House panel to take up issue of copper-nickel mining cleanups
A House environment committee plans to discuss how proposed copper-nickel mining operations would pay for any potential cleanups at a hearing next month.
The Feb. 11 hearing will take place during the public comment period for PolyMet's proposed mine and processing facility near Hoyt Lakes.
State Rep. Jean Wagenius, chair of the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee, said the environmental study for the mine doesn't provide many details on money the company will commit ahead of time to pay for potential cleanup costs.
"We're looking at two aspects," said Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis. "One will be the reclamation and the immediate prevention of pollution. And the second would be what happens after 40 years or 20 years and we find groundwater pollution. So how do you set aside dollars for that?"
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State law requires the company to set aside money to pay for any potential cleanup and reclamation costs once the mine is done operating. The concept, known as financial assurance, has been a hot topic.
Wagenius said it's an important topic because if state officials don't require enough financial assurance, taxpayers could end up having to foot the bill.
She said the committee will hear testimony from DNR officials and members of the public.
"DNR has said they're going to do that in the permitting process," Wagenius said. "However, this is such an important issue for citizens that we're going to give them an opportunity to hear how the DNR is approaching this."