Programs

  • Boundary Waters Mining Advocacy

    SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM - LITIGATION: CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT APPROVALS FOR MINING IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS (BWCAW) WATERSHED.ACTIVITIES SETTLED LITIGATION ON PROSPECTING PERMITS. CONTINUED TO SUPPORT STATE MERA CASE, WHICH WAS REMANDED TO MNDNR; SUBMITTED REQUIRED COMMENT LETTER TO DNR IN DECEMBER 2021; CONTINUED SUPPORTING LITIGATION OF LEASE RENEWAL; CONTINUED SUPPORTING LITIGATION OF LEASE REINSTATEMENT.PROGRAM - RESEARCH PROJECT AND POLICY PROPOSALS AND THEIR IMPACT:MONITOR CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES AND PUBLICATIONS TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS RELATED TO MINING IN THE WATERSHED OF THE BWCAW; EVALUATE OR USE CONTRACT SERVICES AS NEEDED TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS; DEVELOP FACT SHEETS AND MAPS ON PROPOSALS AND IMPACTS.ACTIVITIES - IMPLMENTED FIELD STUDIES TO ESTABLISH BASELINE CONDITIONS; PROVIDED EXPERT OPINION IN LAWSUITS AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS; SOLICITED INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ON MINING DISCUSSIONS; ANALYZED AND SUMMARIZED SIGNIFICANT FOIA REQUESTS; BEGAN ASSEMBLY OF ROBUST TECHNICAL COMMENT IN RESPONSE TO FEDERAL MINERAL WITHDRAWAL PROCESS. PROGRAM - EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC: DEVELOP INFORMATION FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION ON PROJECTS AND IMPACTS; DISTRIBUTE VIA PERTINENT CHANNELS SUCH AS WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWS RELEASES, PUBLIC FORUMS, ETC.; RESPOND TO MEDIA INQUIRIES; DEVELOP OTHER OUTREACH MATERIALS AND HOST EVENTS FOR INTERESTED CITIZENS.ACTIVITIES AS INFORMATION BECAME AVAILABLE OR THE ISSUE CHANGED, FACT SHEETS WERE ADDED TO THE WEBSITE. MORE THAN 150 EMAIL ALERTS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORTER LISTS. AT LEAST 35 PRESS RELEASES PUBLISHED. AT LEAST 10 MAJOR MEDIA PUBLICATIONS WERE INITIATED AND PUBLISHED. WEEKLY POSTINGS ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM. HELD NEARLY 40 PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. MOBILIZED GRASSROOTS SUPPORT DURING STATE COMMENT PERIOD AND BEGAN BROAD GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION DURING A FEDERALLY HELD PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, DURING WHICH NEARLY 250,000 COMMENTS WERE ULTIMATELY GENERATED.PROGRAM - EDUCATE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT STAFF: DEVELOP INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS; MEET WITH PERTINENT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AGENCY STAFF; ADVISE OF PROJECT IMPACTS; IDENTIFY STRATEGIC APPROACHES.ACTIVITIES - SUPPORTED INTRODUCTION OF HR 2794 IN CONGRESS. SUPPORTED INTRODUCTION OF STATE PROTECTION BILL. DEVELOPED FOLDERS OF FACTUAL INFORMATION AND MEDIA CLIPS FOR DOZENS OF CONGRESSPEOPLE AND STATE LEGISLATORS. HELD APPROXIMATELY 70 VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS OR THEIR STAFF AND 20 MN LEGISLATORS TO ADVISE ON PROJECT IMPACTS. MET IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY SEVERAL TIMES WITH AGENCY OFFICIALS AT BLM, USFS, DNR AND MPCA.PROGRAM - FUNDRAISE: HOST EVENTS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR OPERATIONS; SOLICIT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, AND WEBSITE; SELL ISSUE-RELATED MERCHANDISE; IDENTIFY AND STEWARD INDIVIDUALS FOR DONATIONS.ACTIVITIES: RAISED MORE THAN $2.6M FOR CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES VIA: EVENTS, INTERNET-BASED SOLICITATIONS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND GRANTS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.8M

  • Program 1 [2024]

    SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM - LITIGATION: CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT APPROVALS FOR MINING IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS (BWCAW) WATERSHED. ACTIVITIES - CONTINUED TO SUPPORT STATE MERA CASE, WHICH SAW THE MN DNR RELEASE COURT-REMANDED FINDINGS OF FACT IN MAY 2023, CHALLENGING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE DNR ON THE ISSUE OF WATER QUALITY; CONTESTED CASE HEARING TOOK PLACE NOVEMBER 2024. SAW THE DISMISSAL OF LEASE CANCELATION LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY TWIN METALS; TRACKING APPEAL, ORAL ARGUMENTS HEARD JANUARY 2025.PROGRAM - RESEARCH PROJECT AND POLICY PROPOSALS AND THEIR IMPACT:MONITOR CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT WEBSITES AND PUBLICATIONS TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS RELATED TO MINING IN THE WATERSHED OF THE BWCAW; EVALUATE OR USE CONTRACT SERVICES AS NEEDED TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS; DEVELOP FACT SHEETS AND MAPS ON PROPOSALS AND IMPACTS.ACTIVITIES CONTINUED TO IMPLEMENT FIELD STUDIES TO ESTABLISH BASELINE CONDITIONS IN HEADWATERS; PROVIDED EXPERT OPINION IN LAWSUITS, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS; PROVIDED OVER 90% OF DATA USED BY MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY TO INCLUDE BIRCH LAKE ON IMPAIRED WATERS LIST AS IMPAIRED FOR SULFATE POLLUTION , WHICH WAS APPROVED BY EPA IN MAY 2024.PROGRAM - EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC: DEVELOP INFORMATION FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION ON PROJECTS AND IMPACTS; DISTRIBUTE VIA PERTINENT CHANNELS SUCH AS WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWS RELEASES, PUBLIC FORUMS, ETC.; RESPOND TO MEDIA INQUIRIES; DEVELOP OTHER OUTREACH MATERIALS AND HOST EVENTS FOR INTERESTED CITIZENS. ACTIVITIES - AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE OR THE ISSUE CHANGES, FACT SHEETS ARE UPDATED AND ADDED TO THE WEBSITE AND DISTRIBUTED ACCORDINGLY. MORE THAN 100 EMAIL ALERTS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO SUPPORTER LISTS. AT LEAST 8 PRESS RELEASES PUBLISHED. AT LEAST 10 MAJOR MEDIA PUBLICATIONS INITIATED AND PUBLISHED. WEEKLY POSTINGS ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND LINKEDIN. POSTED AT LEAST 25 BLOGS. HELD DOZENS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.5M