"A land exchange with the US Forest Service (USFS) has also been proposed by PolyMet to exchange 6,650 acres of federal public land within the Superior National Forest to private ownership for the development of a copper-nickel sulfide strip mine. The land exchange would eliminate critical federal environmental protections such as the Weeks Act, which was enacted in 1911 to protect USFS lands for forest growth and watershed quality. Strip mining is not permitted on Weeks Act land, so special legislation removing environmental regulations would be necessary in order for PolyMet to move forward with the process. Protection provided by the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act would also be removed by the exchange. Minnesota politicians have been unsuccessful in the past in passing legislation that would bypass the normal public review process for land exchanges. However, the possibility of future legislation remains and would fast track a land exchange simply for the benefit of multinational mining companies."
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 17:56:11 +0000
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