(Graphic courtesy of Highland Copper Company)

GOGEBIC COUNTY — The residents and municipalities of Gogebic County are not giving up on the Highland Copper’s Copperwood Mine Project.

A press release issues earlier this week by Invest UP says that 21 units of government, ranging from townships to county boards, have issued resolutions of support, nearly ten local institutions have submitted letters of support and dozens of community leaders and elected officials have spoken publicly in support.

The board members for Ironwood, Wakefield, and Erwin townships, along with the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners and the Gogebic County Road Commission, have again unanimously approved resolutions of support of the project. The project is expected to create more than 700 direct and indirect jobs.

At the regular Feb. meeting of the County Board, Mike Foley, with Highland Copper, gave a presentation on the progress of the Copperwood Mine Project, after which a motion was made by Commissioner Michael Yon and supported by Joseph Cayer to again adopt the resolution of support for the project by Highland Copper and the Michigan Development Corporation grant.

In January 2024, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation proposed a $50 million grant to assist with infrastructure expenditure during construction.

On Feb. 27, more than 30 people delivered spoken comments to the Michigan Strategic Fund opposing the proposed grant.

But, in March, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced the approval of the grant.

The Michigan Strategic Fund and Michigan House Appropriations Committee approved the grant in March 2024 and June 2024, respectively. The grant came with the condition that Highland Copper Co., prove that it had secured funding for mine worth three times the states’ investment.

The Michigan Senate adjourned for the year without taking action on a proposed $50 million grant for the controversial Copperwood mining project.

Bridge Michigan reported that while members of the Senate Appropriations Committee gave final approval to $247 million in taxpayer funds to subsidize projects spearheaded by the Dow Chemical Company, Detroit Diesel Corporation and the University of Michigan, Democrats who control the panel did not vote on the $50 million House lawmakers had approved for the Copperwood project.

Opposition to the Copperwood project has been spearheaded by a group, Protect the Porkies.

While Friends of the Porkies opposes the mine citing environmental concerns, Highland says the project is one of very few fully permitted greenfield copper mines in the United States and meets strict environmental standards established by the State.

Michigan’s mining laws, passed with the support of environmental advocacy groups, are regarded as the most stringent mining regulations in the nation.

The project seeks to minimize and mitigate environmental impact, monitor and protect local water, and safeguard Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountain State Park. To this end, Copperwood will preserve or create wetland at a factor of 12:1 relative to wetland impacted.

It will not draw water from Lake Superior, and it will self-fund a responsible closure plan.