Backroom battle looms over nonferrous mining on the Iron Range

Here is the continuation of Jon Collins series on lobbying from today’s Mesabi Daily News. I expect it will also run in the Hibbing Daily Tribune and Grand Rapids Herald-Review. This story focuses on the backroom battle lines being drawn over the issue of nonferrous mining on the Iron Range. Some of the most emotional Iron Range political fights, not counting the budget battle, will come as legislators weigh more stringent environmental regulations on the style of mining proposed by Polymet and other East Range companies that seek to mine copper, nickel and other minerals.