MCEA June Newsletter
In this edition of MCEA’s Environmental Monitor:
- Help us close the books strong this year with a donation!
- Catch up with three major updates on sulfide mining in MN
- Save the Date for Legally Green on the River this October 1st
- Learn more about our continued efforts to tackle Minnesota’s PFAS problem
- Check out photos from our weekend at the MN Landscape Arboretum!
- Read our new job postings
- Reflect on the environmental justice work of one of our departing attorneys
- Mark your calendar for our July 25th gathering in Duluth
Meet our new water program intern
“I can’t remember a busier time for our organization,
or a time that held as many possibilities for the future.”
—MCEA’s CEO Kathryn Hoffman
The call to protect our environment is urgent. MCEA is answering that call. And so are you.
While the challenges are complex, and there’s big work ahead of us, together we can get it done. Your generosity makes this possible. Help us finish the year strong by making an additional gift before our fiscal year ends June 30.Thanks for your support!
Three big sulfide-mining updates
Lots happened on the sulfide-mining front in Minnesota this past month, including game-changing news on PolyMet. Click here to read about all three developments. Now let’s jump into the biggest one.
PolyMet Permit REVOKED. Full Reset Required.
On June 6, Minnesotans learned that the US Army Corps of Engineers permanently revoked the PolyMet "Section 404" wetlands destruction permit. They did this because they found that PolyMet's mine plan would have harmed downstream waters -- including specifically the waters of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, who had objected to this permit.
This may be the biggest news yet in the ongoing fight to protect Minnesota's land, water, and communities from the pollution that sulfide mining would inevitably cause. And it is cause for celebration! We are proud of the work MCEA continues to do on this issue, and we are grateful for the Fond du Lac Band's amazing efforts and leadership on the federal wetlands case.
You might be wondering what this means for the PolyMet (or, as they're calling it now, NewRange Copper Nickel) proposal moving forward. In short, this is a major setback — or, as our Deputy Director and Chief Legal Officer Kevin Reuther said in the Star Tribune, effectively “a complete reset.” That's because the federal permit is required for PolyMet to move forward, and that permit is now revoked. Meanwhile, the state cases are still pending. PolyMet still has an application on file, and those cases are still technically live, and therefore MCEA will continue to pursue them. It's clear though that the Army Corps' decision, the Band's position, and the EPA's recommendation are all extremely relevant to those pending cases, and all three agree that PolyMet's proposal is inadequate and would not protect downstream communities.
Learn more about the impact of the decision in this FAQ and check out what it stands to mean for climate in this op-ed by our Northeastern program associate published in the Minnesota Reformer. We’ll share more as things develop. In the meantime, we want to thank you again for all your amazing support in this fight. We remain in it for whatever it takes, and it is supporters like you who make this possible.
And again, click here to read about the other big developments happening in sulfide-mining, including another legal loss for PolyMet and how MCEA sees its role in the Talon Metals mining proposal now that the company has officially started environmental review.
A wonderful day with our Amici Giving Circle at the Landscape Arboretum
We celebrated wins and talked about next steps at the wonderful Amici Giving Circle event on June 7 at the beautiful landscape arboretum. Thanks again to event sponsors Compass Capital Management and Zelle LLP, and to all our amici donors who came out to enjoy the evening with us. We love connecting face-to-face with the people who fuel our work. To become an Amici donor or learn more, contact Development Director Debra deNoyelles at ddenoyelles@mncenter.org.
Three opportunities to work at MCEA!
Use your legal expertise to protect Minnesota’s environment by joining our team of skilled attorneys.
MCEA's growing—support that growth as a member of our development team.
Manager of Individual Giving
Manager of Grants and Institutional Giving
Know someone who might be a good fit? Please share our job postings with your network. All open positions can be found on our website.
PFAS EPA comment
This month, MCEA and Clean Water Action MN submitted a comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of setting safe drinking water limits on six types of PFAS. Recent legislative victories at the State Capitol will help turn off the tap these forever chemicals have relied on to enter Minnesota, but since they never break down, we need to make sure we also have safe limits to control the PFAS already in our drinking water. Minnesota’s long history with the chemicals gives us an up-close perspective on the toll exposure to the chemicals takes on people’s health and lives. Our attorneys wove some of those personal narratives into the comment we filed with the EPA.
“One of the big reasons we were able to find legislative success this session was unfortunately because a lot of young people, that had incredible bravery, got up in front of legislators and said, ‘I have all these health problems, and it's because of these chemicals that are in the water that I've been drinking my entire life’,” MCEA Staff Attorney, Jay Eidsness, says of the power of personal storytelling.
MCEA and Clean Water Action MN hope highlighting personal stories in our EPA comment will help the agency keep the human cost of PFAS front-of-mind as they make this life-altering decision.
Click here to read about some of those powerful stories and learn more about why MCEA and Clean Water Action MN felt it was so imperative that the EPA read them too.
Departing MCEA Staff Attorney Stephanie Fitzgerald reflects on her work within our Healthy Communities Program
Stephanie Fitzgerald has been a strong advocate for Minnesota's people and environment in her role at MCEA. As she takes the next step in her career, she reflects on her time at MCEA and the power and importance of coalition work.
Since I joined MCEA as a legal fellow in the fall of 2020, I’ve had the opportunity to represent the organization in coalition spaces where groups and individuals with varied missions gather to pursue a common goal. Those goals vary widely – from protection of the Minnesota River to pursuit of zero waste policies. But nearest to my heart are the causes that seek to improve public health by preventing environmental pollution.
I’d never experienced the leverage created in coalitions like this before, when partners show up with different experiences with the regulatory or legislative process.
For example, the work of the Frontline Communities Protection Coalition – which MCEA was a proud partner in – led to the passing of the cumulative impacts bill this session after years of community advocacy and relationship building. A huge part of that success was due to the various experiences with regulators that each member of the coalition brought to the table. These experiences helped the coalition navigate a complex legislative process without compromising too early. Even though I’m stepping away from my position, I’m excited to see how the Frontlines coalition uses this strategic advantage to grow in power during the upcoming rulemaking process for the cumulative impacts law. Seeing the strength of combining these perspectives has changed the way I think about building collective power for environmental justice and I’m grateful for the relationships built in those spaces. —Stephanie Fitzgerald
Save the date for our biggest event of the year — Legally Green on the River on October 1st, 2023. Spend time with our expert staff, listen to local music, and celebrate all our monumental environmental wins this year. We hope to see you this fall!
MCEA’s annual Duluth get-together
is less than a month away. RSVP today!
You’re invited! Our annual Duluth get-together is on Tuesday, July 25th at Wild State Cider. This free community celebration is a great opportunity to get together, hear updates about MCEA’s recent work, and help build support for environmental advocacy in the area.
This year we’re excited to feature an awesome canoe rental give-away from Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, kid-friendly games and activities, the Oasis del Norte taqueria food truck, and music by MorningBird. We’ll kick off at 5:00pm, and MCEA’s CEO Kathryn Hoffman and Northeastern Minnesota Director JT Haines will share updates about MCEA's work around 5:30pm. We hope you’ll join us.
Meet our new Water Program intern!
Isaac Conrad believes everyone has a part to play in combating the climate crisis. He found his calling in creating narratives that inspire change. In May, he graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a degree in Communication & Biology. During his internship with MCEA, he’ll help research groundwater contamination in Southeastern MN. His findings will be used to support MCEA’s work in the region, which is aimed at helping to curb the nitrate-contaminated drinking water crisis in the area. Isaac will also help tell the stories of the people impacted by the crisis. He hopes combining data with personal narratives will inspire people to advocate for change at all levels of government. In his own words, “I’m excited that my experience with scientific research and science communication has positioned me to help the Water Program address those challenges.”
We’re thrilled to have Isaac join our efforts to address the drinking water crisis in SE MN. If you haven’t taken a minute to sign our call to action on the issue, please add your name today and/or share the link with a friend. Decision-makers need to see that Minnesotans care about this crisis and expect urgent action.