Bad River Band Asks EPA To Stop All Mining Activity In Penokees

The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians has asked the federal government to step in and stop all mining activity in northern Wisconsin’s Penokee Range. They also plan to file a lawsuit next month against the state to stop rock sampling there.

Large trucks began carrying away tons of rock samples from two sites in Iron County this week. Bad River Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins says that has to stop. In a letter last Friday to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he’s asked them to step in. He says the heavy equipment removing the rock without a construction permit violates state and federal policy.

“We requested the EPA to get involved in this portion, even though it’s the bulk sampling phase,” Wiggins said. “We think the impacts — and generally speaking, the lack of data and the lack of science surrounding what’s occurring right now — indicated that somebody had to be guarding the gate.”

On Tuesday a Bad River warden temporarily halted a truck carrying rock samples for a safety inspection. Wiggins says run-off from the rock sampling in the Penokees could damage the creeks, rivers and wetlands there. GTAC says as long as the ground is frozen, it won’t impact the environment.

“This isn’t ‘Cross your fingers and hope you don’t poison the water,’” Wiggins said. “This is something that needs to be monitored, needs to be looked at scientifically and we’ve got to have those things in place.”

Wiggins isn’t stopping there. He says Bad River plans to sue the state of Wisconsin to stop all mining activity.

“When you look at the anti-degradation implementation that should be occurring and the free-for-all pass that GTAC’s been given,” Wiggins said, “we think there’s definitely some ample fodder for litigation as far as how the state is implementing that umbrella of authority that the EPA has granted them.”

Wiggins expects the lawsuit to be filed next month.