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A Promise Kept

Frank Moe arrived at the steps of the State Capitol today after a 350-mile sled dog voyage that started in Grand Marais to raise awareness about sulfide mining pollution. 

"Well, we did it.  After eight days and 350 miles on the trail, I pulled up to the steps of the state capitol this morning just as Larry Long was playing his newest song, Generations 2 Come, which he wrote specifically about this issue and this trip.  As a shameless plug for my good friend Larry, you can listen to the song on his website.  

In our travels, we experienced all sorts of weather, from deep, fresh snow in the north woods to dry trails cleared by the 60 degree temperatures that beat us to the Twin Cities by a few days. We also experienced the amazing support and hospitality of friends new and old all along the trial.  We spoke with snowmobilers who were unaware of plans to mine so close to the Boundary Waters, many of whom would later appear at our events along the way.  And we had people at random spots all along the trail come out to cheer us on as we came through.  All this love and support really did help drive home exactly why we were doing this. The people of Minnesota are beginning to catch on that these mining proposals will trade a decade of profits for generations of environmental devastation, and it is a trade that no one who lives here should want to make.  

These multi-national mining corporations are preying on us in northern Minnesota because they know we are desperate for an economic kick start and more jobs. They were probably also hoping that a guy like me wouldn't hop on his dog sled and shine a spotlight on the strings that are attached to the proposals they are offering.  In every other place that these companies have tried to do this sort of mining, they have done extensive harm to the environment, and without fail, they have snuck out of town before the bill arrives for the cleanup.  They create shell corporations to run the mines, and conveniently go bankrupt before the state can recover any of the costs of cleanup. One of the companies with a proposal has hired the BP executive who was at the helm in 2010 when oil started spewing into the Gulf of Mexico to be their safety and environmental consultant. Another has hired the company charged with safety inspections on the 35W and Martin Sabo pedestrian bridges at the time of their collapse.  It would be funny if it weren't so truly scary.  

This mining would create extreme amounts of sulfuric acid which would leach into the soil and watersheds and these proposals are all located dangerously close to the Boundary Waters and Lake Superior.  We need jobs, but the price they are asking us to pay is much too steep.  Currently tens of thousands of people work in Minnesota's tourism industry, and it is estimated that 200,000 people visit the Boundary Waters each year.  It stands to reason that were the waters to become contaminated with sulfuric acid, both of these numbers would drop rather substantially.  And then the ripple effect would hit the towns that depend on tourism and extend out from there.  We need jobs, but not like this.  

There were hundreds of people waiting and cheering on the capitol steps when I arrived, and from the podium, I renewed my promise to march inside to the Governor's office and personally deliver the petitions to Governor Dayton.  As soon as I arrived, his staff offered to take the petitions to him, but I declined their kind offer, so that I could keep my promise to deliver them to the Governor myself.  A short time later, the governor came out, warmly greeted me, and accepted the signatures of the 13,000 Minnesotans who joined our campaign against sulfide mining.  

Our fight against sulfide mining can not end today.  I plan to head back north this afternoon, and after a hot shower, a warm meal and a good night's sleep, I'm going to get back to work finding new and more ingenious ways to convince the state not to accept the terrible offer the mining companies are making to the residents of Minnesota.

Thanks to everyone who helped support this trip along the way.  The dogs and I had an amazing time, and through all the public events, trailside chats and media attention, I know that our voice on this issue has been heard loud and clear. Now we need to make sure that our elected officials take our message to heart.  Our future prosperity depends on it."

See more pictures from Frank's Trip on Conservation Minnesota's Facebook Page.

We're almost there

Frank Moe recaps day seven of his 350-mile sled dog adventure to raise awareness about sulfide mining pollution.  Keep tabs on Frank’s progress by following Conservation Minnesota on Twitter, Facebook, or on CM's website.

"It is really hard to believe that tomorrow morning we will come pulling up to the steps of the state capitol. We've covered well over 300 miles thus far, and the dogs are running like they are just starting to get warmed up.  Today was a shorter day, but also one of our more difficult on the trail.  While our early days running through the woods up north provided us with an abundance of snow, yesterday's near 60 degree temperatures have left our patches of snow few and far between. And now that we are in the metro area, the trails themselves are becoming more and more interesting.  Today in Forest Lake we had to traverse a shopping mall parking lot. It was a new experience for all of us. 

When it comes to new experiences, the focus of this trip is to talk about sulfide mining which would also be a new experience for all Minnesotans. But it is hardly a new technology.  Indeed, sulfide mining has been done around the world, and its results are very consistent.  The multi-national corporations always seem to turn big profits, they always leave behind a toxic mess and they always find some method of bankruptcy protection for the shell corporation in charge of the mines that leaves the state and its taxpayers on the hook for the cleanup.  

There are a few things Minnesotans need to know about the companies that are asking the legislature and governor to let them mine sulfide metals from the edges of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Glencore, which wants to mine in a wetland in the Lake Superior watershed near Hoyt Lakes, has brought aboard Tony Hayward as their "Executive expert in charge of environment and safety"  Why does the name Tony Hayward ring a bell?  He is the former BP executive who was at the helm when the BP oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico.  He famously told reporters after the spill that he, "Wanted to get his life back."  Apparently overseeing mining in Minnesota is part of this plan.  And another major project, the Twin Metals mine that would be located a few miles from the BWCAW, has recently retained URS Consulting to do their environmental impact study.  URS is the company that was in charge of inspecting both the 35W bridge and the Sabo pedestrian bridge when they each collapsed.  Maybe bridges isn't their thing, and they will have better luck in the mining business.  

These mines are very predatory as they are coming into an economically depressed region of the state and making all sorts of promises about the jobs they will create.  And I have no doubt that, were they allowed to proceed, they would create jobs.  But for how long?  And are we really willing to risk the pristine nature of the Boundary Waters and the safety of Lake Superior which is still recovering from the Reserve Mining fiasco for a decade of employment?  Tens of thousands of Minnesotans currently make their livings off the tourism trade in Northern Minnesota.  I have to believe that the tourism industry will suffer greatly if suddenly our land is ripped bare and our lakes contaminated with runoff sulfuric acid from mines run by people with the worst possible track records. 

It is important that our legislative leaders and our governor take a long hard look at these mining proposals, and what they would mean to the average Minnesotan.  That is why I have been on my dog sled for the past week, and that is why I will be in the Governor's office tomorrow to deliver petitions from 10,000 Minnesotans who oppose the idea of sulfide mining in our recreational nirvana.  If you want to check out the festivities, there will be live music and speakers starting at 10:30 on the lower mall in front of the state capitol, and, provided we don't hit any snags, I hope to pull up on the capitol lawn right around 11 a.m.  I encourage everyone to come out to hear what we have to say, meet the dogs (who are the true stars of this trip) and, if you are so inclined, sign a petition to tell our leaders that we won't trade short jobs for long term destruction of our wilderness."

Frank's Dog Spotlight: 

Tina is Acorn and Winnie's daughter and the most social of any of our dogs.  She loves attention but is also the one to bark the loudest when dinner is on the way.  When I pull the hook and get the dogs going, she is always off like a shot, and she will pull as hard and as fast as any dog we have.  A few years back, we decided to have a litter of pups with Tina and Fly.  Expecting five, she brought us ten, and every last dog from that litter has been a great dog for us."

Help When Help Is Needed

"Today we crossed the 300 mile mark on our trip, and while most Minnesotans reveled in the unseasonably warm weather, our travels were slowed a bit by the rapidly dissipating snow. By the time we reached North Branch tonight, the dogs, the sled and I were all soaked to the bone. But despite the growing lack of snow, the dogs remain very excited to be out on the trail doing what they love. And while we had no real public events planned for the day, with every passing town we are seeing more and more people coming out to cheer us on as we pass through. We got an unexpected break today in Pine City as the trail which was supposed to cross a frozen lake brought us to the edge of a lake that was decidedly not frozen. While I was feeding the dogs an extra serving of soup to keep them hydrated, a local resident made a call to the president of the local snowmobile club who came out and gave us some advice on how to get back on track.

And this is the lesson that has us hoping that the state's elected officials will do the right thing and stand up to the powerful allure of quick income from mining jobs that will decimate northern Minnesota's tourism economy. The new breed of mining that is being discussed right now is unlike any that has ever been tried in this state before. Sulfide mining extracts copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide ores. But unlike Minnesota's traditional iron ore mining, when rain falls on iron ore tailings, the most toxic byproduct is rust. When rain falls on sulfide ore tailings, the result is toxic sulfuric acid. This acid leeches into the soil and flows into our lakes and rivers. There are major multi-national corporations proposing to do this sort of mining in locations mere miles from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, as well as in an 800 acre wetland near Hoyt Lakes that lies in the Lake Superior watershed. There are 30,000 people in Northern Minnesota who make their livings off the tourism industry. Is it really worth risking our pristine lakes and wilderness for a few hundred temporary jobs that will only last as long as these companies can profit from our lands? And in places where this has been tried, the industry has a terrible track record of bankrupting whatever shell corporation they created to run the mine, and skipping town before cleaning up the toxic messes they leave behind. Just like me earlier in the trail, today all the people of Minnesota need help. And it is up to the legislature and the Governor to provide it by standing up to these companies and saying that even in a tough economy, we will not trade everything that makes this state special for a few temporary jobs.

The Seven Generations

Frank Moe recaps day five of his 350-mile sled dog adventure to raise awareness about sulfide mining pollution. Keep tabs on Frank’s progress by following Conservation Minnesota on Twitter, Facebook, or on our website.

With the Native American drum circle from Grand Portage sending us off from Grand Marais and then another from Fond Du Lac welcoming us into Duluth last night, it is clear that we have a great deal of support from the state's native people. And it only makes sense. There is a tradition in Native American cultures that calls for tribal elders to think of seven generations when they are faced with any important decision. It is a mode of thinking that could be really valuable to today's elected officials, but unfortunately, political thought in this day and age seems to extend only as far as the next election. The mining proposals we are faced with could really benefit from taking a longer view at the real consequences of the proposed actions.

If one wants to truly behold the beauty of Northern Minnesota, the early miles of the Minger Trail on the outskirts of Duluth are a great place to start. It climbs gradually out of the St Louis River Valley and enters the boreal forest. With the dogs running as well as they were today, we soon found ourselves leaving the boreal for a more mixed forest with an occasional farm dotting the landscape. We covered a lot of ground with a run of about 67 miles. I admit that I was starting to get tired as we moved into our seventh hour on the trail, but the dogs seemed as fresh as ever, and they were begging me to keep going. While I am the one getting all the credit, it is truly the dogs who deserve the praise for delivering these petitions to St. Paul.

This trip also would not be at all possible without my support crew of Mark Luttinen, Adam Harju and Jerry Vanek. They get up early every morning to help with the dogs, travel ahead and make sure that all road crossings are clear, and are up with me until the wee hours of the night helping get the dogs settled for the night. We're about two-thirds of the way through our 350 mile voyage, and while I am really tired after another long day, seeing the dogs for the first time each morning gives me that extra little shot of energy I need to get back on the trail."

Frank's Dog Spotlight:

Photo courtesy of Joi Electa from Silver Bay. joielecta.com