Mole Lake is vulnerable to pollution because of its very small land base, and its delicate balance of local forests and wetlands. If fish and wildlife are affected by pollution, driven away by mine operations, or overharvested by a large population of newcomers, it will be impossible to compensate the tribe. The ancient traditional way of life at Mole Lake would have ceased to exist. Mole Lake Cultural Sites Mole Lake is also rich in cultural sites and burial grounds. Because of the wild rice, the mine area has been an important village site for centuries.
Tribal leaders suspect that some burials have already disappeared.
The mine site itself is within a 12-square mile area that tribal leaders were promised as reservation land in 1855. Because of their strong spiritual link to the area, tribal members have nowhere else they can call home. The Menominee stand to be negatively impacted. The tribe is especially concerned about the future of the wild rice, eagles, trout, and sturgeon in the Wolf River Watershed. Like Mole Lake, the tribe is applying for enhanced federal authority to regulate reservation waters.