Wolfden’s application lists numerous water bodies there.
Recreational water areas within 3 miles of the Project Area include 1 lake, 4
ponds, and a river. Inside the Project Area are 29 wetlands, 22 watercourses, 8
vernal pools and 2 potential vernal pools. Mine infrastructure, the application
says, will be sited at least 75 feet away from wetlands, streams, and vernal
pools to avoid direct impacts to these resources during construction and mine
operations. Within 3 miles is about the distance of a 1-hour walk even for me
at 85. And 75 feet is about the length of my small backyard. Since water always
flows downward with the force of gravity, how can those distances possibly prevent
toxic pollution from reaching all that water? Wolfden promises the project’s
water treatment approach will return clean, treated water back to the
environment and maintain current water
quality within the project area and downgradient water bodies.1
I have looked for and never found an example of a
metallic mineral mine anywhere in the world that lived up to promises like
that. At every forum on the subject I have attended over these years, I asked
for an example of a mine that has not polluted surrounding waters with toxic
chemicals. Every example given proves to be false when I follow up with
research. Ann Maest in pre-filed testimony says the ultrafiltration and reverse
osmosis Wolfden proposes “can in theory produce high-quality effluent.” The
phrase “in theory” is important because, as she goes on to say, “Wolfden
provides no example of a comparable mine that accomplishes the levels
required.”2
If I had more time, I would talk about false promises
made for economic and community benefits. Instead, I will close with these
thoughts: metallic mine closures (Wolfden expects10-15 years for this one)
leave communities economically, socially, and environmentally depressed.3
This kind of mining is among the dirtiest industries in the world.4 There has never been such a mine anywhere
that lives up to promises of economic benefits and environmental safety. Please,
do not rezone this area for a metallic mineral mine unless or until the
technology and the social and political will can succeed in preventing toxic
contamination of our waterways. Documentary sources are enclosed that support
my opinions if you need them.
Works
Cited with some notes
1. 1. “Pickett
Mountain Mine Rezoning Application, ZP 779A – Wolfden Mt. Chase LLC.” Land Use Planning Commission. October
12, 2023. https://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/projects/wolfden/wolfden_rezoning.html
2. 2. Ann
Maest. “VII. Water Balance,” pp 29 ff. https://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/projects/wolfden/pre-filed-testimony/ZP779A_Intervenor2_PreFiledTestimony-PartII.pdf
3. 3. “Blocking Destructive Mining.” Sierra Club. https://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/issues/mining Mining “generally leads to brief spurts of
inequitable economic growth followed by inevitable crashes and periods of
depression.” Wisconsin “challenged the mining industry to give one example of a
metallic sulfide mine that had been safely operated and closed without
polluting the environment. Predictably, the industry has failed to identify a
single example to this day.” “In a 1995
report, Wisconsin’s DNR confirmed the inherent destructive
nature of mining, writing: “There are no ideal metallic mineral mining sites
which can be pointed to as the model approach in preventing acidic drainage
industry-wide.” In 2023, these statements still apply.
4. 4. C. Thomas. “Global Study Reveals Extensive Impact of Metal Mining Contamination on Rivers and Floodplains.” University of Lincoln. 22 September 2023. https://news.lincoln.ac.uk/2023/09/22/global-study-reveals-extensive-impact-of-metal-mining-contamination-on-rivers-and-floodplains/ “A groundbreaking study, published today in Science, has provided new insights into the extensive impact of metal mining contamination on rivers and floodplains across the world, with an estimated 23 million people believed to be affected by potentially dangerous concentrations of toxic waste.”
"Dirty Metals.”Earth Works. June 16, 2004. https://earthworks.org/resources/dirty_metals/ “This report will show you what lies behind that stupendous lode of copper and tantalum, gold and platinum. We’ll explain how the mining of these and other metals damages landscapes, pollutes water, and poisons people. We’ll show you why modern, industrial mining is one of the world’s most destructive industries.”
