MiWater 2012 Transition Press Release
For Immediate Release
Feb. 12, 2010
MIWATER SETS SIGHTS ON 2012 TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR MICHIGAN’S WATER
Proponents confident its ballot initiative language and messaging will resonate with voters
The Michigan Save Our Water Committee, organizers of the MiWater campaign, today announced it plans to gather signatures for its ballot measure to protect Great Lakes water in 2012. Since the campaign has not begun collecting signatures, it has the option to keep the organization intact in order to gather signatures for the 2012 ballot.
“We set out to draft a very strong measure that will protect Michigan most important natural and economic resource — our fresh water — from the adverse impacts of uranium and sulfide mining,” said Duncan Campbell of the Michigan Save Our Water Committee. “The fact that the special interests opposing our efforts to keep Michigan’s water pure have engaged in so much disinformation and scare tactics is proof positive that we have an effective one-two punch for water.”
Campbell stressed that in addition to drafting effective, legally defensible, and eminently message able language, enormous progress has been made in the effort to garner more attention downstate.
“We knew that it was going to be hard, if not impossible in this climate to raise the money required to get this on the ballot this campaign cycle,” he said.
With much of the heavy lifting done, Campbell is optimistic the team that is taking on the campaign going forward will have the time and means necessary to gather the signatures needed to get on the 2012 general election ballot. It is sad to note that some still stoop to play geographic and class politics in a state which is literally defined by the largest reservoir of fresh water in the world and whose citizens are united by the understanding that there is no pure Michigan without pure water. As Phil Power of the non-partisan Center For Michigan wrote in a piece called “U.P. sulfide mine would mean a few short-term jobs, numerous long-term environmental worries,” (http://goo.gl/MxSl) the type of mining being proposed in Michigan’s UP and across the upper Midwest has limited economic benefit — at the expense of other industries and other jobs. Specifically Power notes that by its own admission the Eagle Project being pushed by Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott will only generate 120 or so mining jobs that would last only around 10 years while the mine is being built and in operation. And economists and businessmen wonder what happens to recreation, tourism, hunting and fishing — the long term economic future of the region — if the mine pollutes the area.
For the record, Campbell, the card carrying Republican said, “We aren’t against mining. But certain types of mining in this water rich environment must be done with the utmost care and strongest oversight and people need to have the straight facts in order to decide for themselves what they value the most in this state.”
MiWater has garnered a number of endorsements from a variety of conservation and environmental groups in Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas. It has benefitted from the support of its honorary chairman former Michigan Governor William G. Milliken and others who realize what’s at stake.
“We are so thankful for the support and help we have received from so many quarters,” said Campbell. “While we won’t be running the campaign in 2012, we look forward to supporting the MiWater team all the way to victory because we know that once the petitions hit the streets, many will be eager to sign on knowing there is no pure Michigan without pure water. Our water is the key to life and prosperity in this region and it deserves the utmost protection from threats whether carp or acid mine drainage and uranium pollution.”
More updates will be posted on our website at www.miwater.org
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For more information, contact:
Duncan and Maura Campbell
duncan@miwater.org
maura@miwater.org
313-432-0247
http://www.miwater.org
Michigan Save Our Water Committee
PO Box 7288
Detroit, MI 48207
It’s Been Known For Years The Sulfide Mining Economic Promises Are Weak
Previously, the non-partisan Center For Michigans’ Phil Power wrote a piece called “U.P. sulfide mine would mean a few short-term jobs, numerous long-term environmental worries.” This limited economic benefit – at the expense of other industries and other jobs, is highlighted:
Only problem is, by Kennecott’s own admission, the 120 or so mining jobs would last only around 10 years while the mine is being built and in operation. And economists and businessmen wonder what happens to recreation, tourism, hunting and fishing – the long term economic future of the region – if the mine pollutes the area.
Thing is? Almost all sulfide mines pollute. Later on in the piece,
It’s everybody’s bad luck that the ore deposit for the Eagle Prospect mine wound up right in the middle of some of the most environmentally valuable and sensitive woods and waters in all of Michigan.
But merely because rich metals are discovered in a uniquely priceless and fragile environment is no necessary argument those metals should be mined. Suppose a valuable gold deposit were to be discovered right at the foot of Mount Rushmore. Would it really make sense to open a mine there that might destroy a national monument?
Want to know more about where mines like this would be? See the impact on Coaster Brook Trout.
What Sulfuric Acid Is And Why It’s Dangerous
Some people who are new to the cause have asked, “What’s the big deal with sulfuric acid?”
As a kid, you couldn’t drag me out of science class for almost anything. So here goes.
Sulfuric acid is a water soluble (that means it can be dissolved in water). Industrially, you’ll find it in things like traditional car batteries. Because it likes water so much, you’re not going to find it in its’ pure state naturally. You will find it, however, in a natural state on the planet Venus (and that’s not a very pleasant place to try live).
It’s also used to clean electronics parts.
But part of its’ usefulness in a controlled industrial setting (it’s very corrosive) is why it is so darn dangerous in nature, and in mining situations, it almost always leaks out.
Sulfuric acid can burn you worse than hydrochloric acid, and in fact, the contact burns can be very bad as it also dries out the skin as it eats it away. In the lower concentrations found in Acid Mine Drainage, created by sulfide mining, it causes a litany of problems including cancer and spinal cord damage.. as well as make the water so acidic that wildlife cannot live there anymore, literally creating “dead spots.”
Thank You Michigan Environmental Council!
We’re proud to receive the endorsement of the Michigan Environmental Council for the MiWater ballot initiative!
The Council represents over 70 organizations (partial list here) to promote policies that ensure that Michigan families will enjoy clear waters, clean beaches, beautiful landscapes and healthy communities for years to come.
The MEC Board of Directors on December 11th, 2009 decided to take a stand to strengthen protections for Michigan waters from the dangers of sulfide and uranium mining. If your organization is interested in endorsing MiWater, head on over to the endorsement page.
Physicians Demand Stoppage Of Uranium Exploration
Physicians in Sept-Iles, Quebec, declared that Quebec’s government “must stop uranium exploration near Sept Îles and declare a moratorium on uranium mining activities across the province to avoid the mass resignation of 20 doctors in the North Shore town.”
“I want to work in a place where the government listens to citizens and where medical opinions are respected,” said Bruno Imbeault, a pulmonologist at the Centre Hospitalier et des Services Sociaux de Sept Îles. The doctors who have signed this moratorium are worried of the ill effects of uranium mining, mainly the contamination of air and water. This contamination could cause higher numbers of lung cancer in the population around the mine site.
Robots Cheaper Than Humans
The main argument for sulfide and uranium mining in Michigan is that it will “create jobs.” From a micro perspective this may be sort of true. By allowing companies to set up shop in Michigan, we could create some jobs – perhaps as many as 75 – but at what cost?
Too many people, including some in our state government, are blighted by tunnel vision. We need to be able to get out of the tunnel and look at every aspect of this potential “opportunity.”
Did you know that while mining may create some short-term jobs, one of the companies interested in doing sulfide mining in the UP use robots for most of their sites around the world.
How many jobs would they actually create, not to mention what would the educational requirements be for these jobs? The fact is new technology has been developed in the mining industry to decrease man power and mining companies are opting for robots. Robots that can only be operated by highly skilled technicians who do not come from and may not even have to be in Michigan.
One mining company, Rio Tinto, has already started using robots in its mines throughout the world. Rio Tinto is looking at putting the same robots in Michigan along the priceless Menominee River that feeds into Lake Michigan.
A few of the “sci-fi becomes reality” snippets from the June 2009 Rio Tinto Review:
- The giant and driverless Komatsu 930E-4 electric truck which hauls 285 tons of ore in a single load. These trucks go to “school” to learn the terrain.
- A remote jackhammer crushes rock faster and better than usual with the Perth operator a quarter of a continent away
- Operators now load trains (which are also driverless) remotely
The reason for the robotics in mining is simple; it cuts the bottom line for companies. According to John McGagh, Rio Tinto’s head of innovation, “ in challenging [economic] times, mine automation makes better economic sense than ever.” By using the robots they can employ far fewer people. There will be some jobs but as McGagh explains those who get them will need advanced degrees.. ‘the miner’ of the future may well be metropolitan based, with a higher degree in mechatronics, supercomputing or artificial intelligence.”
Is sacrificing our health and that of our children worth the risks of such short term and short sighted economic gain?
Mining limits proposed, opposed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula – Great Lakes Echo
LANSING, Mich. –Environmental groups in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have proposed a mining initiative to protect the state’s water supply.
But lawmakers representing the U.P. are opposing a ballot measure by environmental groups like the Save Our Water Committee and Save the Wild UP, arguing that sulfide mining would generate jobs.
The initiative claims sulfide and uranium mining threatens water in the Great Lakes basin. Supporters say they do not want to ban mining they just want stricter regulations.
The Great Lakes supply 80 percent of North America’s drinking water, and sulfide mining could harm such sources by draining acid and contaminating the supply for decades, industry critics argue. If passed by voters in November 2010, it would also apply to future mining in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
Great Lakes Chronicles Video – Coaster Brook Trout and More
Toxic Drinking Water, Even Years Later
MSNBC.com had an interesting piece Saturday about how long the negative effects of mining can linger in communities – especially the negative ones such as pollutants that have been linked to cancer and other health issues.
It turns out, after testing, that there’s levels of pollutants 2-10 times the health standard limit in the wells near this mine in Nevada. Although not in this state, we don’t want that to happen to us. Obviously, this is part of what we’re fighting for – to protect our most valuable resource for generations and prevent millions in necessary spending (usually paid for by us, the taxpayer) for cleanup down the line.
Sulfide Mining Issues Subject of Initiative – Mining Gazette
HOUGHTON – Mineral mining in the Upper Peninsula is one of the few industries employing large numbers of people, and proponents of a Michigan ballot initiative currently being circulated say it will protect water without causing the loss of jobs, while opponents say it will effectively end mining in the state.
The initiative is intended as an amendment to Part 632 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
Duncan Campbell, treasurer of the Detroit-based Michigan Save Our Water Committee, which was created in March and is directing the MiWater ballot initiative, said the initiative is not intended to and will not end mining in the state.
“It’s not going to eliminate mining,” he said. “It’s just going to put in protections for water.”
Read the rest of the article: http://www.mininggazette.com/page/content.detail/id/507472.html
