Donald J. Trump

Gag order on trump in hush money case. March 2024

——-

Trump R ecommend using a bleach injection to rid of Covid.

————

Stood next to Putin and said he believed more than our intelligence community.

————

Saying his Joint Chief of Staff should be executed. Miley.

————;

Trump says any Jewish person who votes for Democrats ‘hates their religion’ and ‘everything about Israel.

———

Saying good people on both sides.

——-

Calling Jan 6 people jailed hostages and would free them.

——-

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’

———-

Trump doesn’t rule out pardoning himself if elected but says it’s ‘very unlikely’

———-=

I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me –and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”

———

On John McCain.

He’s not a war hero,” Trump explained, shocking the event’s moderator. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

———

“I love the poorly educated.”

———- 

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime. They’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they’re telling us what we’re getting.”

————

“I look very much forward to showing my financials, because they are huge.”

———/ 

“I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.”

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Jan 2020 on Covid – Trump comments 

“We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. It’s going to be just fine.”

————-

Chief coup plotter John Eastman facing disbarment for effort to lying about 2020 election.  A trump lawyer and part of conspiracy.

——-

 “Disciplinary council characterizes Trump DOJ official Jeffrey Clark’s actions surrounding the 2020 election as “coup attempt” 3/27/24.  A trump lawyer.

————

Texan Sidney Powell, Trump co-defendant, pleads guilty in Georgia election interference case

Under the plea agreement, the lawyer will serve six years’ probation, pay a $6,000 fine plus $2,700 to the secretary of state’s office and testify truthfully at co-defendants’ trials.   10/2023 a trump lawyer

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Kenneth Chesebro: Pro-Trump lawyer pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case, implicates Trump in fake elector conspiracy. Oct 2023

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 They just won a $148M verdict against Giuliani. Now they’re suing him again.

Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss are seeking a court order barring Rudy Giuliani from continuing to spread false claims about them. Dec 2023

————

All The Trump Lawyers Who Have Quit: Tacopina Latest To Walk Away

Brian Bushard

Forbes Staff Jan 2024

TOPLINE Former President Donald Trump’s legal team faced another shake-up this week after attorney Joseph Tacopina told a court he will no longer represent Trump in his New York criminal case—though he’s far from the first attorney to ditch Trump as the former president’s legal battles mount.

 Jan. 16, 2024Tacopina stepped away from defending Trump in his Manhattan case over alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, and also left Trump’s legal team in the former president’s appeal of a verdict in a civil defamation and sexual abuse suit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, the New York Times reported.

Aug. 25, 2023Drew Findling, a Georgia-based attorney who had been representing Trump in the Georgia case, stepped down, sources told multiple outlets, with Trump hiring attorney Steven Sadow as his lead counsel just hours before he surrendered to authorities in Fulton County.

June 16Attorney Jim Trusty requested to withdraw earlier this summer due to “irreconcilable differences” between him and Trump that make him unable to “effectively and properly represent” the former president in his defamation suit against CNN—Trump accused the cable giant of running a “smear campaign” against him, which he claimed escalated ahead of his 2024 presidential campaign announcement in November.

June 9Trusty and attorneys John Rowley said in a joint statement they will no longer represent Trump in either the classified documents case or an ongoing Justice Department investigation into his role in the January 6 insurrection, though they did not provide a reason for their departure other than to call it a “logical moment” to leave Trump’s legal team.

May 17Attorney Tim Parlatore—who also represented Trump in Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into whether Trump mishandled classified White House documents after leaving office—resigned from Trump’s legal team, calling the move “personal” and not a reflection of his “belief in the strength of the case,” CNN and Politico reported.

February 16, 2021Trump cut ties with personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, as the former New York City mayor faced multiple lawsuits over his alleged role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, including one filed against Trump and Giuliani—Giuliani had been instrumental in Trump’s unsuccessful bid to challenge the results of President Joe Biden’s win in court.

January 31, 2021Trump’s lead impeachment lawyers abruptly resigned ahead of the former president’s impeachment trial over allegations he incited the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, reportedly leaving because of Trump’s repeated and debunked claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.

January 5, 2021Attorney Cleta Mitchell resigned from the law firm Foley & Lardner where she was a partner after she spoke on a call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) in which the former president famously asked Raffensperger to “find” votes to overturn Biden’s victory in the state—Mitchell claimed she resigned due to “brazen attacks on conservatives and, most especially, anyone who supports and wants to help President Trump.”

November 22, 2020Trump fired far-right attorney Sidney Powell, Giuliani announced in a statement, saying tersely that Powell is “not a member of the Trump Legal Team,” after she doubled-down on baseless election fraud theories and vowed to “release the kraken of evidence”—Powell was later sued by Dominion Voting Systems and voting machine company Smartmatic for spreading false claims about their machines, though she told Forbes the suits against her have “no basis in fact or law.”

November 16, 2020Three of Trump’s campaign lawyers representing him in a suit to block Pennsylvania’s election certification—Bryan Hughes, Linda Kerns and John Scott—withdrew from the case, saying they “reached a mutual agreement” that Trump’s campaign “will be best served” without them on his legal team.

November 13, 2020Two other Trump campaign lawyers with the firm Porter Wright Morris & Arthur withdrew from the same case, while firm Snell & Wilmer withdrew from another case representing the Republican National Committee in the Trump campaign’s lawsuit over allegations poll workers in Arizona’s Maricopa County disenfranchised voters?

END Trump

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Expo 2027 Open Letter to Bloomington City Council

I listened to the presentation by Jamie Verbrugge and David Loehr on November 14, 2022 regarding Expo 2027.

I had a couple comments on it. The first thing I would say is that I did not see the slides on the website. Hoping that is just inadvertent and those will be provided.

As the the presentation itself it appeared to be with the Expo site itself since it was from the architect and their Sustainability features. I did not see much else. Therefore I did not see much on the issues with 14 million people or 150,000 per day traveling to the site and it’s CO2 impact. Other than Mr Loehr mentioned the Red Stag supper club in Northeast Minneapolis and the first sustainable building he designed, I believe. But his comment on the look afterward was it shot a hole in the sustainability model cause all the people driving to it from Duluth and other destinations. So if was kind of a bust due to all the travel to check it out.

I believe it was Mr. Verbrugge that mentioned people driving to the Expo from around the United States. From Denver and Missouri, etc. and this is part of what concerns me. Also the pollution from people flying here and the energy consumed by hotel rooms and the 10,000 available rooms. Not to mention the transportation around the city. I know that shuttles will be provided to the Expo itself.

You validated the number of visitors why not validate the CO2 emitted from:

Autos driving to the expo

Plane emissions from people flying in, and home

Air conditioner use in hotels

Local for sight seeing and visiting around town in autos

I am sure the amount of CO2 emissions from 14 million people will be substantial. I would ask how this is sitting in with  our “Climate Emergency Resolution” signed on Jan 24, 2022?

Specifically, and not inclusive but:

“WHEREAS, Bloomington’ s Energy Action Plan outlines a goal of reducing GHG emissions by 75% by 2035; and

WHEREAS, despite these priorities, resolutions, and plans, the United States, Minnesota, and the City of Bloomington have failed to meet interim goals, and GHG emissions within the city are not significantly decreasing; and

WHEREAS, the City of Bloomington has supported climate action and GHG emission reductions, including:

1) In 2016, designating Environmental Sustainability as one of six strategic priorities for the City;

2) In August 2017, passing a resolution in support of the Paris Climate Agreement;

3) In May 2018, approving a community-wide Energy Action Plan to reduce GHG

emissions; and…”

And regarding Mr Verbrugge‘s comment that this is about an Economic Development Opportunity and continuing to support South Loop I would say what about the remainder of Bloomington? How do we get stores other than Dollar Stores, 5 Below, fast food restaurants, etc.

But I would submit we should put sustainability as number 1 priority as by 2027 I think it will become much clearer that we are in deep trouble. With hottest temperatures on record in 2022 and 16 Minnesota cities declaring Climate Emergencies in 2022. We will be in a much different world by 2027 and so I would ask that you withdraw our bid for Expo 2027. Hopefully BIE will just stop all expos in the future.

cc: BIE (via Twitter)

Dimitri S. Kerkentzes

Sen Klobuchar

Gov Tim Walz

Terry’s Enviro Links

 

Environmental and Conservation Organizations in Minnesota

and Related Sites

ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY  –  www.afors.org

ANIMAL HUMANE SOCIETY  –  www.animalhumanesociety.org

AUDUBON MINNESOTA  –  http://mn.audubon.org

Audubon Centers and Chapters in Minnesota  –  http://mn.audubon.org/audubon-locations/

BEMIDJI CRUDE-OIL RESEARCH PROJECT  –  http://mn.water.usgs.gov/projects/bemidji

BICYCLE ALLIANCE OF MINNESOTA (bikeMN)  –  www.bikemn.org

 

BORDER ROUTE TRAIL ASSOCIATION  –  www.borderroutetrail.org

 

BOUNDARY WATERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (BWAC)  –  http://bwac.homestead.com

 

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH  –  www.d.umn.edu/ceed/

 

CLEAN WATER ACTION, MINNESOTA  –  www.cleanwateraction.org/mn

 

CONSERVATION MINNESOTA  –  www.conservationminnesota.org

 

CONSERVATION CORPS MINNESOTA & IOWA  –  www.conservationcorps.org

 

COTTONWOOD FOUNDATION  –  www.cottonwoodfdn.org

 

DEMOCRATS FOR REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE IMMIGRATION (DRRI)  –  http://earthdirectory.net/drri

 

DUCKS UNLIMITED, MINNESOTA  –  www.ducks.org/minnesota

 

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING ALLIANCE (EEBA)  –  www.eeba.org

 

ENVIRONMENT MINNESOTA  –  www.environmentminnesota.org

 

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE  –  www.environmental-initiative.org

 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY, SCHOOL OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS  –  www.facebook.com/USTEnvironmentalLawSociety

 

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY LAW SOCIETY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL  –  http://els689.wix.com/environmentallaw

 

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW SOCIETY, WILLIAM MITCHELL COLLEGE OF LAW  – http://web.wmitchell.edu/students/student-organizations/environmental-law-society/

 

ENVIRONMENTAL, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY LAW SECTION, MINNESOTA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION  –

http://msba.mnbar.org/members/committees-sections/msba-sections/environmental-natural-resources-and-energy-law-section#.VOk9r_nF-So

 

ENVISION MINNESOTA  –  www.envisionmn.org

 

FRESH ENERGY  –  http://fresh-energy.org

 

FRESHWATER SOCIETY  –  http://freshwater.org

 

FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS  –  www.friends-bwca.org

 

FRIENDS OF THE CLOQUET VALLEY STATE FOREST  –  www.friendscvsf.org

 

FRIENDS OF THE HEADWATERS  –  www.friendsoftheheadwaters.org

 

FRIENDS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER (FMR)  –  www.fmr.org

 

FRIENDS OF THE SNAKE RIVER  –  www.snakerivermn.org

 

GULL CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOCIATION  –  www.gullchainoflakesassociation.org

 

HONOR THE EARTH  –  www.honorearth.org

 

INSTITUTE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA  –  http://environment.umn.edu

 

INSTITUTE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE (ISF)  –  www.isfusa.org

 

INTERNATIONAL WOLF CENTER  –  http://wolf.org

 

IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA, MINNESOTA DIVISION  –  http://minnesotaikes.org

 

KIDS FOR SAVING EARTH (KSE)  –  www.kidsforsavingearth.org

 

LAKE SUPERIOR STEELHEAD ASSOCIATION (LSSA)  –  www.steelheaders.org

 

LAKE SUPERIOR STREAMS  –  www.lakesuperiorstreams.org

 

LAND STEWARDSHIP PROJECT (LSP)  –  http://landstewardshipproject.org

 

LEECH LAKE ASSOCIATION  –  www.minnesotawaters.org/group/leech/home

 

LINDBERGH FOUNDATION  –  www.lindberghfoundation.org

 

MIDTOWN GREENWAY COALITION  –  http://midtowngreenway.org

 

MIDWEST GLACIAL LAKES PARTNERSHIP  –  http://midwestglaciallakes.org

 

MILLE LACS LAKE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GROUP  –  www.millelacswatershed.org

 

MINING TRUTH  –  www.miningtruth.org

 

MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (MAEE)  –  www.minnesotaee.org

 

MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF WATERSHED DISTRICTS (MAWD)  –  www.mnwatershed.org

 

MINNESOTA CANOE ASSOCIATION (MCA)  –  www.mncanoe.org

 

MINNESOTA CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY (MCEA)  –  www.mncenter.org

 

MINNESOTA CONSERVATION FEDERATION (MNCF)  –  www.mncf.org

 

MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION NETWORK  –  www.mnaction.org

 

MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL FUND  –  www.mnenvirofund.org

 

MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (MEHA)  –  www.mehaonline.org

 

MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP  –  www.mepartnership.org

 

MINNESOTA EPISCOPAL ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP COMMISSION (MEESC)  –  www.env-steward.com

 

MINNESOTA GROUND WATER ASSOCIATION (MGWA)  –  www.mgwa.org

 

MINNESOTA INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT (MNIPL)  –  http://mnipl.org

 

MINNESOTA LAND TRUST  –  www.mnland.org

 

MINNESOTA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY  –  www.mnnps.org

 

THE MINNESOTA PROJECT  –  www.theminnesotaproject.org

 

MINNESOTA PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP (MPIRG)  –  www.mpirg.org

 

MINNESOTA RADON PROJECT  –  http://employees.csbsju.edu/dsteck/mnradon/

 

MINNESOTA RENEWABLE ENERGY SOCIETY (MRES)  –  www.mnrenewables.org

 

MINNESOTA SAFETY COUNCIL  –  www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org

 

MINNESOTA SEAGRANT  –  www.seagrant.umn.edu

 

MINNESOTA SOCIETY OF ARBORICULTURE (MSA)  –  www.msa-live.org

 

MINNESOTA TREE FARM SYSTEM  –  http://mntreefarm.org

 

MINNESOTA TROUT UNLIMITED  –  http://mntu.org

 

MINNESOTA WATERS  –  www.minnesotawaters.org

 

NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER  –  www.nationaleaglecenter.org

 

NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION (NWTF), MINNESOTA  –  www.nwtf.org/about/state/minnesota

 

NATURE CONSERVANCY, MINNESOTA  –  www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/minnesota/

 

NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER  –  www.bear.org

 

NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS (NMW)  –  www.nmworg.org

 

PAINTCARE, MINNESOTA  –  www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states/minnesota/

 

PARKS AND TRAILS COUNCIL OF MINNESOTA  –  www.parksandtrails.org

 

PHEASANTS FOREVER  –  www.pheasantsforever.org

 

POLYMET PROBLEMS  –  www.polymetproblems.com

 

RECYCLING ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA  –  http://recycleminnesota.org

 

SAVE THE BOUNDARY WATERS  –  www.savetheboundarywaters.org

 

SAVE LAKE SUPERIOR ASSOCIATION (SLSA) –  www.savelakesuperior.org

 

SIERRA CLUB, NORTH STAR CHAPTER  –  http://minnesota.sierraclub.org

 

SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL ASSOCIATION (SHTA)  –  www.shta.org

 

SUSTAINABLE FARMING ASSOCIATION OF MINNESOTA (SFA)  –  www.sfa-mn.org

 

TRANSIT FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES (TLC)  –  www.tlcminnesota.org

 

TREE TRUST  –  www.treetrust.org

 

WATERLEGACY  –  www.waterlegacy.org

 

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTER OF MINNESOTA (WRC)  –  www.wrcmn.org

 

WILL STEGER FOUNDATION  –  www.willstegerfoundation.org

 

WOMEN’S ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE (WEI)  –  www.w-e-i.org

 

WORLD POPULATION BALANCE (WPB)  –  www.worldpopulationbalance.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Minnesota Legislature Resource

This page contains a listing of links and other things useful relative to the Minnesota Legislature and other government bodies.

Legislature page= http://www.leg.state.mn.us/

Watch legislative hearings, etc on television= http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/htv.asp

Sign up for electronic notification= http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/elists

Who represents me?= http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/

Contact my legislator= http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/faq/faqtoc?id=47

 

PolyMet Sulfide Mine in N.E. Minnesota

12/04/15-1417

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released the Final Environmental Impact Statement  (FEIS) regarding the proposed Poly Met sulfide mine in Northern Minnesota.

IMG_8869

Governor Dayton has indicated this may be the most important decision he has made as Governor.

Please contact Governor Dayton and tell him to reject the PolyMet Sulfide Mine.  The following is Q & A regarding the proposed mine and contact information for the governor.

PolyMet Q & A

 

PolyMet Q & A

What’s this “PolyMet?” – PolyMet is a Canadian corporation with a proposed “Northmet” mine they’d like to open near Babbitt, Minnesota. They propose an open pit sulfide ore mine. https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=polymet+stock

 

Who is behind PolyMet? PolyMet has no experience operating mines, but their largest financial backer, Glencore, does. Glencore is a financial giant in mining, and has a terrible reputation regarding labor, human rights and the environment.

http://www.facing-finance.org/en/database/cases/katanga-mining/

http://oneworld.org/2015/05/06/enough-is-enough-say-glencore-protesters/

http://www.humanrights.ch/en/switzerland/foreign-affairs/foreign-trade/transnational/glencore-illustrates-stricter-legal-guidelines

The Chairman of the Board is Tony “I just want to get my life back” Hayward, of BP Oil(spill) fame. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hayward

What is Sulfide Ore Mining? Sulfide ore mining has never been done on a commercial scale in Minnesota. It is the mining of sulfur bearing rocks, which contain valuable metals such as copper, nickel, platinum, gold and palladium. Unfortunately, sulfide ore, when in contact with oxygen and water produces sulfuric acid, which leaches toxic metals from waste rock. Sulfide ore mining has never been done in water rich regions of the world without toxic acid mine drainage polluting surface and ground waters.

Is Sulfide Ore Mining Different from Taconite Mining? Yes, primarily related to the risk for contamination by sulfide material (which forms sulfuric acid upon contact with water and oxygen.) Minnesota’s taconite ores are generally very low in sulfides – reducing the risk to waters from this form of mining. The actual techniques of mining are very similar. In the case of PolyMet’s open pit proposal, nearly identical: blast rock, separate “waste” from “ore” and transport the ore to a crusher for separation of valuable metals. Discard overburden (non-ore waste rock) and tailings (waste rock ground as fine as talcum powder to separate it from valuable metals) in large heaps called tailings basins.

What are the Benefits of PolyMet? PolyMet suggests they will hire “up to 360” workers once the mine is open, for a period of 20 years. Nearby communities have lost hundreds of taconite mining jobs recently; people will be glad for the jobs. Many of the most skilled (highest paid) positions will have to come from outside Minnesota. The minerals will go to Glencore for processing outside of Minnesota. No royalties will be paid to either the Minnesota School Trust Fund, or the public in the form of royalties: these are private mineral rights.

What are the Risks of PolyMet? The assured impacts and risks are numerous, and accrue, not surprisingly, to the public, not the operators of the mine. Here are just a few:

  • Destruction of and damage to more than 12 square miles of wetlands at the headwaters of streams leading to Lake Superior. These wetlands are in “outstanding” natural condition; we are unable to adequately replace these losses.
  • Centuries of toxic drainage from the many square miles of waste rock piles and the mine pit, which will require “active treatment” (a water treatment plant) “indefinitely” – essentially forever. (The first draft of the EIS said for 500 years, but that’s been edited out.) At risk will be both Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters.
  • PolyMet refuses to consider mining methods which will reduce environmental risks (because they cost more): keeping tailing dry to reduce toxic runoff (dry stack storage), underground mining to reduce wetland destruction, and alternative tailings disposal sites to reduce the risk of tailings basin leaking and collapse.
  • Financial risk to future generations will be enormous. Who’s to pay for active water treatment for centuries? What about leaks, spills and accidents? Mine sites are the #1 liability of the taxpayer supported Superfund cleanups, with a bill exceeding $50 billion to date.

Shouldn’t we ask for a Large Damage Deposit from PolyMet? Yes we should. But that, in itself does not remove the financial risk to future generations. We are talking about needing centuries of funding. How do we estimate the costs of water treatment or spill cleanup in the year 2115? 2215? 2315? 2415?! Never have we had financial institutions and instruments which have spanned such time. The 2015 Minnesota legislature found it impossible to keep their hands off two closed landfill cleanup accounts (which they tapped for more than $60 million in unrelated expenses) “because they were just sitting there.” Those funds were set aside to cover costs expected…just five years from now.

PolyMet – What’s the Bottom Line? PolyMet is Not Right For Minnesota. PolyMet is an effort to mine low-grade ore (less than 1% of what is mined is valuable mineral, the rest is waste) on the cheap. Three hundred and sixty jobs for 20 years are in no way comparable to centuries of toxic pollution threatening jobs and livelihoods for our children’s great, great, great grandchildren. PolyMet Should be Rejected – It’s Not Worth the Risks.

What Can I Do? There are four decision-makers regarding this complicated project, so please communicate your thoughts to each:

1) Please Call Governor Dayton, 1(800)-657-3717. You can call 24 hours/day and leave a message:

 

* PolyMet does more harm than good; is not worth the risks to our children’s water or their wallet.

* PolyMet is Not Right For Minnesota.

* Please reject the PolyMet mine plan!

2) Minnesota DNR messages: 

  • The PolyMet Final EIS should be rejected as incomplete because it fails to accurately model water seepage from the tailings basin, some of which will flow north towards the Boundary Waters Wilderness, due to alteration of the Laurentian Divide from nearby taconite mining. The mine plan does not detail plans to protect the Boundary Waters from centuries of toxic drainage, instead, it assumes the planned clay-lined trench will collect 100% of groundwater seepage (Figure 3.2-28) which is patently impossible, and it requires only monitoring of groundwater flows leading north to the Boundary Waters (p 3-150, Section 3.2.3.3.4). This is insufficient and incomplete.
  • The PolyMet Final EIS should be rejected as incomplete because it fails to examine an important alternative which could greatly reduce the hazard of future tailings dam failure and environmental damage: dry stack storage of tailings. Instead, the FEIS rejects examining this alternative in depth, because seepage would be reduced, concentrating pollutants into the remaining waters, making it difficult to meet water quality standards. This implies that PolyMet’s solution to pollution is dilution – clearly an unacceptable approach. (pp 3-156-158.)
  • The PolyMet Final EIS should be rejected as incomplete because it fails to detail future risks and costs that are necessary to determine financial assurances to protect our children from paying for the clean up of this proposed mine.

Send messages to: NorthMetFEIS.dnr@state.mn.us

Or: Lisa Fay,

Department of Natural Resources, EIS Project Manager
500 Lafayette Road, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155-4025

3) US Forest Service: The US Forest Service (USFS) Draft Record of Decision (DROD) is proposing to exchange 6650 acres of public land in the area of the proposed mine, for 6690 acres of private lands found within the boundaries of the Superior National Forest.

http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic.download.akamai.com/11558/www/nepa/72870_FSPLT3_2582016.pdf

Full documentation and maps: http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72BTUwMTAwgAykeaxRtBeY4WBv4eHmF-YT4GMHkidBvgAI6EdIeDXIvfdrAJuM3388jPTdUvyA2NMMgyUQQAyrgQmg!!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfS000MjZOMDcxT1RVODBJN0o2MTJQRDMwODQ!/?project=33908

The land to be exchanged has a “Weeks Act” prohibition on surface mining on it (how PolyMet proposes to mine) – while the land to be exchanged will not.

The USFS says it based it’s decision to exchange, in part, on the fact that PolyMet threatened to sue over the prohibition on surface mining and the USFS was concerned that a PolyMet court victory, should it occur, would weaken protections on other Weeks Act lands nearby. In fact, the USFS cited the “resolution” of the “conflict” (threat to sue) with PolyMet as a reason FOR the land exchange, and a reason to turn down a “no action” (no exchange.) They are giving in to a threatened lawsuit! (DROD pp 21-22)

The USFS turned down an alternative, which would minimize the land exchange, reducing it by three square miles – trading just those lands needed for mining and processing. The reason? PolyMet wanted additional lands around their operation to meet air quality standards (which are enforced at the property line.) In other words, PolyMet, rather than spending money to clean up their air emissions, wanted more air to pollute (diluting the concentration) before they were held accountable. (DROD p 24)

Suggested Comments to the US Forest Service on the Land Exchange:

 I object to the Draft Record of Decision for the NorthMet Land Exchange.

  • The Land Exchange should be rejected in the Final Record of Decision due to Weeks Act prohibition on surface mining. It is inappropriate to “resolve a conflict” with PolyMet over interpretation of the Act by simply giving in to them. Let them litigate.

OR

  • The Land Exchange in the Final Record of Decision should be reduced to the Mine Site Exchange Alternative. It is wrong to facilitate air pollution by trading additional public lands to PolyMet so that air pollution will be diluted before air quality regulations are applied. PolyMet should instead invest in more air pollution controls, and the USFS should retain existing high quality lands in the public estate.

OR

  • The Final Record of Decision should reject the Land Exchange as it conflicts with federal policy to protect wetlands. More than 900 acres of intact and high quality wetlands will be excavated, with thousands of acres more subject to drainage. The land exchange proposes to provide wetlands of a variety of types not within the impacted watershed. The net result of this proposed exchange will be a large loss of wetlands in northeastern Minnesota.

Comments, addressed to:

Michael Jimenez
Superior National Forest All Units
8901 Grand Ave Place

Duluth, MN, 55808
mjimenez@fs.fed.us

  

4) US Army Corps of Engineers:

 PolyMet proposes to excavate 940 acres of high-quality wetlands at the headwaters of the St. Louis River, and damage or drain up to 8000 additional acres with their project. The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is proposing to accept as “mitigation” the protection of 450 acres of the Sax-Zim Bog, and the restoration of drained wetlands totally approximately 1100 acres in Pine and Aitkin counties, outside of PolyMet-impacted the watershed. No specific mitigation is offered at this time for the damaged and drained acreage.

http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Portals/57/docs/regulatory/PolyMet/1999005528P.pdf

Comment Suggestions:

I object to the issuance of a 404 permit to PolyMet Corporation, because:

  • PolyMet’s proposed mitigation is insufficient and inadequate for the scale of wetland destruction they propose. More than 2/3rds of the proposed mitigation occurs outside the affected watershed. The types of wetlands lost are not the types of wetlands to be restored.
  • PolyMet does not propose specific mitigation for the potential loss of thousands of additional wetland acres due to partial or complete drainage. It is unacceptable to propose a permit for this mine without a complete understanding of wetland mitigation.
  • PolyMet proposes the single largest permitted loss of wetlands in Minnesota history. The high quality wetlands in questions cannot be mitigated or replaced either in type or in the watershed. This permit should be denied as too damaging to the public interest in clean water.

Send your comments to:

Regulatory Branch, St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers,

180 Fifth Street East, Suite 700,

Saint Paul, MN 55101-1678

polymet_pn_comments@usace.army.mil

 

REFERENCE INFORMATION

The following letter was sent to the Governor by the Minnesota Division of the Izaak Walton League in October 2015.

PolyMet Dayton Letter from MN Division Izaak Walton League

Contact the Governor-

*** Web form— http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/

***Telephone: 651-201-3400

***Toll Free: 800-657-3717

Slide presentation presented at the Jacques Chapter of the Izaak Walton League- Oct. 2015

Short video by Dave Zentner of the Izaak Walton League.  Sulfide Mining More Harm   than Good.

Read the Final EIS from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

-Tourism industry at risk with potential pollution for hundreds of years. Tourism within 7 northeastern counties generates more than 18,000 jobs, $785 million in revenue and $50 million is sales taxes. (Source: Minnesota Department of Revenue and Employment and Economic Development, 2009 statistics.)

New Minnesota Pollinator/Pesticide Plant Labeling Bill Takes Effect July 1, 2014

MNLA will keep you posted as MDA interprets this new law. Find complete text of the new law here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?session=ls88&number=HF2798&session_number=0&session_year=2013&version=list.

New Minnesota Pollinator/Pesticide Plant Labeling Bill Takes Effect July 1
http://mnnla.site-ym.com/blogpost/1133827/190312/New-Minnesota-Pollinator-Pesticide-Plant-Labeling-Bill-Takes-Effect-July-1