Minnesota court orders review of water permit for PolyMet mine

Polymet Mining

24/01/2022 21:20

By Ernest Scheyder
    Jan 24 (Reuters) - The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday
ordered state regulators to reconsider a wastewater permit that
was granted to PolyMet Mining Corp  POM.TO  to build an open-pit
copper mine, though judges rejected six other challenges to the
permit from environmentalists.    
    The appeals court ordered the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency to reconsider whether any groundwater runoff from the
proposed mine would pollute navigable waterways. 
    The decision does not cancel the permit but it does further
delay the timeline for when construction could begin on the $1
billion project at a time when the United States is trying to
boost production of copper and other metals needed for electric
vehicles. 
    PolyMet received a state permit to discharge water from its
proposed mine site about 200 miles (322 km) north of Minneapolis
in late 2018. Shortly after that, three environmental groups
sued to challenge the permit. The case wound its way through the
court system before Monday's ruling at the appeals court, which
sits below the state supreme court.
    If the agency finds that the mine would pollute the
waterways, it may fall under the jurisdiction of the federal
Clean Water Act, which would impose more regulatory oversight.
There is no timeline for this latest round of review. 
    The appeals court rejected six other challenges to the water
permit, some of which centered on procedural questions.
    Both the company and environmentalists claimed victory after
the ruling. Shares of PolyMet, which is controlled by mining
giant Glencore Plc  GLEN.L , were up nearly 7%.
    For St. Paul, Minnesota-based PolyMet, the mixed ruling
holds promise a permit could eventually come. "This will mean a
little more process, but it gives us a clear roadmap to the
reactivation of this permit," said Jon Cherry, PolyMet's chief
executive. PolyMet has said it believes it can develop the
project in a way that protects the environment.
    For environmentalists, the order to reconsider the permit
showed the court has concerns about PolyMet's ability to the
operate the mine safely.
    "We reject PolyMet's argument that we need to destroy the
environment in order to save the environment," said Chris Knopf
of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, a nonprofit
conservation group.
    Separately, the state's Department of Natural Resources is
reconsidering two other permits needed for the project.

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FOCUS-U.S. faces tough choices in 2022 on mines for
electric-vehicle metals     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2SY2N7
Minnesota court orders fresh review of PolyMet mine permits    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2ML295
FOCUS-Glencore's risk appetite dwindles, fueling focus on safer
regions     https://www.reuters.com/article/us-glencore-risk-focus/glencores-risk-appetite-dwindles-fueling-focus-on-safer-regions-idUSKCN1VQ0FQ
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 (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((ernest.scheyder@thomsonreuters.com; Twitter: @ErnestScheyder;
+1-713-210-8512; Reuters Messaging:
ernest.scheyder.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))