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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Ely can’t have it both ways

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At the Oct. 27 Ely City Council study session, a packed room of Ely area residents and business owners spoke of the harm to businesses, home owners, and residents that proposed sulfide-ore copper mining would cause. None of the council members had any questions for the speakers or the room full of Ely area residents. But one Council Member, Albert Forsman, has since shared his vision that 100 years from now Ely will still be the gateway to the wilderness and we will still have fresh water in the greatest outdoor playground in the world.

If this is truly his vision, his support of sulfide-ore copper mining is wrong.

Mr. Forsman can’t have both – none of us can. It is chemistry and physics. Regulatory agencies can’t suspend the laws of physics and chemistry, nor can mining companies or city council members. These groups can’t make the pollution not exist, can’t make the flowage stop at the edge of the wilderness, and can’t make an industrial mining district an attractive place to live, work, or visit.

If you care about the Boundary Waters, the Superior National Forest, and the people who love living in this place because of its spectacular location – you would say no to sulfide-ore copper mining.

And then you would invest in Ely area businesses, the people who live here, and new businesses that would not harm the environment.

Here are some ideas of what the city council could do to help the community prosper:

‰Support the arts and high-quality manufacturing. The groundwork is being laid for the arts to become a tourism booster (Folk School, State Theater for live performances and film). Small-batch high-quality manufacturing has shown that it can thrive in Ely (Steger Mukluks, Wintergreen, Kondos, Crapola). These are proven industries that have not reached their full potential.

‰Recruit businesses with high-tech focus. Lake Connections has been laying fiber optics in the Ely area. This is an economic development tool. The Otts have been creating dozens of downtown office spaces with fiber optic connections. The city council could have shovel-ready sites in the business parks for businesses with high-tech focus.

‰Support Ely’s college. Vermilion Community College is a great asset to Ely. Each student brings money into the community. The City Council could support the college by encouraging development of its programs, enhancing its curb appeal, and increasing enrollment.

Continue with programs such as the hiring of Stone Soup Events to grow tourism throughout the year. The fall marathon was a success. Creativity and strategic planning can continue to grow year-round tourism.

Promote Ely’s location as the gateway to the Boundary Waters and a great place to live, play, and work. New businesses and new families are investing in the community. The City Council could encourage more new families to move here by providing more amenities such as the Rec Center.

Ely has a great future - provided it doesn’t gamble on a South American mining company promising the impossible.

Becky Rom

Ely, Minn.