2013 FACT SHEET POLYMET STATUS & KEY TOPICS May 13, 2013

Transcription

1

2 2013 FACT SHEET POLYMET STATUS & KEY TOPICS May 13, 2013 OVERVIEW PolyMet is proposing to open a copper, nickel, and other precious metal mining operation near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The proposed NorthMet project would include an open pit mine and utilize the former LTV Steel Mining Company processing facilities and tailings basin. The proposed project requires completion of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to permitting. The NorthMet environmental review process is entering a phase where there will be increased public attention, and this fact sheet is designed to provide elected officials with some basic background information that they may find helpful. HISTORY & CURRENT STATUS PolyMet first came into the state system in At that time the NorthMet project was more of a concept and not fully designed. Over the next 5 years, key project components were developed or changed. Ultimately this led to the first draft EIS in Based on a very different project proposal and environmental analysis than the current environmental review, the 2009 draft EIS received a poor rating from the USEPA. PolyMet went back to the drawing board and has been reworking the design ever since. The current proposal has significant improvements and, while it has taken a long time to get here, this is a much better project than was proposed in Beginning on May 13, the three co-lead environmental review agencies (DNR, USACE, USFS) are conducting a quick turnaround, high-level review of a preliminary supplemental draft EIS (PSDEIS). By the end of May, the co-leads will deliver a potentially revised version of the PSDEIS to the USEPA and three Minnesota Tribes for their review. These groups are considered cooperating agencies at the federal level and have an opportunity to review and comment on the document in their areas of expertise prior to initiation of the public comment period. Throughout the process, the co-leads will also be coordinating with the MPCA for technical review and support. KEY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPOSAL Compared to the original draft of the EIS in 2009, the current project is greatly modified to address water quality concerns including: water treatment to ensure discharges meet the wild rice sulfate standard reduction in wetland impacts, and reduced waste rock storage on the land surface. The document also includes a more thorough analysis and modeling of impacts to groundwater, and information on a land exchange between PolyMet and the USFS that would be part of the project. KEY ISSUES Long Term Active Treatment: PolyMet's project now includes a proposal to install a mechanical wastewater treatment system that would potentially be operated for an extended period following the end of mining operations. This proposal would be the first of its kind in Minnesota and would help facilitate compliance with Minnesota s sulfate standard for wild rice and other environmental standards. Financial Assurance: One of the most important priorities for the DNR is to ensure that PolyMet has a robust financial assurance package to protect the state from financial risk. Detailed financial assurance design and analysis occur during the permitting phase of a project; however, a summary of potential assurance needs and approaches for the NorthMet project will be provided in the supplemental draft EIS. NEXT STEPS Following review of the preliminary draft, the co-lead agencies (with support from the MPCA) will review all comments, adjust the draft if needed, and publish the official supplemental draft EIS (SDEIS) for public review and comment. The DNR expects publication of the SDEIS to occur late this summer. FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT: Steve Colvin, Deputy Director DNR - Ecological and Water Resources

3

4 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :03 PM 2b FW: Landlist Fed - PolyMet From: Waller, Susan -FS Sent: Wednesday, September 19, :02 AM To: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: Landlist Fed - PolyMet Got it. Thanks. From: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Sent: Wednesday, September 19, :41 AM To: Waller, Susan -FS Cc: Ketola, Jordan M -FS Subject: Landlist Fed - PolyMet Susan, I will be mailing the landlists for the individual tracts. This is the most direct compilation of the legal descriptions for the lands. If you would like to review the nature of the actual LDVs and attachments, they can be found at: O:\NFS\Superior\Program\5400Landownership\5430LandExchanges\Cases\Polymet\LDV s & Land Lists I hope the landlists will meet your needs. -Liz Elizabeth Schleif Realty Specialist Superior National Forest 1

5

6 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :08 PM 2b FW: land exchange meeting with PolyMet From: Hale, Thomas A -FS Sent: Thursday, March 29, :30 AM To: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: land exchange meeting with PolyMet This is a standing meeting. They usually do not attend, but they certainly can. Tom From: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Sent: Thursday, March 29, :21 AM To: Hale, Thomas A -FS Subject: RE: land exchange meeting with PolyMet Tom, Should TIm or Nick (Acting Forest Supervisor & Deputy) attend? -Liz Elizabeth Schleif Realty Specialist Superior National Forest From: Hale, Thomas A -FS Sent: Wednesday, March 28, :39 AM To: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: FW: land exchange meeting with PolyMet Liz, Can you attend this meeting? Tom From: Carlson, Erik (DNR) [mailto: Sent: Wednesday, March 28, :47 AM To: Hale, Thomas A -FS Subject: land exchange meeting with PolyMet 1

7 Tom, The DNR and the Corps have a 1 hour update meeting with PolyMet (Brad Moore, Latisha Gietzen, Jim Scott). Mary and Tamara also attend. At yesterday s update meeting, PolyMet asked about the Land Exchange. They feel like things have been pretty quite on the land exchange front and want to hear what the latest is. Would you be willing and are you available to attend a 1:00 meeting on April 10? Erik Carlson, AICP Principal Planner Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2

8

9 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :40 PM 2b FW: PolyMet Land Exchange Status for EPA meeting From: Hale, Thomas A -FS Sent: Friday, January 04, :48 PM To: Dabney, Tim -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: PolyMet Land Exchange Status for EPA meeting Liz, Would you please copy me when you send this to Tim? Thanks! Tom From: Dabney, Tim -FS Sent: Friday, January 04, :40 AM To: Hale, Thomas A -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: PolyMet Land Exchange Status for EPA meeting Thanks. I just spoke to Liz and she will provide me a written status. Also, Liz, please include info regarding the land/cash mix requirements. And aren t there two NFS tract options (mine foot print only and mine foot print plus buffer)? Can you include acreages in your status. Tim From: Hale, Thomas A -FS Sent: Friday, January 04, :08 AM To: Dabney, Tim -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: PolyMet Land Exchange Status for EPA meeting I think Liz will best be able to provide information on the realty side of the land exchange. On the NEPA side, it is on the same track as the rest of the analyses for the SDEIS. Tom From: Dabney, Tim -FS Sent: Friday, January 04, :05 AM To: Hale, Thomas A -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: PolyMet Land Exchange Status for EPA meeting I am scheduled (see attached) to provide a presentation to EPA in Chicago next week on the NorthMet mine project regarding the status of the land exchange. Please provide me a few bullets for sharing. Thanks, Tim 1

10

11 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :56 AM 2b FW: CWFS29 PolyMet Land Exchange From: Frenzel, Brenda K -FS Sent: Monday, September 30, :34 PM To: Lundquist, Karol -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: CWFS29 PolyMet Land Exchange Corrected T&A s don t always move all of the BOC s on CWFS job codes. We will need to do an accounting adjustment to make sure things move over correctly. Brenda Frenzel Grants Management Specialist Chippewa & Superior NF's 200 Ash Avenue NW Cass Lake, MN Phone: Fax: (218) E mail: From: Lundquist, Karol -FS Sent: Monday, September 30, :31 PM To: Frenzel, Brenda K -FS Cc: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: CWFS29 PolyMet Land Exchange Looks like salary charges for Ginny Miller and Liz Schleif. What do you want us to do? Corrected T&A s? From: Frenzel, Brenda K -FS Sent: Monday, September 30, :13 PM To: Lundquist, Karol -FS Subject: CWFS29 PolyMet Land Exchange Hi Karol, I was just looking at the latest RACA fund control report and CWFS29 with PolyMet for the land exchange is $7, deficit. Could you pull a report to see what has put us over? Thanks! Brenda Frenzel Grants Management Specialist Chippewa & Superior NF's 200 Ash Avenue NW 1

12 Cass Lake, MN Phone: Fax: (218) E mail: 2

13 From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :05 PM 2b FW: PolyMet News Release ECO-PolyMet SDEIS release DRAFT.pdf From: Frank, Shirley A -FS Sent: Monday, August 26, :58 PM To: Butcher, Jason T -FS; Dabney, Tim -FS; Duffy, Susan -FS; Eichman, Henry -FS; Greenlee, Jack T -FS; Jimenez, Michael -FS; Johnson, Lee R -FS; McQuiston, Casey J -FS; Radosevich-Craig, Lisa -FS; Ryan, Daniel C -FS; Rye, Marty E - FS; Schleif, Elizabeth -FS; Shedd, Mary -FS; Skrien, Sandra G -FS; Taylor, Peter R -FS; Thompson, Troy R -FS; Wickman, Trent R -FS; ; Halter, Brenda -FS Cc: Strom, Betsy -FS Subject: FW: PolyMet News Release Hi All In case you are contacted or have any questions, this is the news release from the MDNR. The FS will not be doing a news release at this time. Tim Dabney is the contact if there are questions. Betsy would you please forward to the LT. Thanks Shirley From: Doneen, Randall (DNR) [mailto: Sent: Friday, August 23, :44 PM To: Nancy Schuldt ( Margaret Watkins ( Tyler Kaspar ( John Coleman ( Sedlacek, Michael ( Cc: Frank, Shirley A -FS; Bruner, Douglas W MVP ( Subject: PolyMet News Release To All: I wanted to provide with a copy of the news release that MDNR is sending out today. The release is about the schedule for publication of the SDEIS. Let me know if you have any questions. Randall Donee Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 1

14

15

16

17 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :15 PM 2b FW: website PolyMet From: Sent: Monday, June 17, :12 PM To: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: website PolyMet Good catch, Liz please let me know if you aren t able to change this. From: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Sent: Monday, June 17, :25 PM To: Skrien, Sandra G -FS Cc: Subject: website PolyMet I was looking for something on the external website today and noticed Tom Hale is still listed as contact for PolyMet. We probably need to update this is a few places. I ll plan to do it in PALS -Liz Elizabeth Schleif Realty Specialist Superior National Forest ( 1

18 From: Sent: To: Subject: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Friday, February 14, :15 PM 2b FW: website PolyMet From: Sent: Monday, June 17, :12 PM To: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Subject: RE: website PolyMet Good catch, Liz please let me know if you aren t able to change this. From: Schleif, Elizabeth -FS Sent: Monday, June 17, :25 PM To: Skrien, Sandra G -FS Cc: Subject: website PolyMet I was looking for something on the external website today and noticed Tom Hale is still listed as contact for PolyMet. We probably need to update this is a few places. I ll plan to do it in PALS -Liz Elizabeth Schleif Realty Specialist Superior National Forest ( 1