taconite ore mining in minnesota a tribal perspective brandy toft air quality specialist leech lake...
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Taconite Ore Mining in Minnesota
A Tribal Perspective
Brandy ToftAir Quality Specialist
Leech Lake Band of OjibweNational Tribal Forum 2015
2 Tribal Ceded Territories and near 5 Reservations
Mining in Minnesota• ~17 mines currently permitted or in
process of permitting
• Mining on the Iron Range• Open pit mining . Scram• Sulfide in-situ . Underground
(past)
• Up to 26 “rumored” to be operational in next few years
• Currently in down-turn, but for how long?
Open Pit Mining
250 Ton Trucks
14 feet tall, 54 lug nuts, cost approximately $45,000 per tire
Mining Concerns• Tribes were concerned over the
number of mines restarting, expanding, & exploration
• Only two Tribes had TAS status
• Expressed concern during 1/4ly Tribal Environmental meetings to the State Pollution Control Agency• Lack of Tribal input, felt Tribes were
kept out of the loop and not heard
Mining Concerns• Old “abandoned” mines that ARE current
brownfield/ superfund sites to be re-used/expanded
• Permits years to decades out of date –5 year review• Water permit was last issued 1992• Active SOCs delay permit re-issuances• Tribes, by legislative action, can not find
out information on SOC till complete• Lack of state permit writers = back log
of permits• Did I mention political climate? Jobs
jobs jobs…
The Start• Tribes expressed want to comment in a
meaningful manner
• Worked with State Tribal Liaison to establish a guidance document for State Title V permits
• Met with resistance = fear of change
• Negotiations ensued
• State treat all Tribes equally = less confusion• Premises of pseudo TAS for all
Language from AgreementThe MPCA staff will offer to meet and share information on
the permit application and project schedule with each of the eleven (11) Minnesota Indian Tribes potentially affected by the following air quality permitting actions when the facility to be permitted is located within the counties of interest as identified by each Tribe
The meetings with the Indian Tribe or Tribes will be initiated by the MPCA and will take place shortly after an MPCA air quality permit engineer has been assigned to the project and before any permit drafting has begun. If the MPCA will be conducting a site visit as part of the permitting process, the MPCA staff, when possible and with the facility’s approval, will invite an Indian Tribal staff member to accompany the MPCA on the site visit for the purposes of identifying issues and/or potential environment concerns
Tribes to be notified when State gets permit for early involvement in the process
1/4ly Tribal Mining Meeting• First meetings held in 2007 – continue
today
• Due to amount and speed of projects agreed meeting quarterly
• First few meetings • Potentially pacifying• Tribes were serious, tenacious• MPCA saw value in Tribal input & potential
wrenches• Stressed technical meetings, not
consultation
Part of the Process• Meet each quarter in a different
location
• 7 out of 11 Tribes attend – Air, Water, GAP, Wetlands, Brownfield, Environmental Directors
• MPCA and DNR lead mining technical staff and decision makers ~ 5-10 representatives
• Discuss updates on current mine issues: • EISs, permits, land sales, 101s, mine
presentations
2 Tribal Ceded Territories and near 5 Reservations
Experience• Allowed for improved relations??
Politics has changed perceptions…rollercoaster of sincerity?
• Strive for real input• Wildrice and sulfate levels• Wetland resources, Hg levels• Air emission levels (NOx, SOx, Hg,
ect..)• Addressing Cultural Resources
MN won’t reach their regional haze glide path levels with the additional
facility emissions
Tribes pushing forward• Keep State honest, not to take the easy or
facility lobbied route• Taconite FIP – NOx SOx in current
processing• Mining facilities have seen it is
easier/better for the process to involve the Tribes early in permitting process
• MPCA/DNR provide informational 101s• Facilities provide updates, special
meetings• Tribes can choose to be cooperating
agencies in EISs• Now 3 Tribes have TAS and one is attaining
Class 1
