The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a resolution to provide a copper mine in the western Upper Peninsula with $50 million to go towards infrastructure needs.
The Copperwood Project is in Gogebic County near the western edge of the Porcupine Mountains State Park and Lake Superior.
The Canadian mining company Highland Copper is developing the project. According to its website, site preparation started last year and will continue this year.
The company says it expects to create more than 300 well-paying jobs and invest $425 million overall. The mining operation is meant to last nearly 11 years.
The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a resolution for a $50 million Strategic Site Readiness Program grant for the project at its Tuesday meeting.
Economic boost
Those in favor the project say it will be a much-needed economic boost to Gogebic County and the greater western U.P.
Jerry Wuorenmaa is the Executive Director of the Western UP Planning and Development Region. He spoke in favor of the project during the MSF’s board meeting.
“Good jobs that will draw people to our area and sustain families are necessary to support the amenities that residents and visitors enjoy, like the hospital in nearby Ontonagon which is slated to close due to insufficient demand for services,” Wuorenmaa said. “This is what can happen due to long term population decline and economic depression. We can't let Gogebic County fall into a similar position.”
Upper Peninsula Michigan Works CEO Deb Brunel also spoke in favor of the project and grant.
“We are in desperate need of good paying jobs with reliable companies. The Copperwood Project ensures security and reliability for the people in the Western UP,” said Brunel.
Environmental concerns
Those opposed to the project say there are better ways to support the economy and fear the environmental repercussions of a copper mine so close to Porcupine Mountains State Park and Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake.
“It's really an all risk, no reward proposition in the long run. I really can't believe that anyone would risk this amazing area that's vital to both Michigan's ecological and economic health to enrich a foreign company using our Michigan taxpayer money,” said Jeff Plummer, a local resident who spoke against the project.
Highland Copper is a Canadian company.
Many who spoke against the project say it will contaminate the water and land and argued it would hurt the economy if it ruined the natural beauty of the Porkies which hit record visitation in 2021 with nearly 600,000 visitors.
“Please say no to this proposal that, for just a very short term, questionable, economic gains for Canadian company, would just further destroy a very important beautiful place that is far more valuable as an ecological kind of haven,” said Nichole Keway Biber, a tribal citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa. “It's a terrible strategy for our state and just as sort of human beings on this planet dependent on the, you know, functionality of nature.”
Grayson Morrow of Wakefield says he’s an environmentalist who feels strongly about the Porcupine Mountains and hikes there often.
He’s in favor of the mine because he says clean energy is needed in the fight against climate change.
“How do we get clean energy? Well, one of the resources we need is copper, we need to mine copper faster than it's ever been mined in the history of the Earth. We have all the copper that's been mined so far, has to be mined again. It's terrifying to me as an environmentalist, but it is a fact,” said Morrow. “If we want to be team members with the rest of the world, let's find ways to make this mine as clean and pure as possible.”
This is an issue many places with copper sources, especially in the western U.S., are dealing with: preserving the environment now versus the potential to protect the climate through clean energy.
Infrastructure needs
Highland Copper does need to meet certain requirements to get the funding, this includes securing funding three times more than what the state is contributing.
The MSF Board Policy and Planning Subcommittee Chair Cindy Warner stressed that the grant funding could only be used as reimbursements to Highland Copper for making infrastructure improvements.
“Those infrastructure improvements will last decades. They're things such as roads utility. I know that we've heard from many businesses that utilities in the grid in that area is deficient, it's deficient to even run a small business,” Warner told the board. “We wanted to make sure that the infrastructure improvements would support not only a mine, but small business for decades to come.”
Highland Copper released a statement following the meeting. It said the transfer of funds is pending final approval from the Appropriations Committees in both the Michigan House and Senate.
“This $50 million grant is a wonderful endorsement from the State of Michigan and provides a significant financial boost to the economic strength of the Copperwood Project,” CEO Barry O’Shea said in a statement. “The aligned attention to detail and carefulness from the State of Michigan and its departments will help drive a successful and safe project for Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.”
WXPR emailed Highland Copper to get more information about the project’s status and next steps. We have not gotten a response at this time.
