NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTANS FOR WILDERNESS

LITIGATION:CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT APPROVALS FOR MINING IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS (BWCAW) WATERSHED. ACTIVITIES - CONTINUED TO SUPPORT STATE MERA CASE, WHICH SAW THE MN DNR RELEASE COURT-REMANDED FINDINGS OF FACT IN MAY 2023, CHALLENGING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE DNR ON THE ISSUE OF WATER QUALITY; CONTESTED CASE HEARING TOOK PLACE NOVEMBER 2024.LEASE CANCELATION LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY TWIN METALS DISMISSED AND TWIN METALS' SUBSEQUENTLY APPEALED IN 2023. WE CONTINUED TO TRACK THE APPEAL, AND ORAL ARGUMENTS WERE HEARD IN DC COURT OF APPEALS IN JANUARY 2025RESEARCH PROJECT AND POLICY PROPOSALS AND THEIR IMPACT:MONITOR CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES AND PUBLICATIONS TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS RELATED TO MINING IN THE WATERSHED OF THE BWCAW; EVALUATE OR USE CONTRACT SERVICES AS NEEDED TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS; DEVELOP FACT SHEETS AND MAPS ON PROPOSALS AND IMPACTS.ACTIVITIES CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT FIELD STUDIES TO ESTABLISH BASELINE CONDITIONS IN HEADWATERS; PROVIDED EXPERT OPINION IN LAWSUITS, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS; PROVIDED OVER 90% OF DATA USED BY MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY TO INCLUDE BIRCH LAKE ON IMPAIRED WATERS LIST AS IMPAIRED FOR SULFATE POLLUTION , WHICH WAS APPROVED BY EPA IN MAY 2024. EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC:DEVELOP INFORMATION FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION ON PROJECTS AND IMPACTS; DISTRIBUTE VIA PERTINENT CHANNELS SUCH AS WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWS RELEASES, PUBLIC FORUMS, ETC.; RESPOND TO MEDIA INQUIRIES; DEVELOP OTHER OUTREACH MATERIALS AND HOST EVENTS FOR INTERESTED CITIZENS. ACTIVITIES - AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE OR THE ISSUE CHANGES, FACT SHEETS ARE UPDATED AND ADDED TO THE WEBSITE AND DISTRIBUTED ACCORDINGLY. MORE THAN 100 EMAIL ALERTS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORTER LISTS. AT LEAST 8 PRESS RELEASES PUBLISHED. AT LEAST 10 MAJOR MEDIA PUBLICATIONS INITIATED AND PUBLISHED. WEEKLY POSTINGS ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND LINKEDIN. POSTED AT LEAST 25 BLOGS. HELD DOZENS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY.