Source: http://www.wrpc.net/letters/aquila-mine-not-imminent-for-multiple-reasons/
Timestamp: 2020-01-24 01:21:48
Document Index: 319586895

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 632', 'art 632', 'art 632', 'art 632', 'art 632', 'art 632', 'art 632', 'art 303', 'art 303']

Aquila mine not ‘imminent for multiple reasons’ » Wisconsin Resources Protection Council
Aquila mine not ‘imminent for multiple reasons’
Aquila Resources continually states they have all permits to begin mining. That is a blatantly false statement.
Aquila’s Part 632 Permit is not valid as it was contested and remains in review. And, regardless of the Part 632 review Panels decision; In 2018 Aquila amended their Part 632 permit application and EGLE (formally DEQ) determined the amendments to the permit application constitute significant changes. This has caused yet another Part 632 permit review. And, even if EGLE allows the amended Part 632 Permit application to move ahead Aquila will likely face yet another Part 632 contested case hearing. Keep in mind the first Part 632 Permit contested case hearing started in February of 2017 and is still ongoing.
Then, there remains the Part 303 Wetlands Permit contested case hearing which is scheduled to being again Oct. 22 in Lansing. The Part 303 Wetlands Permit contested case has been ongoing since June 7, 2018. Even if it is finished in October 2019 it is likely the judge will not have a decision until at least December or January 2020. And, if the judge rules in Aquila’s favor, I don’t think he will, based on evidence presented, his decision will then go to the review board as either Aquila will send it there when they lose or the petitioners against a mine would if we lose. That adds at least another 3 months to the process.
What is written above does not take into account the hundreds of permit conditions Aquila needs to fulfill. Nor does it take into account their need to close County Roads, deal with local zoning, receive a utility corridor through the Escanaba State forest, etc. And, it is highly likely that even before 1 spoonful of acid-generating ore is dug out of the ground, attacked by cyanide to extract microscopic particles of gold: civil litigation from both sides of the Menominee River could happen. Who thinks there won’t be litigation when at stake is 30-billion pounds of pulverized (the particle size of talcum powder) and highly reactive acid-generating rock containing hundreds of millions of pounds lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and other toxic heavy metals Aquila plans on dumping into a pit and “cover it with groundwater” only 147 feet away from the Menominee River.
So, there is no mine imminent for multiple reasons.