After reading David A. Lien’s recent letter to the editor, I feel the need to respond. Most of the letter deals with the possibility of a mine causing vast amounts of sulfuric acid in the Rainy River watershed.  Nothing could be further from the truth.
We already know that a Twin Metals underground mine will be a non-acid polluting mine. This has been proven through science and modern extraction methods. There is even a new method to neutralize acid from water that wasn’t available before.
So, why all the fear mongering with no facts to back it up?  There are claims that the Obama and Biden administrations took away active mining permits from Twin Metals, showing proof that it will pollute. Not so fast. Both administrations used mines that were up to 100 years old that were causing acid rock drainage as examples to suspend the permits. None of which are even related to a modern non-acid generating mine. Even the 20-year ban on mining never used any data that was available from Twin Metals or anyone else for that matter. Nope, several of the mines up to 100 years old were used again that also had acid rock drainage problems. So where is all the Twin Metals data that should have been used or considered?
I live downstream of a potential Twin Metals mine, so I have a valid concern like others, but I’m the kind of guy that will do research, especially when there may be water pollution in the lake I live on.  When someone or some group claims my lake is going to be or likely to be highly polluted rubs me the wrong way when I know all their claims are pure misinformation and fear mongering.
Personally, I’m not for or against a possible Twin Metals mine, but I am for a complete scientific analysis that will separate facts from hyperbole. I’ll let science and the federal and state governments decide if a mine like Twin Metals will work or not, and what risks it may have or not. If the risk is too high, then no permit. That is the only way this will ever be settled. If Mr. Lien wants, I can send him information on why a Twin Metals mine will not produce the acid rock drainage he is so concerned about.
Daniel Hernesmaa,
Ely