News

Mesabi Daily News
April 3, 2010

The ongoing debate about the proposed PolyMet Mining project has produced some very specific, well-researched claims and counterclaims.

Unfortunately, the contention that all Tribal governments oppose the project is not one of them. "Indians" cannot and should not be lumped together as one homogenous group. While it is true that most northern Minnesota Indians share a common heritage and belong to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, each of the bands is a separate entity with its own membership, its own government, and its own views on a wide range of issues.

We also have membership in different organizations. For instance, my band - the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa - does not belong to The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, a group that has been critical of PolyMet.

Because of our proximity to the proposed PolyMet site, Bois Forte would be among those most affected by new mining operations. That is why we have been very proactive in meeting with PolyMet officials and exploring the project's potential environmental impact with both PolyMet and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Bois Forte's two years of meetings with PolyMet have covered many facets of the project. Our Tribal Council and PolyMet leaders have sat down together to discuss the project and tour our Heritage Center and Cultural Museum for a better understanding of our history in the area.

Our environmental services staff has discussed the possible impact on the area's air and water quality. Our historic preservation expert has reviewed the central role that careful environmental stewardship has always played in our culture. Our community development and planning staff have investigated the projected economic benefits and the opportunity to use biofuel - a renewable, local natural resource - to help power PolyMet's operations. And our natural resources staff has been involved on various fronts.

Like our neighbors in northern Minnesota, we keenly understand the importance of mining jobs, the possibilities of new technologies, and the need to bolster our local economy. And like our friends who feel a strong sense of obligation to nurture natural resources, we are committed to protecting the land, the waters, and the animals that share this home with us.

We understand the delicate balance between creating vital jobs and promoting economic development and protecting our precious natural resources.

There are no quick, easy answers to the important questions raised by the proposed PolyMet project. That is why Bois Forte is committed to doing a thorough scientific analysis and then deciding if we support or oppose the operation.

So please don't believe it if you hear that "all Indians or Tribal governments" are for or against PolyMet. Bois Forte is for doing the right thing, the right way.

Kevin Leecy of Lake Vermilion is the chairman of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. He also serves as president of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the state's official liaison with Minnesota's 11 tribes