October 5th, 2009 | 
AnonymousUnresolved Agency findings published in the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS ) tell the story of enduring pollution from many sources, damage to ecological systems, and increased public health risks.
See a digest of alternative Tribal agency findings and perspectives, an excellent summary of problems with the mine plan and the PDEIS document.
See the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) findings.
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Possible permanent toxic pollution is not a good bargain
The PolyMet proposal could create a legacy of toxic acid mine drainage that could last hundreds of generations. We submit this is a very poor trade for one generation of a few hundred jobs. However, this result is highly likely, considering the lack of toxic sulfide metal mines that have operated for even 10 years and/or been closed for only 10 years without polluting. 89% of hardrock mines predicted to meet water quality standars have filed. These are bad odds.
Agencies charged with protecting the public repeatedly have permitted operations that have exceeded their permit conditions.
The opportunity cost of foregone sustainable businesses and economies have resulted in the pattern known as the "resource curse", impoverishing local economies that rely on resource extraction.
HISTORY of the DEIS
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as the state's lead Responsible Government Unit, is charged with implementing the law and the Environmental Quality Board's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) requirements. As of December 2008, the PolyMet EIS documents are inadequate, with several key omissions persisting through several revisions.
And there still are significant gaps and flaws in the current DEIS. This is important because it significantly inreases the environmental and financial risk in permitting such an inadequate mine plan.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered significant shortcomings in its findings (below) on the July 2009 PDEIS version of the EIS draft to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) , the federal Responsible Government Unit. The concerns of tribal agencies and others also have not been adequately addressed in this version.
NOTE: November 3, 2009 Tribal agency findings and perspective on the DEIS appear in Volume III of the printed DEIS. Notice the fundamental and broad scope of objections to this mine plan. These combined tribal concerns have not been addressed in about 4 years of EIS development. They reflect excellent professional expert involvement with the process as cooperating agencies.
Public comments are being accepted through the February 3, 2010 deadline. Subsequently, all comments on the DEIS will be addressed in a "decision of record" and Final EIS document.
PDEIS, July 2009
The PolyMet PDEIS (Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement -- scroll down) was released by the DNR for internal review at the end of July, 2009, giving cooperating agencies 30 days to comment. Federal, State, and Tribal agencies' findings are posted below as a public service.
There continue to be serious concerns about the adequacy of this draft of the EIS. The Draft EIS must contain the complete information that the public has a right to know about and comment on regarding the potential impacts of the NorthMet project.
Note especially the shortocomings enumerated in the U.S. EPA and Tribal findings . (These problems likely will persist in the DEIS. -- Stay tuned.)
For the full set of agency findings and comments, click here: Zip file containing all agency findings
Or click here for a directory of all the files You can down load individual files or a directory at a time. Click on names to open. (Expand (+) or collapse (-) branches of the directories as you wish. )
CPDEIS, December 2008
The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and other cooperating agencies have registered serious, valid concerns with the CPDEIS (PolyMet's December 2008 "Complete Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement"). It reveals incomplete analysis and base-line information in many cases and omits items that are required.
FEDERAL
Army Corps of Eng. on Wetlands
Army Corps of Eng. on Wildlife
TRIBAL
Fond du Lac summary of findings
Grand Portage December 2008 findings
Grand Portage January 2009 findings
