Wetland plans flood neighboring landowners with concern
COUNTY BOARD: PolyMet Mining Corp. wants to convert 3,900 acres of bog near Floodwood.BY LEE BLOOMQUIST
DULUTH NEWS-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
FEBRUARY 8, 2006
Dale Rauvola and some of his rural Floodwood neighbors are worried that the creation of a 3,900-acre wetland could flood their farms and homesteads.
But PolyMet Mining Corp. and the St. Louis County Board say an exhaustive environmental review process should protect residents' property.
The County Board — on a 6-1 vote Tuesday — approved an agreement with PolyMet that allows the Vancouver, British Columbia-based mine developer to begin forming a wetlands mitigation plan that would replace about 1,200 acres of wetlands that would be lost with the development of a base and precious metals mine near Babbitt.
Under PolyMet's plan, about 3,900 acres of tax-forfeited bog near Floodwood would be restored to a wetlands status to offset the loss of wetlands at the proposed mine site.
Before the bog can be converted to wetlands, PolyMet must gain approval from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Minnesota Legislature.
Rauvola and others say that because the wetlands site is at a higher elevation than their property, they fear flooding.
"My concern is if you close those ditches, where are those millions and millions of gallons of water going to go?" said Rauvola, who owns a 600-acre farm south of the wetlands. "I went to the University of Minnesota, and I think I have a pretty good idea."
Al Moline, who owns 98 acres near the wetlands site, said deer, bobcat, otter, lynx and moose use the bog.
"You flood out those spruce swamps and create a dead area that nothing will use," Moline said.
Mark Jacobson, a Barr Engineering wetlands scientist working for PolyMet, said the wetlands near Floodwood would retain water rather than disburse it onto surrounding property.
"Because it's a raised bog, it's just the rainfall that falls into the bog, so it doesn't get as much moisture as other bogs," Jacobson said. "Once the wetlands is restored, it will hold water and it will come out more slowly."
PolyMet hopes to have a copper, nickel, gold, cobalt, platinum and palladium mine operating east of the former LTV Steel Mining Co. property in 2007. Over 20 years of mine life, PolyMet would pay the county about $1.1 million in the wetlands deal.
Even though the project remains subject to approval of several regulatory agencies, county commissioners said they want the project to come back to the board for final examination.
PolyMet officials agreed to bring a completed Environmental Impact Statement back to the board.
"PolyMet is very cognizant of landowners in the area and their concerns," said Charles Andresen, a Duluth attorney representing PolyMet. "If it turns out it's going to have an adverse impact, it's just not going to go ahead."
If wetlands replacement for the project isn't done in St. Louis County, it probably would be done in another area, which would receive the financial benefit, said Commissioner Mike Forsman of Ely.
"Obviously, I'm very supportive of the project, but also cognizant of (property) owners' rights," Forsman said. "But I will not sacrifice peoples' property and way of life if there are other alternatives."
Commissioner Steve O'Neil of Duluth voted against the agreement.
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Original Copyright © 2006 Duluth News-Tribune.