Saving the Porkies
Let’s work together to protect our water, air, soils, aquatic life, wildlife and people from the dangers from metallic sulfide mining.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has a bountiful beauty; the waterfalls, Lake Superior, and the endless forests. The Porcupine Mountains State Park, especially the Presque Isle scenic area, all resting on the shores of Lake Superior, is absolutely priceless. Why would anyone want to destroy this?
Highland Copper aims to mine under State Park land, under the Presque Isle River, and possibly even under Lake Superior. This would be in the west end of the Porkies. Plans are for a tailings dam that tilts toward Lake Superior. A tailings Dam is an earthen dam that is used to hold back toxic sludge. They are notorious for breaking and polluting. Lake Superior holds one-fourth of the world’s fresh water. There will be altering of wetlands and streams as well. Adding to all this, there is also interest in redeveloping the White Pine Mine, on the east side of the Porkies, and using this for milling the ore and storing more hazardous mine waste; forever. White Pine was initially closed around 1995, and there have been many environmental contamination concerns such as tailing basins and brownfields. This is ecocide and no one is taking ownership of this burden, except maybe you and I, the taxpayer. This project will literally “bookend” the Porkies. Imagine that, a mine on each end of the Porkies.
Sulfide mines are notorious polluters, as they produce sulfuric acid, among other toxins, as a byproduct. Sulfide mines are a perpetual pollution machine. Sulfuric acid is produced when sulfide ores, which also contain metals like gold, copper and nickel, are dug up, react with air and water to form sulfuric acid. Toxic pollution from sulfide mine waste destroys habitat, kills aquatic life, and affects human health. Sulfide mines are notorious polluters, as they produce sulfuric acid, among other toxins, as a byproduct. Sulfuric acid is produced when sulfide ores, which also contain metals like gold, copper and nickel, are dug up, react with air and water to form sulfuric acid. Toxic pollution from sulfide mine waste destroys habitat, kills aquatic life, and affects human health.
Contact Gov. Whitmer and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and say no to sulfide mining in the Porkies:
Governor Gretchen Whitmer https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Call: 517.335.7858
US Army Corps of Engineers
Regulatory Marquette Field Office
115 South Lakeshore Blvd. Suite C
Marquette, MI 49655-4652
Phone: (906) 228-2833; Fax: (906) 228-3738
EMAIL: Regadmin.LRE_RegAdmin@usace.army.mil
Photo Credit; Beth Russ