MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – People gathered Thursday at Stephenson Island in Marinette to protest the Back Forty Mine project.
This comes one day after the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality approved two permits for the project. Aquila Resources wants to operate the mine just outside of Menominee, Michigan.
Mine backers support the project, citing the jobs which would be created, while opponents have raised environmental concerns, particularly about water quality issues.
Protesters say Aquila’s Back Forty Mine Project should be stopped.
Cindy Ives spoke to WLUK.
“It’s too close to the Menominee river, it’s 150 feet away.”
Members of the Menominee Indian Tribe joined the protest. They say they are concerned about the potential effect on the environment…and on their sacred grounds.
Carissa Peters is a member of the tribe
“This is the life of our people. When they take this away, they take away the life of our people.”
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality says it carefully reviews all mining permit requests.
Joe Maki is a state mining specialist with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
“We are required to follow the law and uphold the rules, which allow mining under certain… quite frankly strict… conditions. And if a company agrees to those strict conditions, then by law we are required to issue a permit.”Aquila says the project will create hundreds of jobs both in the construction phase, and permanently.
In a statement, Aquila Resources says they believe the DEQ’s decision to approve the first two necessary permits “…reflects Michigan’s commitment to responsible and sustainable resource development that benefits all stakeholders.”
Trbal member Dawn Wilber isn’t so sure.
“They say they’re thinking about it, but that’s probably all they’re doing is thinking about it. And that’s what hurts, because that’s our people.”
The DEQ says multiple public hearings were held before these two permits were approved. And there will be more public hearings once the next two permits are officially applied for.
Protesters say they’ll be there for those future hearings.
