Friday, August 9, 2013

Penokee Public Hearing - August 15, 2013

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8 comments:

  1. What makes me scratch my head is this mine makes no economic sense. The geology has low grade ore, putting it at a disadvantage with other iron mines. Plus there is a glut of iron and iron ore, so iron prices are low. Though iron prices were high when the mine was first proposed. Is it that GTac owner Chris Cline invested so much buying Walker and Wisconsin Republicans that he does not want his money flushed down the drain? Why is Cline Pursuing this travesty?

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    1. Preparing the ground (so to speak) for the next time iron prices go up? Or, alternately, Cline was acting as a front for other interests that will benefit from the lower environmental standards, rushed permitting process and more unequal cost/benefit distribution between business and local governments that were set by the highly political, poorly thought out Mining Bill. After all, if GTAC doesn't have to account for *possible* damage to the watershed why should any wetlands filling swamp-grabber who wants to build a style center, or a warehouse, or a factory full of (low wage) jobs, jobs, jobs? I mean, it's only fair! Just waiting to see this argument show up in court.

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    2. This mining bill opens up unaccountable mining for the entire state-the real reason they did it in a rural area first.

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  2. It is puzzling.

    The company website claimed they're going to be using some kind of 'magnetic extraction' technology but the tachonite up there barely qualifies as ore. So it's not exactly responsive to magnets, having such low iron content.

    There's a reason that U.S. Steel owned the rights for so long, but did nothing for decades, even in times when iron prices were high.

    But as far as Chris Cline and Walker's relationship goes, I think what's actually happened shows you who's in charge of state government here.

    (The mining baron, Cline.)

    Environmental protection laws have been re-written to basically indemnify G-Tac from loss. Everyone knows -- including Sen. Tiffany (R) who wrote the bill -- that there will be massive environmental degradation to the water table, the area that's been called "the Everglades" of Lake Superior. So they re-wrote the laws to make sure G-Tac will never be stuck with a bill for the damage they create.

    That's basically the reason they can go ahead and use the cheapest (most destructive) methods to extract whatever crappy iron ore is up there, and the company's cost/revenue projections will hold true. No messy, tacked-on clean-up to pay for.

    They're selling it as a "job creator" but it's just a now-guaranteed revenue stream for Cline and G-Tac. Who may only end up creating a relatively few jobs for a shorter period of time than anyone now expects. It does depend on the global market price for iron, which has been trending down.

    So in this case, Cline's definitely the bully and Walker and the Republicans in the legislature the Toadies. They've made sure that all of our arms are held behind our backs. No fighting back while we're getting hit in the face, by the mining company.

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  3. Prove your image labeled What GTac left behind and I will not consider you a liar like Obama.

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    1. Gogebic Taconite cares about Wisconsin's environment about as much as you would expect its owner, a Florida billionaires, would care about it.

      See:
      http://wcmcoop.com/2013/08/07/gtac-lies-about-asbestos-in-penokee-hills/

      http://wcmcoop.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/mess.jpg

      http://wcmcoop.com/2013/07/29/death-threats-and-paramilitary-distract-from-gtacs-dirty-secrets/

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    2. This video of Gogebic Taconite Exploratory drill site #8 exemplifies the junk, waste and erosion to expect from GTAC mining.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Trv_ptze0

      With so much metal garbage there that could be recycled, GTAC doesn't need a mine for iron. Just clean up the garbage GTAC drillers left behind.

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  4. GTAC WROTE THE MINING BILL
    http://stellareport.blogspot.com/2013/07/who-wrote-mining-bill-gtac-wrote-mining.html

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