Mining
I grew up on the Iron Range (Cuyuna, specifically), in the heart of Minnesota mining country, where most of my friends and neighbors worked in the mines. I support our mine workers, their good-paying jobs, their unions, and local business suppliers. I support our mining families, our mining industry and all the economic, social, and cultural benefits mining has brought to northern Minnesota over decades of growth and development.
Thanks to advances in mining technology, the time has long past when we had to choose between mining and the environment.
I believe we can do mining the right way, creating good-paying jobs while adhering to the strictest environmental and safety standards to ensure safe working conditions, and that clean air, clear water, and healthy soil continue to support our tourism industry and Minnesota quality of life.
The fact is, the precious metals and minerals mined by Iron Rangers touch every part of our daily lives, while reducing our carbon footprint and making us more energy-efficient:
- New cars contain more than 1 ton of iron, steel, copper, nickel, and nickel-based aluminum – hybrid vehicles are even more energy efficient.
- Wind turbines contain hundreds of tons of steel and copper – and reduce our air pollution.
- Cellphones contain copper and palladium – conserving resources and advancing communication technology.
- Lithium-ion batteries contain nickel, cobalt, manganese, and more – and help us save energy.
- Modern catalytic convertors contain platinum and palladium – reducing our carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
- Every computer – television – light bulb – printer – iPad – and on and on – contains iron ore and precious metals that we mine in Minnesota, and helps reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
I believe mining and environmental protection should work hand-in-hand as we tap the materials necessary to produce next-generation products and technology, as well as the iron ore and steel that goes into our automobiles, buildings, machinery, appliances, roads, bridges, highways, and ports – every aspect of our nation’s infrastructure and industrial economy.
We serve the planet and our future by mining these minerals here in America, where the industry is closely regulated, where workers are protected, and where air, water, and land is respected, protected, and restored.
Below are two opinion pieces on mining I have written for local papers, as well as my complete statement to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Polymet project.
Mesabi Daily News: Rick Nolan "The Range is our home and mining is what we do!"
"Mining Our Way to a Healthy Environment, Jobs, and Energy Independence"
More on Mining
Mt. Iron, MN (NNCNOW.com) -- United States Steel has been working for years to try to obtain the proper permits from the federal government to expand its operations at Minntac.
"I was very fearful that we were not going to get the permits because of all the opposition that we had been up against for the last couple of years trying to get this permit," said President of Local Union 1938, Jon Malek.
The company got the green light from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to keep the legacy of mining going.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] Minnesota Eighth District Congressman Rick Nolan today praised the hard work of all who participated in the process leading to the issuance of the Clean Water Act permit for the extension of mining at the Minntac iron mine in Mountain Iron, MN.
MOUNTAIN IRON — Minntac is close to receiving a Clean Water Act permit for a mining extension that will allow U.S. Steel to produce taconite pellets for at least 16 more years, according to a Minnesota U.S. senator and a congressman.
While there was no official announcement on Thursday, Democratic Sen. Al Franken and Rep. Rick Nolan both put out news releases saying the permit will be issued.
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – After weighing in with the White House on Thursday, and having led Congressional efforts calling for the U.S. Department of Commerce to halt illegal dumping of foreign steel into U.S. markets for more than a year, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan today praised the decision by the Department of Commerce to pursue sanctions against South Korean steel firms for illegally dumping 894,100 tons of steel pipeline products into the American market last year.
WALKER -- Rick Nolan did some literal trailblazing while on the campaign trail Saturday.
U.S. Congressman Nolan donned work gloves and hefted a pulaski, the combination axe/hoe tool, while helping the local chapter of the North Country Trail Association shift a portion of the trail that crosses County Road 12 about five miles southwest of Walker.
The Superior National Forest is a multi-use national treasure that must be protected in strict compliance with the letter and spirit of every environmental rule, regulation and safeguard in place to assure that mining is done the right way.
But Democratic elected officials are basically saying in unison — enough is enough. Some of them, however, are using more direct and unequivocal wording.
They all say the proposal would be providing an unnecessary layer of environmental review on top of stringent processes already in place.
Eveleth, Minn. (NNCNOW.com) -- Congressmen Rick Nolan stood beside steelworkers in Eveleth on Thursday to announce a legislative initiative he says will help steel production and iron mining in the United States.
"It requires that 100 percent of US steel to be used in all American Pipelines," said Rep. Rick Nolan (D)-8th District, Minn.
The "American Pipeline Jobs and Safety Act," marks the first time American iron ore and taconite workers along with mines are included in the federal "Buy American Steel" provisions.
Mining Our Way to a Healthy Environment, Jobs, and Energy Independence
Common sense tells me Iron Range mining is good for our economy – achieving energy independence, creating jobs, and going green.
The Duluth Complex and the Iron Range contain one of the largest untapped deposits of iron ore, copper, nickel, and other precious metals, on Earth.
Despite the rich deposits we have right here at home, we are still importing a third of all the copper used in America, and almost all of the nickel. That makes no sense.