EPA officials weigh in on Eagle Rock

EPA officials weigh in on Eagle Rock


BIG BAY, Mich. – As the top government official who oversees Great Lakes water quality stood on the edge of sacred Eagle Rock, overlooking a pristine expanse of the Yellow Dog Plains, she gained a better understanding about why the state-owned land is sacred to Michigan’s Ojibwa.

“I very much understand what their concerns are – and that is one of the things we are considering as we moved forward on this,” said Tinka Hyde, Water Division director for Environmental Protection Region 5. “We realize that Eagle Rock is of cultural and religious importance to the tribe.”

Hyde was one of three EPA regional bosses from Chicago and the agency’s tribal liaison for Michigan who were given a tour of the area May 13 by officials from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community during a two-day visit to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Members of numerous tribes including Ojibwa, Cherokee and Lakota had been camping at the base of Eagle Rock since April 23 in hopes of preventing Kennecott Eagle Minerals from building a nickel and copper sulfide mine – named the Eagle Project. At the company’s request, state and local police officers raided the encampment May 27 arresting two campers.
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During their visit to Eagle Rock, EPA officials were shown nearby streams and the Salmon Trout River, under which is located the large ore body that is targeted by Kennecott. Opponents are afraid the river could collapse into the mine and it’s the only known location in Michigan where coaster brook trout breed.

“Those small headwaters are going into smaller streams and into the Salmon Trout River,” said Hyde, adding they were given a tour of the smaller streams by well-known environmentalist Chauncey Moran, who for years has monitored and tested streams on the Yellow Dog Plains for the Sierra Club and others who have partnerships with state environmental agencies.

EPA officials did not meet with the campers or mine officials during the visit.