On Tuesday, August 25, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) approved $50 million in taxpayer funds for the Copperwood mine, a project that threatens Lake Superior and one of the Upper Peninsula’s crown jewels: the Porcupine Mountains. Despite the dozens of advocates who lined the walls of the meeting room, along with over 125 virtual participants ready to fight for these beloved natural resources (many of whom have been fighting the Copperwood project for years), MSF immediately voted to approve the funding. 

The infrastructure funded by those taxpayer dollars includes cell towers, heavy industrial roads and power grid expansion—right next door to Michigan’s most beloved old growth Porcupine Mountains State Park. 

Once operational, the mine will store over 30 million tons of toxic waste, containing things like arsenic, mercury and cadmium just two miles from Lake Superior and abutting Porcupine Mountains State Park—an unprecedented and dangerous proximity. An event like a dam rupture could send toxic mine waste flowing into Lake Superior and the park in as little as 21 minutes. 

Proponents of the $50 million state subsidized funding spoke to the region’s mining heritage. But in reality that mine poses an incredible threat to our freshwater and wild ecosystems for a minimal economic benefit, with only two percent of extracted material actually being copper. Outdoor recreation contributes over $15B annually to Michigan’s economy, while mining contributes less than $1B annually. The Copperwood Mine only plans to operate for 11 years, but Lake Superior and the surrounding forests will far outlast that. 

“Clean air, water and the places we love are more entrenched in Michigan’s heritage than extractive mining.” said Emily Smith, land and water conservation policy manager for the Michigan Environmental Council. “It is misguided economic developmental policy to invest limited public funds into incentivizing a mine that won’t reap proportionally significant benefit for Michigan’s economy, while simultaneously threatening lasting damage to the real economic drivers in the region and in the state- Michigan’s Great Lakes and beautiful natural areas.”  

Most disturbing is the way the MSF has circumvented the legislative process to allocate these public funds on behalf of industry without giving Michiganders the opportunity for adequate public comment. The hundred plus people who joined the meeting virtually were not allowed to offer public comment until after the MSF voted to approve the public funding for the mine. The proposal is nearly identical to those that have been repeatedly denied by the legislature over the last two years due to the massive outcry from experts, local residents and advocates. 

“This is a very sad day for Michigan. After being defeated three times through plain old democracy, Big Money used a loophole to sneak through the backdoor and steamroll over the will of We the People,” said Tom Grotewohl, Founder for the Protect the Porkies Coalition. “Nonetheless, the fight continues, and this setback will only serve to mobilize the movement against Copperwood to new heights. We will prevail.”