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Thursday, April 28, 2011

WAVE to hold public rally Apr. 29 protesting Gov. Snyder's reply to petition

MARQUETTE -- WAVE, a new grassroots environmental coalition, will hold a public rally at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 29, on the steps of the Marquette County Courthouse in Marquette. The rally will feature street theater, music and WAVE’s response to the Governor. The public is invited to attend and encouraged to bring friends, family, signs, noise makers and musical instruments.

WAVE provided the Governor with copies of petitions signed by over 15,000 persons expressing concern about the risks posed by the Rio Tinto - Kennecott Eagle Mine. The petitions were signed by a cross section of Michigan citizens.

The rally is to protest Governor Snyder’s refusal to halt mining giant Rio Tinto’s development of the Eagle Mine project. WAVE requested the Governor to halt the project until an environmental impact study encompassing all aspects of the Eagle Mine Project could be performed, including mining, power, transport and milling of ore, as per Public Law 632.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) responded on behalf of the Governor. A letter signed by DEQ Director Dan Wyant stated, "We believe the Eagle Mine can be operated without causing harm to the environment and the tourist industry."

WAVE, in its letter asking for the halt in development of the mine, said, "Allowing the development of the Eagle mine to continue or to close the mine down is, quite simply, a question involving life and death choices. Physicians and public health professionals have testified repeatedly that our health and the health of our children is being placed at great risk by the Eagle mine for generations to come. We think you would agree that we should not compromise the lives of our people for a short term economic gain."

This spring marks the one-year anniversary of the Eagle Rock Encampment protesting the mine. Click here to see the 2010 video by videographer Greg Peterson, with Drew Nelson's song, "Eagle Rock."

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