Major Tues. event against sulfide mine on WI-MI border

An important communication and action plan from a friend about a toxic sulfide mining proposal headed for the Menominee River

at the Michigan-Wisconsin border just arrived. 

Since the Walkerites just opened the Wisconsin to this kind of toxic mining, what is playing out just across the border in Michigan will be coming to a freshly-contaminated Wisconsin wetland or stream or watershed near you.

My friend writes:
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There is a public, pivotal wetlands permit hearing in Stephenson, Michigan on the controversial Back Forty Mine mine proposed for the Michigan side of the Menominee River which borders Wisconsin. 

There will be a full house at the Stephenson, Michigan High School at 6 PM. 

Menominee youth will lead a 3 PM march from the Stephenson library to the school. Due to distance and weather tonight, some people cannot attend. Please share these Action Steps.

WHAT CAN DO EVEN IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND:

1) Watch the Indian Country News live stream of the event. Go to the following link any time  to see background material and to sign up for a notice. Return to it at 5:50 PM Tuesday when the public hearing is to start. You might try earlier in case there is footage of the march and press conference. Go to 

http://www.indiancountrynews. com/index.php/tv/14486-live- broadcast-notice-back-forty- wetlands-permit-hearing-jan- 23-2018

2) By February 2nd file your comment against the granting of a wetland permit. 

First go to http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/ 682476/788dd739a6/ARCHIVE  which explains the Red Flags found in Aquila's most recent permit application. There is a site there so you can read the entire technical review by by the Center for Science in Public Participation, made possible by many Michigan watchdog groups, fishing businesses, environmentalists. They also attach links to help you write your objection which include the wetland permit request http://bit.ly/ DEQBack40Wetlandpermit and the guidelines written comments http://bit.ly/ Wetland-comments.   Be careful as your comment must be about why the WETLAND permit should not be granted. 

3) Get background information beyond the wetland issue. First watch this 2 minute short cartoon film about sulfide mines in general: https://vimeo.com/ 232569399 developed through the Wisconsin River Alliance. 

Hear from the Menominee in 4 minute segments. Start by hearing the youth speak: 

"As a Menominee I have the obligation to protect my ancestors... It matters so much. We need you. The earth needs you... If you have been waiting for a sign, this is your sign. This is the time for us to stand together... in defense with our mother. What are you going to do?"  https://livestream.com/ IndianCountryTV/events/ 7070263/videos/167885806      

Then watch a Call for Action with Anahkwet Guy Reiter and Dawn Wilber explain why they will stand up to the machines if necessary. 

They explain how the Back Forty mine would destroy the ancestral homelands of the Menominee Nation, their ancient village sites and burials. "They saw the animal pelts and took them, then saw the trees and took them, and now the rocks - the oldest of our relatives."

https://www.facebook.com/paul. demain/videos/1021109980579261 6/

Then other Menominee voices share our common purpose.

https://www.facebook.com/paul. demain/videos/1021098615999154 2/ 

Chair of Menominee Nation, Gary Besaw: "We are the Land" 

https://www.facebook.com/paul. demain/videos/1021098783243335 2/ Burton Warrington outlines some "legal positioning." 

https://www.facebook.com/paul. demain/videos/1021099339709246 5/  Video#2 Chair Gary Besaw thanks for those supporting the No Back Forty Mine effort. "Slowly our numbers grow...." 

https://www.facebook.com/paul. demain/videos/1021099425503391 3/ Anahkwet Guy Reiter  "Why Menominee people help preserve the Menominee River for everybody"

4) Go to http://wxpr.org/post/ mining-101-seminar-slated- minocqua#stream/0 to find out how town boards and county boards are learning about sulfide mining in Wisconsin.

While not likely to be complete, this “Mining 101” seminar is in Minocqua on January 24th 9 AM. For example, Township of Lynne in Oneida County has “a 7.5 to 8 million ton massive sulfide deposit of which approximately 6 million tons is amendable to open pit extraction.” 

The new Toxic Mining law go into effect in July, so there is only precious time for counties to craft their own mining regulations on non-ferrous metallic mining. 

5) Write to the main investors in Aquila Resources for this project. This is how most of these awful projects are stopped. Investors want to know there is a social contract (general acceptance of a project) so there will not delays or lawsuits. 

Take a few minutes to call or email the five companies investing in Aquila. Let them know that there is widespread public opposition to this attack on Native peoples, and this attack on all who depend on water. Every one of us can take 3 or 4 minutes to email or phone the following major investors in Aquila Resources and let them know we will fight any open pit sulfide mine. Contact info at:

 https://www.facebook.com/owrW olfRiver/photos/a.202280459133 7913.1073741828.20225396980310 69/2029183330700039/?type=3&th eater

6) Contact your legislators, legislative candidates and governor candidates about their position on the pro-mining bill that passed (SB 395/AB 499). It reversed what many legislators and our Governor did 20 years ago when enacting the "Prove it First" protection of our land and water from toxic sulfide mining.

Thank State Reps. Todd Novak(R)-Dodgeville, Jeff Mursau(R)-Crivitz, Patrick Snyder(R)-Schofield, & Travis Tranel(R)-Platteville who broke with their Republican colleagues to vote "No."

The only Republican Senator voting "No" was Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay).  All Democrats in both houses voted against dangerous sulfide mining.

http://conservationvot ers.org/newsitems/1182017- with-elections-just-a-year- away-legislature-abandons-wisc onsin-families/