by Brian Birk

Created on: January 08, 2009

My assertion is that if we deny permits for metal mining in the United States it increases pollution in the world.

I live in Northeastern Minnesota. We have beautiful lakes and forests. We have iron ore and copper deposits.

Recently one mining permit was issued to develop a local iron ore mine and a processing plant. A draft environmental impact statement was recently approved for a copper mine and processing plant.

There are groups of people who have opposed both of these plants on the grounds that they will pollute the air and water of our beautiful lakes and forests.

I am not a fan of pollution either, but I think both of these plants should be built and operated. Will they pollute the air and the water of Northeastern Minnesota? Yes they will. Will it be a devastating level of pollution or a barely perceptible level of pollution? It will be barely perceptible.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are both involved in the permitting process. They have insisted that the companies involved employ methods that will limit the levels of pollution to a very low amount. This is their duty and they are performing their duty very well. I appreciate their work because I want Northeastern Minnesota to continue to have beautiful lakes and forests.

What would happen if the state of Minnesota denied the permits for these mining operations? First, the level of pollution in Minnesota would not increase from the development of these new mines. Second, mines would open and operate somewhere in the world because there is a demand for both copper and steel.

Economists teach us that the supply of a product rises to meet the demand. That means as long as demand for a product remains if we don't mine it in Minnesota then someone else will mine it in another part of the world.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources only have authority in Minnesota. If the new mine opens in China, Brazil, or even a different state neither the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency or the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will be able to insist that the companies involved in the mining limit pollution.

The question becomes who will insist on the most stringent mining pollution controls, the Minnesota agencies or the agencies in China, Brazil, or wherever else the mining will take place? The Minnesota agencies, like most state agencies in the United States require more stringent pollution controls than their comparable agencies in most other countries of the world. With China it isn't even a contest.

The most likely result of denying a mining permit in Minnesota is that pollution in the world will increase.

I believe in preventing pollution. I sell things on eBay. The things I sell are generally packaged in reused packaging materials. I don't litter. I recycle. I use low energy lightbulbs. I believe in protecting the environment.

I also believe that denying mining permits in Minnesota limits pollution in Minnesota, but increases the level of pollution in the world. We should insist on stringent environmental controls, but we should not make it impossible to develop new mines in the United States.

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