A look at the bills to amend #Maine mineral mining laws in this year’s Legislature
By Kate Cough
February 12, 2023
"All the way back in the fall of 2021, I called a geologist to ask what he thought about plans by the Canadian junior mining company, Wolfden, to dig for zinc and copper up near Patten, just east of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
We talked about the proposal for awhile, and just before we hung up, I asked the question I ask at the end of every interview, one that almost always elicits an unexpected answer and is often the very best way to find new stories: What didn’t we talk about that you want me to know? In this case it definitely didn’t disappoint: after pausing for a moment, the geologist said well, there’s something interesting going on over in #WesternMaine…
"And thus began my (armchair) adventure into the world of lithium deposits, from the salt flats of South America to the hard-rock mines of western Australia, and, of course, into what is thought to be the world’s richest hard-rock deposit, in the sleepy town of Newry, near the New Hampshire border. A year-and-a-half later the story continues, now with a new player: lawmakers, who have introduced (at last count) ten bills aimed at altering Maine’s mining regulations.
"The bills (I was only able to review the full text of one, as most are still in the Revisor’s office) run the gamut. One, #LR1624, sponsored by Rep. Maggie O’Neil of #Saco, proposes a moratorium on lithium mining, while others (LR 1304, An Act to Promote Sustainable Lithium Mining in Maine, sponsored by Rep. Mike Soboleski of Phillips) are more full-throated in their support of the activity. (It’s worth noting that moratoriums are temporary holds on an activity designed to give regulators time to put in place rules, not permanent bans, as is often thought.)
"Here’s the full list:
- LR 1624, Rep. Maggie O’Neil of Saco: An Act to Ensure a Strategic Approach to Maine’s Energy System by Imposing a Moratorium on #LithiumMining
- #LR420, Rep. Scott Landry of Farmington: An Act to Support Extraction of Common Rock-forming and Rare Earth Minerals
- #LR1121, Rep. Lydia Crafts of Newcastle: An Act to Establish a Commission to Study Mining Materials
- #LR1732, Rep. Nina Milliken of Blue Hill: An Act to Eliminate #Mining Without a Permit
- #LR1304, Rep. Mike Soboleski of Phillips: An Act to Promote Sustainable Lithium Mining in Maine
- #LR2272, Sen. Richard Bennett of Oxford: An Act Regarding #MetallicMineralMining
- #LR2138, Sen. Craig Hickman of Kennebec: An Act to Protect the People from #OpenPit Quarry Mining
- #LR930, Sen. Lisa Keim of Oxford: An Act Concerning Lithium Deposits
"The reason we’re seeing all of these bills, of course, is that Maine’s 2017 mining law prohibits mining for 'metallic minerals' in open pits larger than three acres. The deposit in Newry is already partially exposed, and numerous experts have said that open pit mining (as opposed to an underground shaft) is the only logical way to remove the rocks, which, they also point out, do not pose the same #environmental risks as other types of metal deposits. But all mining poses some risks, and not everyone is on board with the idea of digging #GiantHoles in the earth, even if the end product is an essential part of the transition away from fossil fuels.
"State regulators have acknowledged the risks involved in mining this deposit are different but say their hands are tied: because 'metallic mineral' does not have a commonly-agreed upon meaning in the scientific community, and because legislators did not specifically exclude lithium from the 2017 rules, the Newry deposit should be considered a metallic mineral. (Meanwhile, the Freemans, the gem-hunters who own the land and identified the deposit, are challenging the DEP’s decision in court.)
"Of the lawmakers I spoke to, all expressed a desire to support federal efforts to boost domestic production of critical minerals while ensuring the spirit and integrity of Maine’s 2017 mining law remains intact. (In case you were wondering whether the feds are serious, look no further than a $700 million government loan to a #NevadaLithiumMine announced earlier this week.)"
https://themainemonitor.org/maine-lawmakers-look-to-amend-lithium-mining-laws/
#WaterIsLife #MaineLegislature #MainePolitics #ProtectTheForest #Environment #CorporateColonialism #NoMining #NoOpenPitMining #RecycleLithium
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