I am writing regarding the Mining Journal’s recent editorial, “Protesters Cross the Line.” I would like to note that the MJ was not at Kennecott’s “Citizen Advisory Group” (CAG) meeting. Because of this they missed a couple important things….

Jessica Mistak, DNR Fisheries Division and CAG member, commented, at the meeting, that she learned about Kennecott’s power plans by reading the MJ and that some of Kennecott’s actions have “lacked in transparency.” This is pretty powerful stuff and makes one wonder if the State approval process can stand up to real scrutiny – I know Stupak said it hasn’t.

There are two copies of the entire CAG meeting on tape. Anyone that wants to watch the CAG meeting, who wasn’t there, can. This offer extends to the MJ.

Kennecott kept the full extent of its mining plans secret from the public (and even the State) in order to minimize the perceived impact it will have on the public. Kennecott could have told us many months ago about its road construction plans, plans to mill ore in Humboldt and to open more projects in the area – many of us, at the meeting, already knew about these plans. But Kennecott had the luxury of waiting until DEQ and DNR approval to inform the public.

The CAG disruption was inspired by the nonviolent actions of civil rights activists, women suffragists and others that have decided to change a system that was stacked against them. And, yes, newspapers then trashed their methods and their cause as “scare tactics” and irrational, etc. Now, in this country, a Black man can run for president and a woman is allowed to vote that candidate into office.

This fight is about more than a mine - these projects are utilizing the public’s land. This is about continued access for recreation on the public’s own land. The metallic mining projects in Minnesota are in the Lake Superior Forest and outside of the Boundary Waters. The UP metallic mining projects all rely on State assistance, too.

A couple years ago, 10,000 citizens signed a petition opposing Kennecott’s project. While there are many, and sometimes conflicting reasons for doing so, a tremendous number of people in the UP don’t care much for letting Kennecott take $10-15 billion of OUR wealth or trashing and closing off OUR public lands.

Click here to read the Mining Journal's editorial.

Shortly following responses to the editorial, the Mining Journal discontinued the article comment feature on its website.