U.P. residents ask DNR not to grant Keweenaw Land Association’s metallic mineral rights request

The Keweenaw Land Association has requested metallic mineral lease rights to about 10,631 acres across Baraga, Dickinson, Iron, Marquette and Menominee counties. At a Wednesday virtual public meeting held by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), residents of these counties, members of environmental groups and other community members expressed concerns about the lease request and called for the DNR to deny it. 

If the lease is approved by the DNR, the Keweenaw Land Association would be allowed to explore for the presence of metallic minerals in these areas.

The Keweenaw Land Association currently owns and manages over 401,837 acres of mineral rights within Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counties in the Upper Peninsula, according to its website. The company also owns acres of mineral rights in northern Wisconsin.

Brian Noell, a Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve board member, said that the DNR should consider how mineral development would impact sensitive areas before issuing a lease.

“Keweenaw Land Association appears to be grabbing as many acres of mineral rights as possible to head off future competition in what they see as a potential mining bonanza in the Western U.P.,” Noell said. “DNR owes it to the people of Michigan to move slowly and not allow our public resources to be leased at a pittance without considering the potential cost in damage to forest, wetland and wildlife habitat.” 

Tom Grotewohl, a U.P. resident, said he thinks that approving a mineral rights lease of this scale would be “entirely contradictory” to the DNR’s mission of protecting and managing natural resources.

“Metals are nonrenewable — even more so than fossil fuels, which would regenerate over the course of eons. Thus, we must exercise extreme precaution in their extraction. These metals may be far more valuable a hundred years from now for reasons we can’t even imagine. Future generations will feel robbed that no minerals remain because today’s DNR sold them off to the first bidder,” Grotewohl said.

Grotewohl also said he was “very alarmed” that there were no in-person hearings being held by the DNR to discuss this lease.

“Virtual meetings are a new technology, which still has not been embraced by many among older generations, which may include adjacent land wonders who have the right to know of the potential for mining to lower their property values,” he said.

This concern was reiterated by other speakers throughout the meeting, as several people were not able to unmute their microphones to give their public comments. 

Anna Bunting from Freshwater Future rejoined the webinar via phone because of this issue.

“This is a woefully inadequate public participation process for such a huge lease request,” Bunting said. “There needs to be, and I certainly request, an in-person public hearing.” 

Mike Langendorf from the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority said that mineral exploration and extraction activities can cause permanent destruction to landscapes and that the groundwater can be impacted. 

Several other speakers urged the DNR to further look into and consider the impact that the Keweenaw Land Association’s request could have on freshwater, endangered species and recreation.

Tom Seablom, district manager for the DNR’s Forest Resources Division, said that the DNR looks at the effects that mineral exploration could have on current and future land uses. He said they also review cultural resources, such as historic and culturally significant sites, objects, structures, buildings, districts and landscapes.

“The parcels are reviewed for those cultural resource concerns. We consult with state archeologists to see if there’s any way to mitigate those before we make our final recommendations,” Seablom said. “They’re also subject to review by our tribal partners.”

The DNR said that it will be accepting further questions or comments regarding the lease application. Comments can be submitted to the DNR via email. 

A post-meeting summary, which will respond to questions people had during Wednesday’s meeting, will also be posted on the DNR’s website.