Congrats to all on 5000 signatures, but a long road awaits!
Hello friends,As I write this, we are about to cross the 5000 signature threshold — by the time you read this message, it may already have happened. This is a tremendous achievement — 5000 is more than the closest three towns to the mine combined — and serves are proof that there is significant public opposition to the Chopperwood project. Although we are gaining steam, so too is Highland Copper. On July 24th, they received $30 million from a Canadian investor –– although this is not enough to develop a mine, it is more than enough to move forward on the engineering necessary for their final permits.All summer long, we have seen and heard clearcutting and heavy machinery next to the North Country Trail, as documented on our YouTube channel. Locals have long taken the stance, "I'll believe it when I see it." Well, take a look: now you see it.
Regardless of whether the mine is eventually built, in the mean time hundreds of acres of forest is being clearcut, wetlands destroyed, and streams re-routed. We don't need to await the mine: this mayhem is already affecting countless of living organisms, from trees to bugs to frogs to birds, to the wolf pack in whose territory the devastation is occurring. Additionally, clearcutting replaces damp cool environments with warm dry ones with high air flow, greatly increasing the risk of forest fire. In other words, Canadian company Highland Copper is already actively threatening this beautiful area, and we need to put a stop to their carnage as soon as possible.
What's next?We all know that it makes us feel good to sign an internet petition, but it might not actually lead to useful change. We want to ensure that is not the fate of our petition. Although we cannot reveal all the details, in 2024 we plan to bring this petition out of the cyber world and into the "real world" in way that is sure to turn heads, both of media and politicians.But already the petition is serving us greatly–– we have a number of upcoming media appearances, radio interviews, podcasts, etc. with more to come. Please stay tuned to the website and join the e-mail list for updates.
The real battle will come when Highland Copper applies for the permits for their Tailings Dam and Tailings Disposal Facility. This will require a public comment period, and the potential for a contested case hearing. When this moment arrives, this petition will be the cornerstone for our media campaign and potential legal battles.But what can I do? Let's talk next steps. Here's what we can do as individuals to help in this campaign:1) Spread the petition far and wide! Even if you've already signed, please send it to two or three friends who may be interested, and tell them to send it to two or three more. In general we want to concentrate our efforts on Michigan residents and residents of other upper midwestern states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois), but because we are dealing with international resources here–– Lake Superior, Porcupine Mountains State Park–– we feel that all signatures are worthy and valid, and will only serve to show the importance of this campaign to folks from all over the country and all over the world.P.S. Although we appreciate donations to promote the petition, it is hard to keep track of how effectively that money is spent. When the petition is promoted, it is sent to folks far out of the immediate area, and may lead to signatures being skewed too much outside of the locality. So instead, we encourage you to donate directly to the campaign.2) Contact your politicians! Please visit our Take Action! page to find fast links for Michigan officials. Start with Governor Whitmer. Tell her why this issue is important to you. Tell her your vote's on the line. Even if you are not a Michigan resident, tell her your tourist dollars are on the line too, that you'll never set foot in another Michigan State Park if they don't clamp down on this operation at once. Specifically, tell her Michigan's regulatory agency, EGLE, needs to deny all future permits. For Michigan residents, please contact your representatives and senators as well (see Take Action page).3) Contact media! Get in touch with your favorite podcasts, radio shows, TV shows, YouTube Channels, etc. and tell them to have us on! This is a story that no one is talking about yet but that should interest everyone. A Canadian company wants to mine beneath the last remaining mixed old growth forest in the American Midwest? They want to build a metallic sulfide mine next to Lake Superior, 10% of the world's surface fresh water, at a time when the earth is getting hotter and drier? If we don't speak up soon, these preposterous ideas might actually come true.4) Got more ideas? Please do not hesitate to contact us for any reason: [email protected] next time friends, take care and thank you for all your work.www.ProtectThePorkies.com
gemma lynn ⇒ ello@void
this one is personal, so i'm actually doin the thing:
Happy Valentine
