Leaked DNR report says mine poses threats to human health, water

[hue]

http://journaltimes.com/news/local/environment/be18ce16-7345-53de-a978-b7c21b7358e8.html

Iron mining in northern Wisconsin poses a variety of potential threats to human health and to the water supply that connects a complex ecosystem ranging from upland forest to wetland bogs to Lake Superior, state scientists say in an internal report that came to light Thursday.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ research bureau produced the report to brief agency regulators on what scientific literature says about extensive testing and environmental monitoring that are typically needed to prevent serious damage from acid runoff into streams and mercury emissions into the air, agency officials said.

But the company that wants to dig a sprawling mine in the Penokee Hills in Iron and Ashland counties complained about the 103-page document being created before testing of core samples from the site was completed.

“It just gives a laundry list of the kind of stuff you hear from protesters,” Gogebic Taconite spokesman Bob Seitz said. “There are some good people over there (at the DNR), but this demonstrates that there are some people who also have a bias against mining.”

Seitz said the DNR sent a copy of the report to the company a few days ago. The conservative website Media Trackers obtained a copy, posted it on its website and called the document “fear mongering.”

Larry Lynch, the DNR manager for the mine project, confirmed the document’s authenticity and said it had been distributed throughout the agency for several weeks.

[Scuba]

1. Per Gogebic, "good people" are those without a bias against mining, and alerting citizens ....

... to the very real threat of our water being poisoned is "fear mongering", per Media Trackers.

[hue]

4. Brian Sikma communications director of Media Trackers & grad of Baptist College of Ministry

http://bloggingblue.com/2014/01/understanding-brian-sikma/

does not really believe in science.

BCM's statement: “ We believe in the creation of the universe by the direct act of God, from nothing, in six literal days, apart from any process of evolution. “

[ewagner]

2. Avenues of success...

We have, as I see it, only two avenues to succssfully block the mine, or, in the alternative, reublate it enough to prevent the most serious of environmental damage:

One is filing suits in Federal court in behalf of the Bad River Tribe's authority to manage the water resources.

The other is a wholesale replacement of Governor Walker, 1/3 of the Assembly and 5 or 6 Senators in this year's elections.

I think the first is more likely to succeed.

[BobUp]

3. I don't know why

the affected tribe didn't ask for federal help to keep new mining at bay long enough so they could have a say as to what they want and don't want. Where's the federal government in all of this?

[hue]

5. 1 of Wanker & WI Repuke's 1st deeds was to pass Act 1 which voided environmental protection laws.

Members of Gogebic Taconite Mining Corp. actually wrote the law. They were hoping to circumvent the federal government in that way, in order to rape WI's land/environment ASAP & then leave the pollution/poison and destroyed ecosystems to WI residents for generations to come. Actually, WI would never be the same.
But the federal government's Army Core of Engineering refused to work with WIs new law in accomplishing an Environmental Impact Statement due in a large part to the brief timeline given in WIs Act 1. (Remember Gogebic (GTAC) wants to take the iron from the Penokee Hills & run!)

The Bad River Band of the Ojibwe nation has been fighting the open pit iron mine all along. They will be suing through the Dept. of Interior to prevent the mine from happening. Actually there are many obstacles falling into place to prevent the mine from happening. But getting rid of Wanker, his puppeteers & cronies would be very special for many uncountable reasons!!

[BobUp]

6. I didn't

know the name of the mining company/corporation, but I did read a article in Milwaukee's JS that the tribe was completely and thoroughly bypassed and not allowed to even speak on the issue, I read that legislators completely cut and did not offer a date and time for people to respond. As I understood the article, the mining company is NOT from Wisconsin, and has a piss poor record pertaining to the environment. They're messy, like spills, not doing what EPA rules and laws direct mining companies to do, etc..

You know if we only had a few more (D) seats in the state assembly, none of this shit would be happening right now, Democrats would not allow such a miscarriage of what's just and fair to happen.

If they go ahead with mining and lawsuits haven't worked, Wisconsin will be a fine example of the repuglican's party of scorch the earth policies. All in the name of lining some legislators and rich bastard's pocket, while stepping all over it's people.

[dragonlady]

7. The dedicated, honest scientists at DNR are doing all they can

This excellent blog post describes how the civil servants at DNR are trying to get science involved in what the state of Wisconsin does. The whole article, about GTAC as well as the Waukesha water diversion issue, is well worth reading, but here is the gist of it:

Some actions of this Walker administration have already weakened the Public Trust Doctrine. It's easier now to mine for sand, or to build on a riverbank, on a shoreline and into a wetland.

And some legislators are trying to keep the water preservation and policy bar low, even at the edge of an open-pit mine.

But the stakes are rising, with those big Great Lakes watershed mining and diversion decisions in the DNR pipeline.

It's fair to say there is a war underway for the soul and reputation of the DNR on the mining and Great Lakes diversion issues. . . .

That battle can be won if "public" gets the primacy it deserves, and that seems to be the way the serious people in the DNR are headed, regardless of the "chamber-of-commerce mentality" being directed at them from the top.

Tip your hat to the professionals there and tell them to hang on.

http://thepoliticalenvironment.blogspot.com/2014/01/wi-water-policy-science-improve-when.html

[hue]

8. Thanks dragonlady for posting this informative blog.

GTAC has applied to drill 15 more holes in the Penokee Hills for sampling and wants to hurry the process along so they can "hit & run" before environmentalists know what has really happened or the extent of the damage. I doubt that the mining process would take 35 years esp with new, efficient yet careless methods. GTAC has also "flashed" their military presence with the Bulletproof goons. Public primacy is hardly a consideration for GTAC.
Part of the 1% MO is to act now irregardless of the public & let the pundits analyze what they've done for years after the fact. This is why Gogebic Tac must be halted NOW or like yesterday.
With all respect and credit going to the dedicated DNR regulars we need to mobilize all impediments to GTACs every move!
The actual damage they will inflict will be immeasurable!
As far as the diversion of Lake Michigan water to Waukesha goes, I doubt any of the Waukesha political & civic leaders read the DNR report. So far, for example, Waukesha has not adhered to any present water conservation recommendations, which is a requirement for consideration of L. Michigan water diversion so I doubt the Great Lakes Compact which is aware of every factor in Waukesha's request would trust Waukesha's word for anything.