Though it would seem as easy as 1 + 1 = 2, our representatives in Madison continue to debate how to make big strip mines both profitable enough for big corporations and environmentally friendly enough for the people who must live near the big strip mines, some of whom will no doubt work in the mines. Surely there is room for compromise, we say. Except for this fact: big strip mines and nature are as different as war and peace.
Those who think mines will bring prosperity to northern Wisconsin should take a look at what is happening in Finland's north. Clean water and tourism take a hit, while most of the jobs go to outsiders.
ReplyDeleteFinland's biggest chemical catastrophe in history
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/chemical-spill-finland/blog/42935/
Mining Companies Swarm to Finland's Far North
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/mining-boom-underway-in-finland-in-the-search-for-mineral-deposits-a-864561.html
Big strip mines are no more destructive to the environment than your house, city, or highway system. A mining operation is designed with a reclamation plan and is subject to strict environmental regulations. You dig a hole, remove the iron which is necessary to our survival and well being, and then restore the land and vegetation.
ReplyDelete"A mining operation is designed with a reclamation plan and is subject to strict environmental regulations"
ReplyDeleteNot if Scooter can help it.
"You dig a hole, remove the iron which is necessary to our survival and well being, and then restore the land and vegetation"
Or you dig a hole, remove the iron, and leave a big mess that will leach out sulfuric acid for years.
All depends on who's digging and who's watching.