Environmental advocates cheer as budget passes without controversial U.P. mine funds

Lake Superior | Susan J. Demas

With the Legislature finalizing the Fiscal Year 2025 budget at the end of June, environmental advocates have praised the exclusion of funding for a controversial mining project as a win for natural preservation.

On March 26, the Michigan Strategic Fund board approved $50 million for Copperwood Resources Inc., for the construction of the Copperwood Mine in Wakefield and Ironwood townships. While the mine is projected to create 380 jobs in the Western Upper Peninsula, tribal citizens, environmental advocates and some residents of nearby communities have raised concerns about the mine’s environmental impact.

According to a fact sheet on the project from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the project would include tunneling underneath the westernmost portion of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

U.P. coalition outlines concerns over $50M Michigan Strategic Fund grant to Copperwood Mine

The mine’s tailings basin, which would collect waste leftover from the mining process, sits on topography sloping toward Lake Superior. If the tailings dam collapses, the lake could be contaminated by heavy metals in the mine’s tailings. Protect the Porkies, a nonprofit organization opposing the project, also noted the potential for acid mine drainage, where sulfide tailings combine with air and water to create sulfuric acid, which dissolves and leaches heavy metals into the ground and surface water.

The organization also raised concerns about mining exhaust spouting heavy metals into the air and nearby waterways, where they will accumulate in wildlife.

With the Copperwood Mine sitting in territory ceded in the 1842 Treaty of La Pointe, any potential contamination would threaten Anishinaabe treaty rights to hunt, fish and gather in ceded territory.

Protect the Porkies also noted the North Country Trail — a 4,800 mile long trail system which was recently incorporated into the National Park System —  would share a border with a 323-acre tailings waste facility.

Highland Copper has already performed environmental site preparation for the mine including diverting streams around its tailings basin and constructing a compensating wetland to offset wetland impacts.

Despite the threat to natural resources and indigenous sovereignty, supporters of the project have touted the potential economic benefits of the project, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office stating it would help source copper for mobility and clean tech industries, and would annually bring in more than $15 million in local, county, state and federal revenue as well as an annual $130 million increase in business spending across the state.

To move forward with the funding transfer both the House and Senate Appropriations Committee must approve the $50,000 grant. While members of the House Appropriations Committee voted 21-5 to approve the funding, the Senate Appropriations Committee never put the matter to a vote after taking testimony on the transfer on May 22. As a result, the funding could not be included in the state budget.

When asked in an email if the Senate would continue discussion on the transfer, Rosie Jones, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), told the Advance she didn’t have any additional information at the time.

In its legislative report issued after state lawmakers began their summer recess, the Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter listed the lack of funding for the mine project as a victory.

Protect the Porkies issued a press release on Wednesday recounting its efforts pressuring lawmakers to reject the grant, noting that more than 2,000 people had clicked on its link to contact legislators. It said the campaign will continue its efforts and work to build public engagement to the greatest extent possible.

While the mine funding may have been left out of the state budget, there is still the possibility it could be included in a future budget supplemental, if approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In an emailed statement, Highland Copper CEO Barry O’Shea said conversations with lawmakers continue.

“We are having productive conversations with lawmakers about our project and Michigan’s commitment to the domestic supply chain,” O’Shea said.

“The final step is a vote at the Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee where we continue to inform lawmakers of the environmentally sustainable design of the project, broad local community support, in addition to the positive economic impact to the Upper Peninsula. Copper is a critical resource for Michigan manufacturers as well as for the renewable energy transition, and we look forward to continuing progress on our project.”

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

The post Environmental advocates cheer as budget passes without controversial U.P. mine funds appeared first on Michigan Advance .