Polymet’s projection of its mine by Year 11 of operation. IMAGE: Polymet
Today at 12:30 p.m., the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will release its final 3,000-page Environmental Impact Statement for the controversial PolyMet copper nickel mine in Hoyt Lakes on the eastern Mesabi Iron Range.
I expect the document will be posted here, at the project site on the DNR website.
Dropping a document of this size and public interest on the Friday afternoon before deer hunting opener is an platinum-level news dump. News and analysis will trickle out over the weekend, but it will take time to process what this document means.
Further, the EIS is only the initial part of the permitting process, which will consider what I’d argue are the more unresolved questions: the fiscal state of the company and its proposal and the means by which financial assurance can be given for the maintenance and clean-up of the mine site.
That decision isn’t expected until this time next year.
Sad to see our elected officials have watched the DC idiots and have a Friday before deer opener document dump. They take us all for idiots. That said, I hope it is good news for Polymet! My favorite part of this study will be, if favorable to Polymet, the liberals will claim those involved are sellouts, been bribed, shills for mining company, earth haters and much worse.