[Editor's Note: A Jan. 4, 2011, article in the Marquette Mining Journal, "Mine power issue debated," cites several citizen comments on a DNRE (Department of Natural Resources and Environment) hearing held Dec. 7, 2010, concerning a power line extended from Marquette County Road 550 to the vicinity of the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co. (KEMC) Eagle Mine and whether an amendment to Kennecott's mining permit application is needed. In the following letter to the editor, mining expert Jack Parker comments further on that hearing.]
When announcing the most recent DEQ approval of the power line extension permit for Kennecott -- the OGS Director (DNRE Office of Geological Survey) erred, intentionally or otherwise, by describing the request as follows: "To change from on-site generation of electricity to purchase from Alger Electric."
As described in the letter from KEMC to Joe Maki, DNRE, dated 11.15.2010, the request was for: An amendment to MP012007 to extend electric power from County Road AAA (CR AAA) to the Power House located in the mining area …
Similarly the Notice of Public Meeting issued for Dec. 7, 2010, by the DNRE described the request as being "For an amendment to extend electric power from County Road AAA to the power house located in the mining area … "*
The Director then dismissed public comments because they did not apply to the request as he described it.
Clearly the permit was granted for a request which did not exist, is in error, and must therefore be revoked and the power must be cut off.
The Director repeatedly made deceptive statements in this permitting procedure, in public, and is subject to the penalties prescribed.
The permit is also invalid because the Triple AAA extension was itself not permitted properly and should be removed.
Thank you,
Jack Parker, Mining Engineer
Baltic MI 49963
January 6th 2011
*Editor's Note: See our Nov. 25, 2010, article, "MDNRE to hold public meeting on Kennecott mining permit amendment request Dec. 7."
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