Up North Progressive
Politics and commentary for Northern MichiganGraymont Makes Third Offer for 10,000 Acres of State Owned Land: You Still Have Time To Contact The DNR
Tuesday , 10, March 2015 DNR, Environment 17 Comments
On March 6, 2015, British Columbia-based limestone company Graymont submitted a third revised proposal to purchase 10,000 acres of state forest land that spans three Upper Peninsula counties. The royalty for the limestone is still 30 cents per ton. Changes to the proposal include the value of the timber on the land in the price, and allowing the public and the DNR mediation and arbitration over land use. The changes to the proposal meet the approval of the DNR commission, and Keith Creager will make his final decision on March 19.
The economic development fund Graymont offered to the town and school district in Rexton is still in place. The amount of the grant would be $100,000 per year for five years starting in 2015. On the application, Graymont doesn’t know if they own the mineral rights to the land or not, and they still offer no business plan for how many jobs the mining operation would create for the community. Unlike in January, this third proposal has been approved, which means the state may agree to sell the Canadian company 10,000 acres of land that belongs to the people of Michigan.
What will the region look like if Graymont wins their bid? About 2,000 acres of the land will be open-pit mines. 7,000 will be used for underground mining. The proposal mentions dolomite as well as limestone extraction from the land. The 7,000 acre parcel would still be under the management of the state, however Graymont wants to reserve 400 acres of that land for infrastructure.
Graymont’s proposal includes relocating trails used by the public so people can still access the parts of the land Graymont will allow the public to use. Once mining operations are completed, Graymont will give the state “Right of First Offer” to buy the land back.
Considering the amount of money Graymont will potentially make if their proposal is accepted, they stand to make a lot more money that 30 cents per ton and half a million dollars to pay off the citizens of Rexton. Wetlands are going to disappear, and people’s air and water quality are going to suffer. The parcels of land Graymont wants spans over three counties. This is a major mining operation that will permanently change the landscape.
People wishing to leave comments with the DNR can still do so until March 19. You can write to Keith Creagh by email at DNRGraymontProposalComments@michigan.gov or mail a comment to Customer Service Center, ATTN: Kerry Wieber, 8717 N. Roscommon Road, Roscommon, MI 48653. If you haven’t done so yet, please take the time to email or write and let your voice be heard.
John says: WTF!! Canadians already truck their garbage into our state. Now they want to steal our resources and tear up the countryside. How about they dig their own countryside up and plant their trash in the holes?
-
Up North Progressive says:
Have you seen Alberta? https://www.google.com/search?q=Alberta+tar+sands&client=ubuntu&hs=x6Z&channel=fs&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=T_kAVbGyLImqgwSHjoOoDg&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1440&bih=786
Mary says: Before you judge this project based on this article visit Rexton. It is an economically depressed area that has very few tourists but an abundance of this natural resource that is used in many everyday products that are used by most humans. There are also good people in the area that need jobs. This is a great opportunity for the people of the Rexton area!
-
The question no one seems to be asking is how many jobs? Why has Graymont submitted no business plan including potential employment? At face value, buying off a community for half a million is really cheap. You won’t get that benefit fund forever, only 5 years.
Do Not allow any mining of state lands. Absolutely not. To allow this is insane. We need conservation not further destruction. A government overhaul will be the response if this is allowed to happen. This greedy money grubbing has to stop.
Heath H. says: Restoring mining to the State is one more step in the right direction. Production means jobs, infrastructure, service jobs for the miners and all that entails. Tell the next poor family wondering how to make ends meet that your desire for a walking trail is more important than a functional economy for their family’s survival.
But hey… that doesn’t matter to some people. Even crazier would be a simple addendum that requires post-use land management steps be taken. Right?
And profits? Those are horrible right? (Unless it’s profits for your pension funds, right? But that money is “clean” because it goes in YOUR pocket, of course.)
It must be easier to be sanctimonious when woefully unthinking.
-
Profits for whom? And how many jobs? Will everyone in Rexton have a job if Graymont moves in? Just because a company has interest in buying land and waves an offer to the state doesn’t mean they have the best interests of the people of Rexton in mind. They will make profits, but what about the town?
dave says: You people make this sound like its a bad thing,you act like its going g to b flattened right away its not it will take years to clear this type of land,and if greymont doesn’t get it the state will put it out for bids to the logging industry and they will flatten it so what’s the diff the difference is greymont will bring money to the area people won’t have to leave to look for work like they are now by going to Marquette to work in the mines or going out west to the Dakota’s were are losing people every day due to no work loggers come in there and take all the trees that doesn’t bring money to the area and doesn’t create jobs. And for most of you that don’t know greymont is already here in the u p they operate over in Gulliver on the shores of like Michigan and yes if they move out a lot of people will b out of work. Again your stores your schools all your local businesses will benifit
-
Somebody has to destroy it, might as well be the miners? There is more to land than dollar signs.
joyce says: NO
Tom Trueman says: Save our Land.
Jack33A says: NO to this deal! Michigan’s natural beauty is one of the ONLY things keeping many people from leaving, and these idiots are trying to ruin that too. Stop destroying our State!
Hell NO !!!! You just raised our sporting licenses and know you want to take away our hunting land ? Where does it END?????
Becky Pearsall says: I am seriously upset with our State Representatives for even considering selling public state land to a foreign country. Have they ever witnesses STRIP MINING? I have and it is terrible,,,,,,,so SNYDER will profit, but what about the state. Will he use this money to fix roads? Hell No!!! PLEASE LEAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL STATE THE WAY IT IS.
-
Rita Bailey says:
Must everything have a price tag ?
Stop the pillaging of our state!! You are causing great harm by letting these mining companies come in & destroy our great state of Mi. Our environment & wildlife are more important than profits!