Say NO to Toxic Mining on the Menominee River

Michigan's Menominee River | Photo: Tom Young

The Menominee River has some of the most spectacular hiking trails, rugged terrain, old growth forests, wilderness campsites and waterfalls in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. However, a proposed open pit sulfide mine on the banks of the river would put the river at risk. The Menominee River is simply not the place for a risky mine. Tell the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to deny the Canadian mining company’s permit to develop a sulfide mine.

Sulfide mining contributes to more Superfund cleanup sites than any other mining activity. Sulfide mining is used to extract copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide ores. The environmental risks are much higher than traditional ore mining because when rain falls on sulfide ore waste, sulfuric acid is produced. That sulfuric acid leaches out as acid mine drainage, which can contaminate lakes, rivers and groundwater.

The proposed mine would pose a significant threat to the cultural and natural resources of the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region. Groundwater, rivers and ultimately Lake Michigan would become contaminated if acid mine drainage were to seep into surface and groundwater, posing a significant danger to fish and other aquatic life.

Take action

Please urge the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to reject the pending wetlands permit and prevent the establishment of the proposed Back Forty mine.

ABOUT YOU

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Director
Heidi
Grether
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
Acting Regional Administr
Robert
Kaplan
EPA Region 5