PolyMet mine, inexorably moving toward approval, will doom more than water

Despite all the excellent coverage of the PolyMet/NorthMet mine proposal, and despite lengthy comment periods with persistent opposition by environmentally conscious groups, Minnesota is about to move forward with its first open-pit copper and nickel mine ("State outlines its PolyMet permit," Jan. 6).

Not just a little mine to test the waters, mind you, but a mine with a proposed 30 square miles of coverage.

As a biologist and scientist — and as a Minnesota citizen — I am heartbroken. Yes, an emotional response, but it is grounded in tremendous concern for future generations. We really aren't paying enough attention to the irreplaceable losses with these sorts of decisions. More than 900 to 1,000 acres of wetland habitat will become impaired or lost if this mine moves forward. Think about how big your own property is and what this acreage actually means for wetlands alone.

The proposed mine lies in an area of coniferous forest and open bogs that provide incredibly biodiverse habitat unique to our region. The occasionally published pictures of the proposed footprint don't reveal enough. Those working in habitat restoration know that wetland replacements do not recreate all that is lost; it takes at least 100 years for a newly created waterhole to become a truly biodiverse wetland. Inevitably, we lose species with such huge changes.

And how do we actually know the extent of these losses? Despite the expensive and comprehensive environmental review, the inventory of species barely touches upon the bedrock of macro/micro invertebrates, insects and other microorganisms of such a region. A letter to the editor recently published in the Star Tribune pointed out that there are billions of microorganisms in a teaspoon of healthy soil. Such is the case for healthy habitat — there are trillions of organisms of all shapes and sizes that inhabit these wetlands. What we also don't talk about is the cascade effect with such a massive loss in a food web.

It is clear to me that private, multinational pursuit of wealth trumps all else, including overall benefits to Minnesota. The PolyMet project still faces additional public comment and regulatory steps, but it will undoubtedly continue its movement forward despite Minnesota polls that show a tremendous lack of support. The state Department of Natural Resources has done a comprehensive environmental review, but the DNR has the task of both supporting the use of and trying to protect the same resources. This can't be done when habitat and species are ultimately lost.

Erica TenBroek, of Roseville, is a medical writer and scientist.