FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

Friday, January 8, 2021 

CONTACTS

Al Gedicks, Wisconsin Resource Protection Council, (608) 784-4399

Dale Burie, Coalition to Save the Menominee, (615) 512-3506

Guy Reiter, Menikanaehkem (715) 853-2776

Ron Henriksen, Front 40 Environmental Group, frontforty2016@aol.com

Kathleen Heideman, Mining Action Group, info@savethewildup.org

Dave Harmon, Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition, upec@upenvironment.org

Carl Lindquist, Superior Watershed Partnership, (906) 228-6095

Sulfide Mine Permit Denied: “A Win for Wetlands” 

MARQUETTE, MI – Regional environmental groups are celebrating the news that a disputed Wetlands Permit for Aquila Resources’ Back Forty sulfide mine has been denied by a Michigan Administrative Law Judge, concluding a two year review of the contested case. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) sparked controversy when it approved Aquila’s Wetlands Permit in 2018, over the objections of regulatory staff who were prepared to deny the permit. 

DEQ Director Approves Aquila Back Forty Mine Wetland Permit, Ignores DEQ’s Own Objections

STEPHENSON, MI — Environmental groups are crying foul over Monday’s decision by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to approve the Aquila Back Forty Wetland Permit. In a joint statement, the Mining Action Group (MAG) of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC), the Front 40 Environmental Fight, and numerous regional environmental groups say they are outraged by the unwarranted approval and are calling on DEQ Director to explain her decision.

“This smells rotten. Director Grether’s approval of the Aquila Back Forty Wetland permit was a political act, directly contradicting the recommendation of DEQ’s own Water Resources Division (WRD). This permit is inconsistent with the Clean Water Act,” said Kathleen Heideman of the Mining Action Group.