your name**
• Click “Attachments” and attach your comment in Word or PDF.
• Answer the security question.

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Write a comment or copy/Paste from below

RE: NewRange Copper Nickel LLC – NorthMet Mine (DA Number MVP-1999-05528-WMS)

Dear U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Staff,

I am writing to oppose the Section 404 permit for NewRange Copper Nickel’s NorthMet mine, and to ask the Army Corps to require a new environmental impact statement (EIS) before it makes any decision.

NewRange’s project would harm Lake Superior watershed, wetlands, and waters. Here is what concerns me most:

More wetlands destroyed, not fewer. The proposal would directly destroy 1,145 acres of wetlands — 242 acres more than the previous 404 permits that were rejected. It also adds a waste rock storage facility on up to 334 acres of wetlands and forest along the Partridge River, most of it on wetlands classified as “public waters wetlands” under Minnesota law.

Two of three new tailings facilities would be unlined. With no barrier between waste and water, this would likely mean uncontrolled seepage of mining pollutants into the Second Creek and Wyman Creek watersheds.

These creeks are already at risk, and people depend on them. Second Creek is a wild rice water already impaired for excessive sulfate. Wyman Creek is a designated trout stream that flows into Colby Lake. This would impact the drinking water source for the city of Hoyt Lakes.

New dams would hold back the waste. The tailings facilities near Second Creek and Wyman Creek require new dams likely to be classified as Class I, or High Hazard dams. This category reserved for dams whose failure would cost lives.

The mercury math is toxic. Draining and rewetting wetlands while discharging sulfate is a recipe for mercury methylation. The result is more mercury in fish, violations of state and downstream tribal water quality standards, and harm to wildlife and human health.

None of this was fully analyzed in the original environmental review. The Corps owes the public a hard look at the science in a new environmental impact statement, and it should deny the Section 404 permit for NorthMet wetlands destruction.

Thank you for considering my comment.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
ADDRESS
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