Tensions reached a boiling point in Menominee last night as the City Council voted six to three not to support an August 2017 resolution from Menominee County opposing the Back Forty Mine. Nearly two dozen residents spoke out during public comment sessions before and after the vote, each in favor of the resolution. But, council member Doug Robinson says it’s not the council’s place to decide which businesses can and cannot operate if they meet legal requirements.
Following the council’s vote, Pat Johnson of Menominee said it’s time for the residents to take the matter into their own hands and force a public vote on the issue.
Aquila Resources was recently issued a conditional wetlands permit- the final permit necessary to begin constructing and operating a sulfide mine in Menominee County. However, before any work can begin, the Michigan DEQ is requiring Aquila to meet several additional requirements including developing an enhanced groundwater monitoring plan, establishing spill-prevention controls, and creating a closure plan for the mine that includes a returning the waste rock to the pit in a way that eliminates the potential for future surface and groundwater impacts.