Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Politics

Federal judge deals another blow to Minnesota copper-nickel mine proposal

by September 8, 2023
September 8, 2023
Federal judge deals another blow to Minnesota copper-nickel mine proposal

A federal judge has dealt another serious setback to the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota, dismissing the company’s lawsuit that sought to regain the critical mineral rights leases that the Biden administration cancelled.

The ruling Wednesday was the latest blow to the stalled $1.7 billion project, which has faced stiff opposition from environmental and tourism groups that say it would pose an unacceptable threat to the pristine wilderness along the U.S-Canadian border.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., ruled that the lawsuit failed to meet the legal requirements to proceed, essentially saying the court didn’t have jurisdiction to overrule a series of federal agency decisions against the company.

Twin Metals, a subsidiary of the Chilean mining company Antofagasta, said in a statement that it was ‘disappointed’ by the decision and was ‘working to determine next steps.’ Company spokeswoman Kathy Graul said in an email Thursday that she was not able to say what those next steps might be or whether they would include appeals to higher courts.

Groups that have been fighting the project for years hailed the ruling as a huge victory.

‘Twin Metals was making a Hail Mary pass in its hope to get around the law and facts. The court saw through this and in its decision to toss out the case, affirmed science, affirmed the law, and protected some of the cleanest water in the country,’ Chris Knopf, executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, said in a statement.

The Obama administration declined to renew Twin Metals’ mineral rights leases in its final weeks in office in 2016, citing the threat of acid mine drainage to the Boundary Waters, the country’s most-visited federally designated wilderness area. The Trump administration reinstated those leases in 2019 as part of its push to lessen U.S. dependence on imported metals.

But the Biden administration took up where the Obama administration left off, canceling the leases last year and and imposing a 20-year moratorium on mining in an area of the Superior National Forest upstream from the wilderness that includes the Twin Metals underground mine site near Ely, a community of about 3,000 people. The state of Minnesota then ended its environmental review of the project. Twin Metals sued the federal government last summer to try to undo its decisions.

Peter Marshall, a spokesman for Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, suggested that Twin Metals, instead of pursuing the project further, should turn to the Court of Federal Claims to seek compensation for the more than $550 million it has invested.

‘We are one step closer to permanent protection for the Boundary Waters watershed,’ Ingrid Lyons, executive director of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, said in a statement.

Groups that back Twin Metals said in statements Thursday that the court decision and the Biden administration’s actions against Twin Metals conflict with a Department of Energy announcement on Wednesday. The department said it was investing $150 million to promote domestic production of critical minerals, including copper, nickel and other metals that Twin Metals wants to mine, that are needed for the transition to cleaner energy.

‘You cannot combat the climate crisis through green energy technologies like electric vehicles, solar panels or windmills without the minerals that are located in northeast Minnesota,’ the Jobs for Minnesotans business-labor coalition said in a statement. ‘We as a country cannot continue to shut out an industry in one breath and then expect to have the ability to make this critical clean energy transition in another.’

The Twin Metals project is separate from two other proposed copper and nickel mines in northeastern Minnesota. The NewRange mine near Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes, formerly known as PolyMet, has been stalled by court and regulatory setbacks for several years. The Talon Metals project near Tamarack is at the very early stages of its environmental review.

<!–>

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
–>

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
House Judiciary investigating alleged ‘abusive tactics’ by Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team
next post
Former Trump adviser Navarro convicted of contempt after defying Jan. 6 subpoena

You may also like

Corrupt Jan 6th Committee Releases Statement Threatening President...

November 15, 2022

The Daily Recap Podcast 11-17-22: McConnell Slides Into...

November 17, 2022

New York Times Protects Balenciaga Over Pedo Images...

November 30, 2022

Texas AG Paxton acquitted on all impeachment charges:...

September 17, 2023

House Republicans accuse White House of releasing ‘false...

October 30, 2024

Joe Biden Needs His Notecards to Sign Condolence...

September 18, 2022

House GOP says Hunter Biden ‘violated federal law’...

January 9, 2024

America has the power to lead the AI...

July 15, 2025

Trump confirms Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser...

November 12, 2024

Recess on ice as Republicans hunker down for...

August 1, 2025

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • National Wealth Fund commits £200m to UK battery storage push

      August 28, 2025
    • XRP price prediction hits new highs, GMO Miner helps you earn $6,800 a day

      August 28, 2025
    • West End retailers lose £310m from VAT-free shopping ban in first half of year

      August 28, 2025
    • Dollar slips as Trump moves to sack Fed governor Lisa Cook in unprecedented clash over central bank independence

      August 28, 2025
    • CDC Director Susan Monarez refuses to be fired as other officials call it quits

      August 28, 2025
    • Bill Gates met with Trump to talk ‘importance of US global health programs and health research’: spox

      August 28, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,901)
    • Investing (2,246)
    • Politics (16,503)
    • Stocks (3,228)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved