VOLUME 37

SUMMER 2016

ISSUE 2

The Friends mission is to protect, preserve and restore the wilderness character of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
and the Quetico-Superior Ecosystem. The organization was founded in 1976.

Veto of Twin Metals Mining Leases Considered,

Would Protect BWCAW
unless the extension is denied.
By Aaron Klemz, Advocacy Director
The U.S. Bureau of Land ManThe Twin Metals sulfide mine
agement
(BLM) is the federal agency reproposal near Birch Lake is on the edge
sponsible for issuing mineral leases. In
of losing their federal mineral leases.
March, the BLM announced that they
The U.S. Forest Service, deeply
had the discretion to deny Twin Metals
concerned about the inherent risk of
application
to extend these leases for
sulfide mining next to the BWCAW, is
ten more years. The Forest Service
poised to reject the extension of two
must be consulted about mineral leases
mineral leases that Twin Metals needs
in the Forest and can veto a lease
to develop their mine proposal. If the
extension. After the BLM requested the
Forest Service takes this action, Twin Metals
Forest Services opinion about the
would lose large areas of mineral
leases, they announced a thirty-day
rights that are at the center of their
public input period from June 20 July
proposed mine.
20th,
including a public hearing in
The location of these leases presDuluth on July 13th.
ents a clear and present danger to the
This decision is a critical step
BWCAW. One of them includes land
toward permanently protecting the
right up to the edge of the wilderness Thousands attend public hearings on sulfide mining in NE Minnesota.
Boundary Waters Wilderness from sulfide mining and the water
near the South Kawishiwi River. In 2010, Friends of the Boundary Waters
pollution it creates. We applaud the Forest Service for listening to the
discovered that water runoff from test pits dug by INCO in the 1960s
public and taking their responsibility to protect the BWCAW
showed heavy metal pollution and the characteristics of acid mine
seriously, stated Danicic.
drainage. This spring, hydrologist Tom Myers published a peer-reviewed
The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness is working to
article in the Journal of Hydrology that showed that an underground
maximize the number of petition signatures asking for the Forest
mine in this location would quickly contaminate surface waters that flow
Service to protect the BWCAW. Weve launched an online petition and
into the BWCAW. Simply put, the edge of the wilderness is the wrong
an online advertising campaign to drive more signatures. In addition,
place for a sulfide mine.
we
are working to promote and turn out our members and supportThis is a momentous decision for the future of the Boundary
ers to the July 13th public hearing in Duluth.
Waters Wilderness, stated Paul Danicic, Executive Director. Sulfide
This is the best chance weve had in years to get a decision that
mining has an unbroken record of polluting water across the globe.
would protect the Boundary Waters Wilderness from the permanent
These leases represent a dire threat to the lifeblood of the BWCAW,
water pollution that a sulfide mine would create. Your action today is
the quality of its water, and the long-term economic well-being of
critical to support the Forest Service so they can make the right decision
surrounding communities.
for the future of the wilderness. Thanks as always for your support.
Federal mineral leases are given for a twenty-year term, with up to
Your membership and donations make it possible for us to spread the
three renewals of ten years each if mining is occurring. The two expired
word
far and wide about this critical decision. !
leases held by Twin Metals were originally issued in 1966 to mining
company INCO and have changed hands several times over the last
fifty years. Since they were issued in 1966 before the passage of modern
To sign the petition, visit http://bit.ly/notwinmetals
environmental laws, the leases have never received any environmental
To RSVP to the Duluth hearing, visit http://bit.ly/rsvpduluth
review. The last extension was granted in 2004 and expired in 2014, but
To find more information, visit our website at www.friends-bwca.org
since Twin Metals applied for an extension they can continue to operate
Masthead photo: JimBrandenburg.com ! Printed on paper using 100% post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free.

Executive Directors Corner

The recent announcement that
the U.S. Forest Service will consider withholding consent to
renew mineral leases on lands
near the Boundary Waters brings
us closer to realizing our goal of
no sulfide mining within the
BWCAW watershed. We expect a
decision from the agency soon
and thank you for adding your
voice to our petition, supporting
the U.S. Forest Service in taking
this action.
Executive Director, Paul Danicic
The Friends has been working to establish the enabling conditions
for this type of action for years. As a member of the Mining Truth and
Save the Boundary Waters coalitions, Friends staff have worked
tirelessly with local, regional, and national USFS staff, the office of
the Minnesota Governor, the Environmental Protection Agency,
Department of Interior, and Minnesota citizens to identify and
understand the inherent risks of sulfide mining in our Northwoods.
Now, agencies and decision-makers are coming to the realization that
the risks of sulfide mining are simply too great for Minnesotas iconic
border lakes region.
It takes time for people to understand the complexity of the sulfide
mining issue and to realize just what it could mean for their community
and their state. Engagement doesnt happen overnight or without a
great amount of outreach, honest dialogue with diverse perspectives,
and the steadfast use of accurate information. These are three of the
tenants the Friends has used in our advocacy over the years.
This summer, I am proud to say our team is beginning to be recognized for working in new ways. The Friends is currently a finalist for
both the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Advocacy Award and a
national SHIFT Award. The SHIFT Organization is a national coalition
of outdoor recreation and conservation stakeholders working to protect public lands. SHIFT has recognized the Friends as a finalist for their
Non-Profit Leadership Award, selecting our organization from more
than 300 initiatives across North America, for our current BWCA
Wilderness Economic Contribution Analysis project.
The BWCA Wilderness Economic Contribution Analysis is a full-scale
statistical analysis of impact of the BWCAW on local and regional
economies. While wilderness areas have a unique economic contribution compared to other forms of public land, the BWCAW is the
countrys most visited wilderness area and is seen as an exemplary
model of providing sustainable economic value to surrounding
communities. The BWCA Wilderness Economic Contribution Analysis
is being completed during the 2016 season by the Conservation Economics Institute of Boise, ID. Additional financial support has been
provided by the Quetico Superior Foundation.
The BWCAW Economic Contribution Analysis project inspired the
SHIFT team, spurring comments in their evaluations like: [The
Friends study is] the first initiative I've seen to really look at economics
vs wild places, balance and benefit, and, "Economic contribution and
'wilderness' can seem exclusive but [the Friends is] changing that
thought process.
Were honored to be recognized by these leaders in the national
conservation community and I can assure you, our focus remains on
the main thing ensuring a safe and well protected Boundary Waters
Wilderness ecosystem for all to enjoy for years to come.
Thank you for being a central part of our work.!

02

Friends Approach to Towers

on Edge of BWCAW Gets Results
By Tonia Kittelson
In our efforts to protect wild horizons along the edge of the
BWCAW, we believe that our past
efforts have brought forth a new
norm in how tall towers near the
wilderness border need to be. The
Friends has demonstrated that
shorter towers are unobtrusive, do
not require lights, and are still very
effective for emergency radio coverage.
Northern Communities Director,
A few years ago the Friends
Tonia Kittelson
fought a legal battle with AT&T
over the height of a proposed private company cell tower near the
Boundary Waters. We believed that the height of the 450 ft tower and
flashing lights both day and night would negatively impact the wilderness horizons and bird populations. Additionally, financial benefits of
the tower would be directed to a private company that was not based
locally. While our argument supporting a shorter tower won in court,
AT&T appealed the decision and was allowed to build the taller tower
outside of Ely, due to the MN Supreme Courts decision not to hear
the appealed case.
A couple of years later, the MN Department of Transportation was
mandated to put up ARMER emergency radio towers throughout the
state that ensured emergency communication among search and
rescue teams, fire departments, hospitals, etc. While the Friends
supports to goal of the ARMER tower, MNDOT initially proposed a
standard 330-foot tower height, regardless of where individual towers
were to be located. A 330-foot structure meant that towers near the
BWCAW would be lighted day and night and would be seen from 16
miles within the wilderness. When these tall towers were proposed in
Cook County, the Friends worked in collaboration with county
commissioners to approve shorter 180-foot, non-lighted tower design
near the edge of the wilderness. With local citizen support, we helped
achieve excellent emergency communication coverage using a shorter
tower and avoided negative visual impacts in the BWCAW.
The most recent proposal to construct a new ARMER emergency
radio tower is on Superior National Forest land. Known as the Silver
Island Lake tower, the proposed structure is located near the
Hog Creek entry point #36, leading west to Perent Lake and north to
Kawishiwi Lake. However, we are happy to report that the Silver Island
Lake tower has been initially proposed at 180-feet, by the U.S. Forest
Service. The tower will be tall enough to provide effective emergency
communication but short enough to not be seen from within the
BWCAW. The tower also does not need to be lighted, due to its shorter
profile. We applaud the USFS for considering wilderness horizons in
their proposal for the Silver Island Lake tower and look to the project
as a model of balancing emergency communications needs with
the protection of wilderness character.!

Legislative Session
and Downstream Team Recap

Introducing the Friends

First Conservation Fellows

By Sarah McVicar, Bill Rom Advocacy Fellow

This spring, Friends Advocacy Director Aaron Klemz and Bill Rom
Advocacy Fellow Sarah McVicar helped to pioneer the Downstream
Team: a group of citizens from varied backgrounds, interested in
advocating at the policy level for their beloved Boundary Waters and
surrounding areas.
The Teams focus during the legislative session included restoring
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizens Board (eliminated
late last session), securing funding for rural Broadband access and,
perhaps most importantly, defending against pro-mining interests that
might threaten the Boundary Waters, especially the proposed PolyMet
sulfide mining project.
Downstream Team members participated in meetings to learn
about key issues and legislative processes, gained first-hand experience
monitoring hearings both at the Capitol and remotely, connected with
their representatives by phone, email and in person to advocate for
priorities and attended Capitol 101 Day, an event that put them on the
front lines of the political change process.
The Downstream Team learned to play strong defense, acting
behind-the-scenes to influence key players. We met with substantial
success: Ultimately, the legislature secured $35 million in funding for
Broadband (much larger than last years appropriation). Votes in two
Senate committees brought us closer to restoring the MPCA Citizens
Board. Sen. John Marty, an important environmental ally, was active in
the budget negotiations to prevent the budget from being used a
vehicle to undermine environmental protections.
Downstream Team monitoring prevented a sneaky attempt to restrict
citizens right to appeal mine permitting decisions. By identifying the
threat early and getting out an action alert immediately, we prevented
this bill from advancing. We also helped bring to light the pro-mining industry bias of Crowell & Moring, the State of Minnesotas PolyMet
attorneys. Except for one unfavorable bill (specific to the Keewatin
Taconite permit) no changes in the regulation of mining were made.
Working with the Downstream Team, the Friends learned a lot
about increasing the effectiveness of citizen activism and look
forward to building on these efforts next year.!

By Betsy Daub, Science & Conservation Director

In September, five high school students will form the first Conservation
Fellows cohort with the Friends. The Conservation Fellows program is
a 10-month, academic year partnership between the Friends and high
school students of color. The program provides a mentorship experience that introduces students to environmental advocacy, wilderness
and natural resource conservation, and professional networking. In
return, students share with the Friends their cultural perspectives
about nature and wilderness preservation to help our work be ever
more inclusive as we engage Minnesotas diverse population. Here is
a brief introduction to our Fellows. We look forward to working with
them this year and sharing more about their work.
Melissa Garcia Joyful, adventurous, shy, smiley and kind, are
some ways Melissa describes herself. Melissa, a junior at Cretin-Derham
Hall High School in St. Paul, is committed to issues of recycling and
reducing waste and landfill sizes. She is a member of her schools Green
Team where she helps pick up trash, gather recyclables, and help with
the schools landscaping. She loves spending time with her family,
working on their garden and playing sports together. My favorite place
in nature would be somewhere in the woods riding my bike, listening
to birds, touching the flowers, smelling pine cones, and the taste of the
wind. Melissa looks forward to learning more about Minnesotas
environment and wilderness areas, as well as the impact of waste
and littering.
Sofia Lent Sofia is a sophomore at Washburn High School and
hails from Minneapolis. She cares deeply about the environment, especially the importance of composting and the impacts of littering. She fell
in love with the Boundary Waters on a canoe trip where her senses came
alive with the fresh air and sound of the wind in the trees. She likes
writing poetry and playing the piano. As a Conservation Fellow, Sofia looks
forward to exploring more of the outdoors, especially canoeing, as well
as being able to connect with new people and other organizations.
Eva Garcia Eva is a junior at St. Paul Academy and Summit
School where she is a member Common Ground Club, Intercultural
Club, and a co-founder of the Black & Brown Girls Club. As a young
Latina, she is passionate about her culture and diversity. Family and
friends are likely to characterize her as caring, a good-hearted, and valuing fairness and justice. The Boundary Waters and Camp du Nord are
some of her favorite places. If Eva had $1,000, she would donate it to
Camp du Nord so that more families can experience the wilderness.
As a Conservation Fellow, Eva is looking forward to learning about the
role of government and politics in regards to wilderness conservation.
Yasmine Hirsi Yasmine is a senior at the School of Environmental
Studies in Apple Valley, where she has helped collect pond data that she
and her classmates presented to the City of Eagan. Yasmine is very fond
of wilderness and nature, and feels compelled to take action against
threats that wilderness faces. As a Conservation Fellow, she hopes to
help inform people that wilderness, especially the Boundary Waters, is
a sacred space. As fellow travelers on Planet Earth, Yasmine notes, We
all have an attachment to it, whether it is small or big and so we should
all be working together to help preserve the small percentage of wilderness that we have left. We should be working as one community.
Nicholas Nicome Nicholas is a sophomore at DeLaSalle High
School and has a strong interest in photography. He is also passionate
about the Boundary Waters. As a result of his many trips to the BWCAW,
Nicholas was nominated to participate on a special leadership trip for
showing leadership skills, a willingness to learn and work hard, and a
sense of curiosity. He would like to work to protect the BWCAW and make
it accessible for people of all backgrounds. I know that I can share my
enthusiasm and love of the BWCA and make a difference for others. !

Friends Nominated for

MCN Non-Profit Advocacy Award
The Friends of the Boundary Waters
Wilderness is honored to share that
we are a finalist for the Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits Mission
Award for our advocacy work. The
award recognizes advocacy as one of
the most effective and unique roles of
nonprofit organizations. We have been
nominated for our work with Mining
Truth, a coalition with Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
and Conservation Minnesota, to bring together a cross-section of
Minnesotans to ensure people across the state know about sulfide
mining and its risks to Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters. The
coalition has actively provided factual information and stories from
Minnesotans who would be impacted by the proposed mines to
elected leaders, as well as built the population of citizens needed
to enable leaders to make tough decisions.
The winner will announced later this summer. !

FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS ! SUMMER 2016

03

New Science E-Newsletter

Preserving the Boundary Waters area and its wildlife means staying
informed on current research and scientific findings. The Friends has
initiated a new quarterly science e-newsletter to provide our members
with summaries of some of the most relevant and interesting research
happening in and around the BWCAW. If you would like to be a regular
recipient of this e-newsletter and receive summaries like the one below
on moose and fire, email Betsy Daub at betsy@friends-bwca.org.

Science & Conservation

Summer Interns
This summer the Friends is hosting two student interns from Macalester
College, working with our Science and Conservation program.

A Story of Moose and Fire

Several of Minnesotas recent large-scale forest fires may be offering

important habitat to the states moose population. While scientists
continue to investigate the moose population decline in northeastern
MN (down 60% over the last decade) recent surveys show an increase
in moose numbers in recently burned areas. Past burned areas from
forest fires at Pagami Creek, Ham Lake, Cavity Lake, and the prescribed
fire at Trout Lake in Cook County, show noticeable increases in moose
numbers, sometimes two, three, or even seven times as many moose
as non-burned areas. It also seems that bigger disturbed areas are more
beneficial than smaller ones. Scientists agree this potential relationship
needs additional investigation, as well as how it links with findings
showing health-related moose mortality factors. !

Lorna Sherwood Caballero is helping the Friends develop our

high school Conservation Fellows program curriculum for our first
Conservation Fellows cohort beginning in September. Lorna is a junior
at Macalester and grew up in New York City. She is an Environmental
Studies major with an emphasis in International Environment and
Development. She is minoring in Latin American Studies and hopes to
study abroad in Costa Rica in the 2017 spring semester. Lorna has a
strong interest in social environmental issues and sustainability and
development. Lorna is also on the Macalester cross-country and track
and field teams, and is interested in studio art.

GuideStar Gold Designation

The Friends is honored to
announce that we have
achieved a GuideStar Gold
Certification. GuideStar is a
national organization that
works to advance non-profit
transparency and empowers
donors to make informed decisions about their giving. As a
Gold organization, the Friends
has demonstrated a high-level commitment to transparency, fiscal
responsibility, and program effectiveness.
To view the Friends GuideStar report, visit
www.guidestar.org/profile/36-3414821 !

04

Alia Baitie is developing several communication pieces for the

Friends about climate change and its impacts on the wilderness,
wildlife, and human communities. She is a junior at Macalester and
was born in Ghana. Alia is studying Environmental Studies and
French. She is interested in the impact of climate change, how it
affects different communities, and the spread of information about
its effects. When she is not coping with Minnesotas winters, she can
be found exploring the Twin Cities literary scene or trying to find
the best bnh m in town. !

Friends Welcomes New Staff

Macalester Fellows Explore

Economic Development in NE MN
By Alyssa Erding, Ethan Howard, & Jack McCarthy

New Friends staffer Rachel Wagner.

In May, the Friends happily welcomed Rachel Wagner to our staff as

our new Administrative & Communications Coordinator. Rachel
earned her Bachelors degree in Global Studies and Womens Studies
at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Her interest in ecological
justice was fueled after studying abroad in India where she witnessed
the effects of corporate interests on small farmers and the impact of
climate change on marginalized communities. After graduation, she
interned on an organic community supported agriculture (CSA) farm
in Washington State to learn more about sustainable living. Following
her season on the farm, Rachel served as the program and communications assistant for Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest in Portland,
Oregon and briefly served on the board of Aurora Chorus, a non-profit
womens peace choir. Prior to joining the Friends, Rachel worked at
The Advocates for Human Rights in Minneapolis. Rachel enjoyed her
first trip to the Boundary Waters on her honeymoon and is excited to
work with the Friends to protect and preserve its wilderness character.
At home, Rachel enjoys gardening with her husband, knitting/crocheting, and exploring all the natural beauty Minnesota has to offer.!

Proescholdt Releases
New Collection of Essays
In Glimpses of Wilderness, Kevin Proescholdt,
former Friends Executive Director, pulls readers
into a series of tales illuminating silent and
beautiful landscapes from a perspective of one
who has logged a lifetime of wilderness travel.
These are not just travelogue type vignettes
from wildernesses areas, but deep reflections
offering immersion into one wilderness in
particular the authors beloved Boundary
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. There is
more to each story than a simple description of events. Each essay is wrapped
with its own theme like the mists on
a mirror-like wilderness lake envelop a
solitary canoe. Through each one comes a
descriptive and authoritative voice on the importance,
fragility, and haunting beauty of the BWCAW.
Autographed copies of Glimpses of Wilderness can be purchased
on Proescholdts website, www.kevinproescholdt.com !
FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS ! SUMMER 2016

Mac Fellows Jack, Alyssa, and Ethan.

How does one attempt to answer the complex question of the

most sustainable and resilient way to develop an economy? Ask a
group of three Macalester students (thats us!) to research economic
development in resource-dependent regions.
Historically, places like the Iron Range, Appalachia, and the
Bakken oil fields have provided the ore and energy needed to build
our modern society. Despite its important role, the Iron Range has
a long history of economic booms and busts that leave it with a
median income $6,000 below the Minnesota average (U.S Census
Bureau 2010). So, how do we move away from this unreliable
economic model? This is the question that we three summer fellows
(Ethan, Alyssa, and Jack) hope to answer. Our project will identify
regions similar to northeastern Minnesota and highlight the most
effective ways these places foster community-based economic
development.
By the end of our ten week fellowship, we will have created a
website containing the most promising rural development strategies
and initiatives being pursued across the country, maybe even the
world. We believe that this project will be a powerful resource for
groups and individuals interested in diversifying their economy,
explaining the ways various places are capitalizing upon local aspects
of their region, economy, history, environment, and community.
This resource will present the entire Friends of the Boundary Waters
network with novel, innovative, and practical strategies that will
broaden and add to the discussion around the many ways local
communities around the Wilderness can pursue sustainable
economic development. Paddle over to the Friends website at the
end of July for the release of our final report!!

05

2nd Annual Wild & Scenic

Film Festival

This fall, the Friends is proud to host our

second annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival
for two screenings in Minneapolis and Duluth.
As one of the largest environmental film
festivals in North America, the Wild & Scenic
Film Festival highlights films that inspire
adventure, bring together diverse audiences,
and serve as a catalyst for collaborative
action to protect wild landscapes.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival will be held on September 9 at the
Varsity Theater in Minneapolis and September 16 at the Zeitgeist Center
in Duluth. This years screenings will feature films about ultrarunning
through Patagonia, a 1,500 km canoe journey across northern Canada,
and the story of the first African-American expedition to summit Denali.
Come, get inspired, and help support the Friends work to protect our
own Boundary Waters Wilderness.
To purchase advance tickets to the Minneapolis screening, visit
wildscenicmpls2016.eventbrite.com.
For advance tickets to the Duluth screening, visit
wildscenicduluth2016.eventbrite.com !

Don't Miss Out on Updates

More and more often we hear from members who arent
receiving our e-newsletter or other emails. Sometimes,
these emails end up in the Promotions or Spam
email folder, especially if you use Googles Gmail. Take a moment
and check these folders and mark our email as not spam.
We have over 12,000 Facebook followers, but Facebook
doesnt always show our posts to everybody. Want to see
every post in your feed? Go to our page Friends of the
Boundary Waters Wilderness and click on the box that says
Liked then choose See First in your newsfeed. !

Boundary Waters Photo Contest

2016 Winners

Just a Little Portage by Tracy Ashley, Grand Portage

Winner: Best in Show, People in the BWCAW

Our Friends in Camp by Jessica Griffin,

Caribou Lake
Winner: Wildlife

Lucky Lure by Jason Hedlund

Winner: Close-Up

Relaxed, Yet Observant by Ben Harris,

Long Island Lake
Winner: Paws in the BWCAW

Mockin by Noah Linck,

Lake Saganaga
Winner: Campsite Life

Sun Shines Through the Clouds

by Mary Jo Johnson, Basswood Lake
Winner: Sunrise/Sunset

Northern Lights Over Whiskey Jack Lake

by Matt Stroozas, Whiskey Jack Lake
Winner: Landscapes

To view the winning 2016 photos online, visit

http://bit.ly/BWCAWPhotoContest2016 !

06

The Twin Metals mining project

near the Boundary Waters is probably dead
By Ron Meador, Originally printed in MinnPosts Earth Journal,
June 17, 2016
We may well have heard the death knell this week for sulfide mining
upstream from the Boundary Waters wild lakes and rivers.
Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) certainly sees that prospect in the
U.S. Forest Services announcement on Monday that the agency might
not consent to renewal of two expired mineral leases that would allow
TMM to mine for copper, nickel and other precious metals in the
Superior National Forest, and will take public comments on the matter
for 30 days beginning Sunday.
In a retort issued Tuesday, TMM said the announcement suggests
a disturbing predisposition or bias in opposition to granting renewal
of TMMs mineral leases, even before the agency conducts its
announced public process.
The company also objects to the public process, because it feels
the Forest Services general and arbitrary concerns about potential
environmental impacts related to mining in the region are being raised
prematurely and inappropriately. It much prefers to have the leases
renewed automatically and to postpone all environmental
assessment until a detailed mining plan is ready for review.
The Forest Services concerns may indeed be general sweeping,
you could say but they are anything but arbitrary. In language I found
unusually strong for such a document, the announcement lays them
out like so:
The Forest Service is deeply concerned by the location of
the leases within the same watershed as the Boundary Waters
Canoe Area Wilderness, and by the inherent risks associated with
potential copper, nickel and other sulfide mining operations
within that watershed. Those risks exist during all phases of mine
development, implementation and long-term closure and
remediation.
Potential impacts to water resources include changes
in water quantity and quality, contamination from acid
mine drainage, and seepage of tailings water, tailings
basin failures and waste rock treatment locations.
A final determination on consent has not been made, the
announcement said, and the ultimate decision on the leases is up to
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which has authority over the
underground minerals; the Forest Service gets a vote because it is
responsible for the surface resources.
To better understand the procedural issues here including TMMs
contention that environmental review is out of place I thought Id
better check in with Mike Dombeck, the only person ever to head both
the BLM (1994 to 1997) and the Forest Service (1997 to 2001).
I reached him Wednesday afternoon by phone in Stevens Point,
Wisconsin, where he grew up and, after his federal service, returned
to teach at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. I began by asking
him if he, too, read the announcement to indicate that the Forest
Service was inclined to reject the renewals. "Typically the language
would be more neutral, yes," he said. "What probably has happened is,
the Forest Service has already received a lot of comments opposing
this. And when you have the governor opposed, and Walter Mondale
editorializing against ... Still, the agency is required by law to go through
a public comment period.
"Another thing thats atypical is theyre expecting such high turnout
[at a listening session in Duluth on July 13] that theyre limiting comments to three minutes and using a lottery to allocate the time."

MinnPost: Given the substantial concerns already enumerated

here, it seems rather unlikely that
the public comment process will
produce new information that
would change the Forest Services
thinking. Is that a fair assumption?
Mike Dombeck: Yes, I think thats
fair. But its a process theyre required
to go through under NEPA [the National
Environmental Protection Act of 1970], Mike Dombeck
to be sure they've heard all the opinions that people want to give.
MP: These leases were first granted in 1966, before NEPA
required a review of impacts in mine siting decisions, and Twin
Metals argues that its unusual and improper to consider those
impacts before the mining plan is prepared. Youve been at
both BLM and the Forest Service is it somehow peculiar to
consider environmental factors at the stage of granting a
mineral lease?
MD: I would say not. Particularly when you have a high-value, highly
visible area of high potential risk.
I mean, how many places in the West and all over the country have
we killed with acid mine drainage, including a fair number of Superfund
sites, like the pit at Butte, Montana. And then theres the issue of
whether were dealing with a mineral thats very rare. Copper or nickel,
well, theres plenty of it around. Certainly not a shortage of it.
Speaking just as John Q. Citizen now: Why would you risk this in
an area where it could be so detrimental, when there are so many other
places around the country you can get the same thing, that are already
leased or in production?
MP: Environmentalists often say, in rebuttal to arguments
like TMMs, that once a mining lease is granted, it carries
certain presumptions that limit the governments ability to
just say no to a mine regulators can require that construction, operation and closure be done in certain ways, but they
can no longer decide that any mining at all would be too
dangerous. Is that a fair assessment?
MD: Yes, but its a two-way street. If youre the company, and
theres a high probability of being told no, would you want to invest a
significant amount of money in a detailed plan when theres a high
probability it would be money wasted?
If youre not going to be able to do it, youre better off knowing
that right up front, so you can put your money and resources
someplace else.
MP: And I guess avoid the sort of situation we saw at Bristol
Bay in Alaska, with the EPA decision against the Pebble Mine?
MD: In a sense, yes, but theres a big difference that mining was
on private lands. If there had been public lands involved, the project
would never have gotten that far.
At Bristol Bay the legal authority didnt rest with a BLM, a Forest
Service, a state agency, to move forward or not move forward in an
extremely sensitive area, a salmon fishery thats probably one of the
best in the world even Sen. Ted Stevens was opposed to the
Pebble mine when he was alive.
So it wasnt about protecting a national forest or a national
park. It was a decision based on environmental quality rather than
land use. !
Ron Meador is a former Executive Director of Friends.

FRIENDS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS ! SUMMER 2016

07

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Organization

Minneapolis, MN 55401-1475

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The Friends of the Boundary Waters newsletter

is printed on paper using 100% post-consumer waste,
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Mike Tincher, T DESIGN

STAFF:

Paul Danicic, Executive Director

Betsy Daub, Science and Conservation Director
Tonia Kittelson, Northern Communities Director
Aaron Klemz, Advocacy Director
Cori Mattke, Membership and
Operations Director
Rachel Wagner, Administrative and
Communications Coordinator
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Nicholas Banovetz
Margo Brownell
Paul Fate
Mark Hennessy, Secretary
Holly Jenkins
Dick Krueger, Treasurer
Tim Lewis
Tony Lockhart
Tom Mahlum, Chair
Dan Pauly, Vice Chair
Steve Safranski
Kaj Thompson
Kim Young
HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS:

Richard Flint
ADVISORY COUNCIL:

Chel Anderson
Lee Frelich
Jim Furnish
Bill Hansen
Frank Jewell
Lynn McClure
Steve Piragis
Kevin Proescholdt
Sue Schurke
Minnesota Environmental Fund
Helps Protect the BWCAW

If your company does not have MEF as a giving

option, please contact Friends at 612-332-9630.

Get advance tickets now to the

Wild & Scenic Film Festival
This fall, the Friends is proud to host our second annual Wild
& Scenic Film Festival.
To purchase advance tickets to the Minneapolis screening, visit
wildscenicmpls2016.eventbrite.com.
For advance tickets to the Duluth screening, visit
wildscenicduluth2016.eventbrite.com !

Leave a Legacy
Keep the Wilderness Forever Wild
The Friends is excited to introduce the Forever Wild Society,
a league of donors recognized for their commitment to supporting
the BWCAW through planned giving.
Benefits of membership include special updates and communications from the Friends office, invitations to private events, and the
knowledge that your contributions will help us ensure the long-term
protection of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. By including the
Friends in your estate plans, you will continue to provide the
necessary funding for our ongoing projects including our work on
sustainable development in northern communities, campsite and
portage management in the wilderness, internship opportunities
for young advocates, and the sponsorship of conservation focused
youth paddling experiences.
Designating the Friends in your will is not difficult, and we are happy to
discuss planned giving options with you. We hope you will help us ensure that the wilderness
has an advocate for years to come, and that our grandchildren are able to enjoy the same
life-changing Boundary Waters experiences we have known.
For more information, contact Cori Mattke at cori@friends-bwca.org or call 612-332-9630.
If you have already made a bequest to the Friends, please let us know so we can thank you
for your contribution and welcome you to the Forever Wild Society. !