Apr 12
19

Proceedings from Public Meeting: Mining in the Lake Superior Basin

Through grant funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Lake Superior Binational Forum offered its first of three open public meetings about the impacts of mining activities in the Lake Superior basin in March 2012.

Over 260 people with diverse perspectives participated in two versions of the meeting:

  • 160 people from 120 different communities in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario attended the meeting in Ashland, Wisconsin.
  • Over 100 people from eight states, the District of Washington, and Indonesia watched the presentations through a live webinar broadcast.

These participants reflected a diverse range of stakeholders with regards to mining activities: each participant indicated their sector on our registration forms.

People from 17 different sectors participated, such as:  industry, business, tribes, local, state and federal elected officials, faith community, academia, government, media, legal, and non-governmental organizations.


Keynote Speaker

Dr. Susan Hedman

 The forum was pleased to have Dr. Susan Hedman as the keynote speaker for this meeting.Dr. Hedman, the Administrator of Region 5 for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, discussed the Environmental Protection Agency’s role regarding mining in the Lake Superior basin.Northland College President Michael Miller introduced Dr. Hedman and welcomed her back to Ashland: Dr. Hedman taught environmental policy as a faculty member at the college in the 1980s.Watch Speech
(Video courtesy of Steve Zieverink, of The Hypha Film Project)Listen to Interview with Nikos Pastos

 

Welcome from Bad River Tribe

Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr.,
of the Bad River Band of
Lake Superior Chippewa

Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr. made opening remarks at the meeting.

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have City of Ashland Mayor Bill Whalen welcome guests to Ashland.

Watch Speech (Video courtesy of Steve Zieverink, of The Hypha Film Project)

Listen to Speech

 

Welcome from the City of Ashland

Mayor Bill Whalen

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have City of Ashland Mayor Bill Whalen welcome guests to Ashland.

Listen to Speech
Lakewide Management Plan and Mining Impacts
 

Lynelle Hanson,
Lake Superior Program Liaison with the
University of WI – Extension

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have Lynelle Hanson speak about “Lake Superior Binational Program and the Lakewide Management Plan.”

Listen and View Presentation

View Powerpoint Handout (.pdf)
Chemical Discharges and Mining Impacts
 

Nancy Larson,
Basin Supervisor,
Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have Nancy Larson present “Zero Discharge Demonstration Program and Mining Impacts.”

Listen and View Presentation

View Powerpoint Handout (.pdf)
Historical Environmental Impacts
 

Mike Ripley,
Environmental Coordinator,
Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have Mike Ripley present “Historical Impacts of Ferrous Mining in the Lake Superior Basin.”

Listen and View Presentation

View Powerpoint of Handout (.pdf)
Sovereign Nations and Mining Impacts

Ann McCammon-Soltis, Director of Division of Intergovernmental Affairs,
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have Ann McCammon-Soltis present “Tribal Roles in Environmental Review and Mining Permitting:  A US Perspective.”

Listen and View Presentation

View Powerpoint Handout (.pdf)
Economic Costs and Benefits

Dr. Tom Powers,
Emeritus Professor of Economics,
University of Montana

The Lake Superior Binational Forum was pleased to have Dr. Tom Powers present “Thinking about the Costs & Benefits of Mining:  A Holistic Approach.”

Listen and View Presentation

View Powerpoint of Presentation (.pdf)
Thank You!
 

Our thanks to the staff at WOJB Community Woodland Radio, Hayward, Wisconsin, for broadcasting the webinar in its entirety live on the radio and through its web site. The station is owned and operated by the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized by jayers. Comments Off

Sep 11
30

You Can Help Lake Superior

Check Out our Map of Stewards!

Become a Lake Superior Steward.

Join a growing group of people committed to protection and restoration of the Lake Superior ecosystem. Tell the Forum, in a simple questionnaire, how you may contribute to this important effort. As a Lake Superior Steward you will learn about issues and support public input about the Lake Superior Management Plan or LaMP.

If you choose, you will receive an electronic Newsletter and make worthwhile connections to help assure this great lake receives critical attention. Click here to reach the Lake Superior Stewards registration page. All information provided will remain confidential.

Posted in Information by jayers. Comments Off

Jun 11
9

Lake Superior Day

 Let’s Celebrate!

July 15, 2012

Clean water is a basic right and necessity for all life. If you live near Lake Superior, you are fortunate to be living near one of the world’s largest lakes. Every day, each of the 600,000 human residents of the Lake Superior basin use water from the lake for drinking, home use, industrial use, or recreation. The lake is also essential for countless fish, birds,animals, and plants.

Lake Superior Day was started in the early 1990s to highlight the importance of this great water body to the basin’s environment and economy. The Lake Superior Binational Forum promotes this basin-wide event to highlight the special connections people have to this unique world treasure.

To show appreciation for the lake, people, communities, businesses, tribes, First Nations, churches and other groups celebrate Lake Superior Day each year on the third Sunday in July. Lake Superior Day is a time set aside to consider our connection to Lake Superior’s water. Each Lake Superior Day, all residents who live, work, play, and worship around the lake can organize events in their communities or take action in their homes, at their places of employment or in community groups to help protect the treasure that is Lake Superior. 

Last year almost 50 groups and communities participated in some way, including special events such as dragon boat races, beach clean ups, musical concerts, library displays, church services, and signed proclamations that designate the third Sunday in July as Lake Superior Day. Reply to this email to request free color postcards, posters, factsheets, and bookmarks to give to Lake Superior supporters at your event.

The Lake Superior Binational Forum encourages residents of the Lake Superior Basin and beyond, to celebrate their connection to the lake.

Can you do something that symbolizes your own connection to the lake on that day?

We will promote your event or activity

on our web calendar at no cost.


Email us all the information!

 

Visit our Lake Superior Day Homepage.

Posted in Events by forum-user. Comments Off