"PolyMet Opponents Ask Appeals Court To Overturn Mine Permits"

"ST. PAUL, Minn. — Opponents of the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine urged the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Wednesday to cancel two of the project’s most important permits and order further proceedings to determine whether the mine’s environmental and financial safeguards are adequate.

“The real problem here is that we lack any terms and conditions in the permits that are enforceable,” argued Ann Cohen, an attorney for several environmental groups. “The public and this court cannot enforce the terms of these permits.”

At issue are PolyMet’s key permit to mine and its separate dam safety permit. The cases heard by a three-judge panel Wednesday involve six of the 11 cases currently pending before the Court of Appeals in the long-running battle over the project in northeastern Minnesota."

Steve Karnowski reports for the Associated Press October 23, 2019.

Source: AP, 10/24/2019