Preserving the Yellow Dog Watershed
in its most natural state for the use of the public,
now, and for the benefit of future generations.
We have until December 1st, 2014 to comment on the new proposed metallic minerals lease submitted by Eagle Mine LLC for state-owned minerals beneath a 40-acre parcel next to the Yellow Dog River. We urge the DNR to oppose this application due to the high risk for damage to the environment, human health, and habitat for rare, threatened and endangered species. Please sign the petition created by Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve and Save the Wild UP which will be sent to the DNR Minerals Management Office.
Aerial photo of exploratory drilling operations on the Yellow Dog Plains in 2007. These basins, which contain water that was in contact with sulfide rock, are full and overflowing onto the ground. Sites like this illustrate the limited regulation and oversight of exploratory drilling.
You can find the online petition here, please sign, add your comment, and share with your loved ones via your email and social networking services. The state-imposed timeline on this public comment period originally ended on November 20, 2014, but Save the Wild UP efforts were able to extend the comment period until December 1. You can read the full text of the letter to the DNR here: MineralLease11-7-2014SignOnLetter. When you sign the petition, your signature and comments will be emailed to the DNR Minerals Management Office.
Reasons for signing, and for denying this lease include:
You can also write your comments on this subject and send them to Karen Maidlow, Property Analyst, Minerals Management Office, Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7952
Or, you can email Karen Maidlow: maidlowk@michigan.gov
DNR, featured, metallic minerals, mineral leasing, minerals management office, not for profit organization, Sulfide Mining, Water Quality, yellow dog plains, yellow dog river
My friend lives in the UP and I love visiting because of how beautiful nature is up there. Don’t ruin it!
[…] *Online Petition created in opposition to the Eagle Mine LLC minerals lease application – via … […]
My husband and I retired to the UP after residing for over 60 years in the greedy state of Illinois. Please do not make and liken Michigan to that state of affairs.
Respectfully submitted,
Cynthia Hallam
Harvey, Michigan
For what it’s worth…
The SW corner of that 40 acre parcel lies 280 ft. from open water of the Yellow Dog River. It’s a slightly downhill run (5 ft. drop) across open, recently clear cut land straight into the water. There are very strict laws concerning pressurized water systems and septic systems built on the flood plain of the Yellow Dog River. This is because the low lying flood plain is incapable of “soaking up” hardly any surface water at all. Perc tests for building close to the river on the Yellow Dog River flood plain will almost certainly fail. In almost all cases structures are required to be raised off the ground, water pressurization restrictions may apply and septic systems must be sealed vault, manufactured mounds or sealed composting (of course). Building laws vary greatly from location to location but the underlying reasoning is very consistent. If you are in the Yellow Dog River flood plain, you can expect any nearby surface water and contaminants to flow straight into the river with very little impediment or natural filtering.
Don’t think for a moment that Eagle Mine is not aware of this fact.