Mining and wild rice

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is in the news these days due to a proposed Sulfide Mine Development near the border of this vast wilderness. Friends of the Boundary Water Wilderness, a non-profit organized to protect, preserve and restore the wilderness character of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Quetico-Superior Ecosystem, has put together information and links to various articles on a website at www.preciouswaters.org. Wild rice, dependent on healthy waters, grows in that region and should be considered when developing any industry, particularly one with the impacts of mining.

I would encourage people to educate themselves on both the industry and the potential impacts of this type of mining in an area of precious water. Many environmental organizations are looking at this - and you can too. A link to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is on the above mentioned website - time to respond as a citizen is short. Comments will only be taken until tomorrow, Feb. 3 at 4:30 p.m. Stay tuned for future developments.