Hi everyone,
The Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on the $50M grant to Copperwood as soon as early December.
The significance of this crossroads cannot be overstated. On one hand, if the grant passes, the company will tout it as an “official Michigan endorsement” (a phrase already used by their CEO), which would trigger an avalanche of fresh investment and advance the project much closer to construction. On the other hand, if it does not pass, the grant text specifically states, “If the project is not supported it will not move forward,” implying a considerable if not fatal blow to the project in its current iteration. Thus, it’s important we amp up the pressure now so that the Senators have plenty to ponder over Thanksgiving break.
To make things more fun, we’re holding a giveaway of campaign posters, postcard sets, and sticker collections to incentivize writing to Senators. To participate, simply write an email to the Senate Appropriations Committee members demanding a rejection of the grant. Paste all their addresses in the To: field of your message and add “ProtectThePorkies@gmail.com” into the CC: field so that we receive it also. Then we’ll add your name to the list of participants. On Tuesday, November 26th, ten winners will be selected at random and will receive their choice of campaign poster, postcard set, or sticker collection — each winner can choose two prizes! You’ll find some talking points for your letters and phone calls here.
We’d like to draw your attention to a particularly exemplary letter penned by Dennis Ferraro of Citizens for a Safe and Clean Lake Superior and Kim Ferraro of the Conservation Law Center. Their message contains a wealth of research and points of great insight — may you find it educational and inspiring. On behalf of the ProtectThePorkies campaign and our supporters, I’d like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the Ferraros for their continued contributions to the health of Lake Superior and its watershed.
Two more actions which will be concluding shortly:
- A sign-on letter for residents of Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties opposing the grant — please sign and share.
- A sign-on letter for organizations opposing the grant — over fifty organizations have already joined, but there’s room for more!
Next, tune in to the ProtectThePorkies campaign on the latest episode from the Waves of Change podcast.
On a final note, the public comment period for Copperwood’s Air Pollution Permit has been extended until December 3rd, so if you didn’t get a chance to send in your comment, you’ve got a couple more weeks. You can find material for comment crafting on this page, and you can also tune in to the October 30th Public Hearing in which an impressive number of impassioned and informed comments were presented, sure to inspire your own.
Reminder that none of our actions are about being against a mine. Our position is that the juncture of Lake Superior, Porcupine Mountains, and the North Country Trail is not an appropriate place for any contaminating industrial activity whatsoever. If they were proposing a Walmart, we would be opposing Walmart — but far more than opposition, we are in support of one of the most pristine and ecologically vibrant areas remaining in the Midwest. The proposed Copperwood Mine would last a mere 10.7 years, but the monolithic waste pile would remain and be visible from Copper Peak, the North Country Trail, and the Lake of the Clouds Overlook forever, and the rollout of the power grid would lay the foundation for ongoing human development for decades to come, right in the buffer zone of the Porcupine Mountains: mainland Michigan’s largest Wilderness Area, the largest eastern hemlock old growth forest in the country, one of America’s most beautiful State Parks, and the home to an infinite complexity of lifeforms wishing to live free and healthy lives the same as you and me.
So thank you everyone for speaking up for those without a voice!
In solidarity,
Tom and the ProtectThePorkies team