URGENT: Take action today to protect the Porcupine Mountains, Lake Superior, and an endangered fish

The proposed Copperwood Mine — an inexperienced Canadian company’s plan to mine next to and underneath the Porcupine Mountains, ship the copper to Canada, and leave behind 40+ million tons of toxic waste upstream from Lake Superior — has recently applied for a wastewater dischage permit, which would enable the company to discharge over a billion gallons of contaminated mine wastewater into the stream of a Michigan endangered fish, the redside dace, and on into Lake Superior.

The public comment period for challenging this permit has now concluded, and we’ve given Michigan’s regulators every reason to deny the permit. However, low-level bureaucrats cannot be trusted to do their jobs properly unless they receive significant pressure from their superiors. So now it’s time to put some heat on those at the top!

No matter who you are, please find ten minutes in the coming days to reach out to the leadership of Michigan’s regulatory agency EGLE using the resources below.

OUTREACH TARGETS

• Jerrod Sanders, Director of the Water Resources Division
  Phone: 269-350-1801

  Email: SandersJ3@Michigan.gov
  
  
• Phillip Roos, Director of EGLE
  Phone: 517-284-6700
  Email: RoosP@michigan.gov
   

SAMPLE MESSAGE

“I’m writing/calling today to urge EGLE to deny the wastewater discharge permit to Highland Copper. If approved, the permit would threaten a state endangered fish, the redside dace, which requires streams of low flow and high ice production. It would also violate the Anti-Degradation Rule by not taking account of feasible alternatives like Zero Liquid Discharge.
 
Thousands of people are watching this decision. If EGLE approves a permit to a widely opposed, foreign owned mine immediately adjacent to the Porcupine Mountains, which would degrade the habitat of a legally protected fish and contaminate the waters of Lake Superior even though feasible alternatives have been presented, it will shatter public confidence in the agency’s abilities to protect Michigan’s lands and waters.
 
Please work with Renee Pionk to deny the permit. Thank you.”

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We’ve given EGLE ample basis to deny this permit to a hotly opposed foreign mining proposal, but they won’t do the right thing unless they feel the eyes of the world on them. That’s where you come in. Please take action soon, and find others to join you.

For more inspiration, please visit ProtectThePorkies.com

In solidarity,
The Protect the Porkies team

*** Protect the Porkies is a 100% volunteer-run operation. When possible, please donate to support our mission.