Headwaters’ Rio Haul Road Coverage Missing Key Point

By
Jack Parker
– 01/25/2011

Hello Eds:

Would like to add important insight to your comments on the Kennecott ore transportation dilemma, please.

The articles, the letters and the report on last night’s County Commission meeting to discuss haul roads for the Kennecott eagle project have been spirited and interesting but, unfortunately, all lack credibility because all assume, incorrectly, that there is, or was, an approved “trucking route to the railhead”.

That notion first appeared in section 4.3.7. of the original application for mining permits – which you included with your comments, labelled Ore Transportation.  Kennecott listed an “approved” trucking route to the railhead, which was Triple A – CR 510 – CR 550, to a railhead “In the vicinity of Marquette”.

So that ill-defined and incomplete route description was self-approved by Kennecott even before they submitted the application.  The DEQ accepted it as written, and all others innocently followed suit.

That acceptance cannot be valid.  Simple questions should be raised – “Who approved that route?  By what process?”

Then, there being no satisfactory response, the process must begin again, with a very significant amendment proposal, by Kennecott, not the CRC or an other body, to be followed by public hearings and input, to be followed by a review by a qualified DEQ team.

Without an approved transport system the whole application is incomplete, therefore all mining-related activities were, and still are, illegal.

I did not make that up.  It’s in 632 – the law, which also prescribes penalties for deceptive presentations in the permitting process.

I would like to bring that to the attention of the Commission, and the general public, and especially to Commissioner Mike Quayle – who has asked some intelligent questions.

One more point: I believe that, contrary to current appearances, the DNR/DEQ is responsible for public safety too – in their decision-making.

Thanks for good reporting!

Jack Parker, Mining Engineer

Baltic MI

[above emphasis by original author]

This post was written by

Jack Parker – who has written 6 posts on Headwaters - Community Journalism for the Great Lakes.

Jack Parker was born in England in 1930. That's what started The Depression. He studied Mining and Geological Engineering at Michigan Tech. Ten years at the White Pine Copper mine, directing Rock Mechanics. Self-employed since the first big layoff at the White Pine mine, around 1971 - a career-launching event. Continued his education by working in several hundred mines, here and abroad, solving problems. Semi-retired, living, with one wife, Lee, in Baltic, Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

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