Residents sue Gogebic Taconite over mine sampling without permit

[hue]

http://m.host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/residents-sue-gogebic-taconite-over-mine-sampling-without-permit/article_50dc42cb-da7a-5c33-8fcc-24bec228b238.html

A group of northern Wisconsin residents has filed a lawsuit alleging a company looking to dig a huge iron mine near Lake Superior needed a permit before it launched exploratory excavations last month.

The lawsuit argues the Department of Natural Resources' failure to require Gogebic Taconite to obtain a storm water permit resulted in no safeguards to reduce potential pollution as snow melt and rain runs off excavation debris. The lawsuit demands a judge declare a permit is necessary and order the DNR to force Gogebic Taconite to mitigate any environmental damage.

"They want the DNR told that's not the way to do this. But they're also very concerned about the impending damage to the environment," the group's attorney, former Midwest Environmental Advocates lawyer Dennis Grzezinski, said. "The snow hasn't melted and the rains haven't come. There's time for folks to take some steps."

The group filed the lawsuit Monday in Iron County. The state Justice Department is representing the DNR in the case; an agency spokeswoman declined to comment Wednesday. Gogebic Taconite spokesman Bob Seitz didn't immediately return telephone messages.

Gogebic Taconite is looking dig a 4½-mile long iron mine in the Penokee Hills near Mellen. The project has become one of the most bitterly debated outdoors issues Wisconsin has grappled with in years.

Supporters insist the mine will bring jobs to the economically depressed region. Opponents, including the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, fear the mine will pollute one of the last pristine areas in the state. Republican lawmakers added to the furor last year when they passed a law relaxing state regulations to help jump-start the mine.


*************************

Gogebic Taconite will and now has, as I've said in the past, RAPE WI land, air & waters. They'll come in without permits, having bought & controll WI's DNR, and do as they please with no regard for the consequences!! They'll come in to mine & deal with lawsuits later. They CARE NOT that they are destroying the environment and subsequently the lives & way of living for many Wisconsinites! They enter quickly and leave quickly relying on the Justice system to take their never-ending time. Everything is in place as Wanker has appointed his cronies in the DNR to leave WI vulnerable to the takers!! This is a RAPE of virgin resources for which Wisconsinites will suffer the consequences.
Think!!! How many fricken WI jobs did G-Tac create to get the sampling done?? The sample was trucked to Minnesota.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A RESTRAINING ORDER PLACED ON GOGEBIC AND OUR DNR SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE NOW!!

[Scuba]

1. Hell bent to poison a huge aquifier and ecosystem, for iron to be shipped to Chinese steelmills.

In return, Wisconsin gets a handful of service industry jobs for a couple of years, the loss of all tourism to the area and the devastation of a pristine resource.

This mine even threatens the Great Lakes, but it seems nothing will stop it.

[ewagner]

2. The only firewall left

is the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers who refused to jointly participate with the EIS for Wisconsin DNR...they want a separate EIS.