1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

The proposed $50 million grant for the Copperwood mine project raises significant concerns about the responsible use of taxpayer funds. Mining operations carry inherent risks to the environment, public health, and natural resources that should not be subsidized financially. The potential impacts on Lake Superior, the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, and the Presque Isle River watershed are too great to justify allocating public money to this endeavor. The mine's close proximity to cherished outdoor recreation areas and protected wilderness threatens to degrade the very resources that attract visitors and generate economic activity through tourism. Tailings dams have a troubling history of failures, risking catastrophic contamination of waterways. Even without a dam breach, mines routinely pollute billions of gallons of fresh water annually through seepage and toxic chemical releases. Moreover, funding an extractive industry runs counter to principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship that should guide public spending. Taxpayer dollars would be better invested in projects that prioritize renewable energy, conservation, and economic diversification to build resilient communities for the long term. Rather than subsidizing the Copperwood mine with public money, responsible governance demands fully accounting for the project's lifecycle costs, environmental liabilities, and opportunity costs of jeopardizing the region's prized natural assets and outdoor recreation economy. Protecting Lake Superior, a globally significant fresh water resource, as well as iconic landscapes like the Porcupine Mountains, should take precedence over mineral extraction that enriches private interests at public expense. Fiscal responsibility means safeguarding taxpayer funds from ventures that compromise our shared natural inheritance.