If you’re read our article from the Fall 2017 Green American, “The Back Forty Mine: Is It the Next Standing Rock?”, you’re likely familiar with what’s going on in Upper Michigan. Briefly, Aquila Resources, a Toronto-based company, is trying to site a sulfide mine 150 feet from the banks of the Menominee River.
by Tracy Fernandez Rysavy
The border lands between the North Woods of northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan historically haven’t been a hotbed of environmental activism. The region, populated largely by farming and middle- or working-class families, trends staunchly conservative in states that toggle between red and blue from election to election. People kayak and fish in the summer, ski and snowmobile in the winter, and hunt deer and duck when the law permits them to do so. They don’t attend protests.
April 25, 2018
Mr. Oskar Lewnowski, CIO
Orion Mine Finance Group
1121 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 3000
New York, NY 10036
Dear Mr. Lewnowski:
We are once again writing in regard to Orion’s 14.3% ownership of Aquila Resources’ Back Forty metallic sulfide deposit in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Aquila’s recent press release (March 2, 2018) states that they anticipate a decision on their wetland permit in the first half of 2018. This optimistic assessment has been called into question by the March 8, 2018 letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) stating that the Back Forty project “does not comply with CWA [Clean Water Act] Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines, and EPA objects to the issuance of a permit for this project as proposed” (Christopher Korleski, Director of EPA Water Division to Michigan DEQ).
March 17, 2018
Wisconsin Resources Protection Council
Box 263
Tomahawk, WI 54487
Mr. Sean Roosen, CEO and Chair of Board
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.
1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal
Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec H3B 2S2
Canada
Dear Mr. Roosen:
We are once again writing in regard to Osisko’s 15% ownership of Aquila Resources’ Back Forty metallic sulfide deposit in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. You have undoubtedly seen Aquila’s March 9 permitting update announcing that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has provided comments to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) regarding the company’s wetlands permit.
February 24, 2018
Wisconsin Resources Protection Council
Box 263
Tomahawk, WI 54487
Mr. Sean Roosen, CEO and Chair of Board
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.
1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal
Suite 300
Montreal, Quebec H3B 2S2
Canada
Dear Mr. Roosen,
We are writing in regard to Osisko’s 15% ownership of Aquila Resources’ Back Forty metallic sulfide deposit in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Aquila has promoted the idea that this project is a done deal. However, recent events should give your shareholders cause for concern. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) public hearing on Aquila’s wetland permit demonstrated serious technical problems with the permit application as well as continuing widespread public opposition to this controversial project.
September 1, 2017
Dear WRPC Member and Friends of the Menominee River,
Industrial Acid Mining Bill Proposed
Senators Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and State Rep. Bob Hutton (R-Brookfield) have introduced the Mining for America Act, Senate Bill 395, also known as “Tiffany’s Industrial Acid Mining Bill.” The legislation would repeal Wisconsin’s Prove it First Sulfide Mining Moratorium Law and ease mining regulations to facilitate Aquila Resources’ metallic sulfide prospects in Marathon (the Reef project) and Taylor (the Bend project) counties. Not surprisingly, Aquila consulted with Sen. Tiffany over the language of the bill (http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2017/08/17/bill-end-moratorium-mining-introduced/578570001/) and http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2017/08/22/bill-would-end-wisconsin-moratorium-sulfide-mining-create-easier-path-ease-restrictions-future-minin/587792001/
August 24, 2017
MENOMINEE, Mich. — On a recent, rainy Friday evening, a small crowd of protesters had already dispersed after a few hours of trying to disrupt the weekly fish fry at the popular Ogden Club in downtown Menominee.
The tavern’s second floor no longer serves as office space for the employees of Aquila Resources, but, much to the annoyance of proprietor Robin Quigley, that hasn’t stopped the protesters from gathering outside every week.
By Horst Schmidt
During a July 28, 2017, rally for protecting the Menominee River, water protectors on the Interstate Bridge between Menominee, Mich., and Marinette, Wis., display signs to raise awareness of the threats to the river posed by the projected Aquila Back 40 sulfide mine. (Photos © and courtesy Horst Schmidt, unless otherwise indicated.)
On a beautiful, sunny July afternoon, I headed to the twin cities of Menominee, Michigan, and Marinette, Wisconsin, where the Menominee River flows into Lake Michigan.
by Bill Van Lopik, Community columnist
Post-Crescent, Appleton-Fox Cities
August 12, 2017
One of our most precious resources with living in northeast Wisconsin is our fresh water. We live in the Great Lakes Basin, which contains literally 20 percent of all the fresh water in the world.
After years of abusing this resource by dumping of toxic chemicals into our waterways, we have helped our lakes and waterways make a strong rebound through citizen, governmental and corporate action to clean up our water.
July 13, 2017
Dear WRPC Member and Friends of the Menominee River,
On June 21, 2017 the Brown County Board of Supervisors voted 21-0 to oppose Aquila’s Back Forty metallic sulfide mine project. Brown County, the third largest county in Wisconsin, agreed with mine opponents that the risks of mine pollution in the Menominee River, which empties into Green Bay and eventually into Lake Michigan, outweigh any possible benefits from the proposed mine. Brown County joins Marinette and Menominee County, WI in urging the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to deny a mining permit for the project. Door County will consider a resolution against the project at their next meeting.
