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Stauber’s aide offers encouraging words for Twin Metals project
A political seesaw has swung back in the direction of Twin Metals Minnesota and its hopes for developing a copper-nickel mine near Ely.
That’s been evident since Donald Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election and an aide to U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R) doubled-down during a recent visit to town for the legislative meeting hosted by the Ely Area Joint Powers Board.
JohnEloranta,whoworks for Stauber, predicted that obstacles to the mining project would be cleared by the incoming Trump Administration and a Republican Congress.
“We’re going to reinstate the leases,” said Eloranta, citing mineral leases critical to the project that had been pulled by the Biden Administration.
Eloranta said “energy and mineral independence” is a priority both for Stauber and the new administration, and promised action to roll back federal action that closed off thousands of acres of northeastern Minnesota land to mining development.
“One way or another we’re going to reverse the mineral withdrawal,” said Eloranta. “We’re going to address permitting reform because the status quo isn’t working.”
Stauber has already introduced legislation, that has cleared the U.S. House, which would end both the mineral withdrawal and streamline permitting processes for new mining operations.
The legislation has failed to take hold in the U.S. Senate and faced certain opposition from the Biden Administration.
But the Senate is now in Republican hands and during his previous term, Trump was friendly to Twin Metals and took action that allowed the company to hold the pivotal mineral leases.
For roughly a decade, the Twin Metals project has been part of a back-and-forth in Washington that has hinged on political party power.
The Obama Administration first took action to pull the company’s leases and pursue a 20-year mining ban on thousands of acres of northeastern Minnesota forest land, including the area that would be mined by Twin Metals.
That effort was subsequently reversed by the Trump Administration and then reinstated when Biden took office.
The political winds are back in Twin Metals’ favor following the election.
The Twin Metals project has been in the works for nearly two decades and the company proposes a copper-nickel mine that promises hundreds of new jobs.
It continues to face opposition, and has encountered both political and legal opposition from environmental interests who contend that copper-nickel mining is too unsafe for the region’s water-rich environment, and would lead to pollution and damage segments of the region’s tourism-based economy.
Aides to both Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) and Sen. Tina Smith (D) were also present at the Dec. 16 legislative meeting but did not comment on the Twin Metals projects.
Eloranta said Stauber and Republicans “have some big priorities” in addition to new mining, including reining in federal spending and immigration policy.
“We’re going to secure the border,” said Eloranta. “The southern border gets a lot of attention but it’s not only our southern border.”
Eloranta also predicted action to delist the grey wolf and “reform the Endangered Species Act.”
“It’s time to put in a management plan that works for the state of Minnesota.”
Rachel Loeffler-Kemp, an aide to Klobuchar, said the recently re-elected Klobuchar is taking on a new leadership position in Washington and “is committed to a peaceful transition of power.”
Loeffler-Kemp noted that “iron ore-made nails” are being used on a stage that will be used for Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
“There’s a little bit of Minnesota up on that stage,” said Loeffler- Kemp.
Loeffler-Kemp said that Klobuchar is “continuing to track Congressional-directed spending,” formerly known as earmarks, including projects in northeastern Minnesota such as the one that helped fund a new child care center at The Hub, the former Revenue Building in Ely’s business park.
“It’s been exciting to see projects getting to the next stage with ribbon cuttings, like the child care center in Ely,” said Loeffler-Kemp. “We’re hoping to get more of those projects over the finish line.”
Making his final appearance at the Joint Powers meeting in his current role was Pete Makowski, an aide to Smith.
Makowski is retiring after 24 years working for Minnesota representatives including Smith, former U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D) and former U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar (D).
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Makowski said of his tenure, recalling projects important to Ely including federal funding for the city’s wastewater treatment plant project and money for Highway 169.
Makowski said that Smith fielded “600 requests for funding” across the state and noted common themes including sewer and water, housing and child care.
He’ll turn over the reins to Orion DiFranco, who has worked out of Smith’s Duluth office and also has experience working for State Sen. Grant Hauschild. DiFranco was also present at the meeting.
“I’m leaving the area in some very good hands,” said Makowski.
