Duluth News Tribune
Phil Larson

Even before a mine has opened, Twin Metals’ employees and contractors are important members of our communities. They camp, swim, fish, canoe, ski, and snowshoe in and outside the wilderness. Their children attend our schools, play volleyball and hockey, study music, act in the school plays, and pursue higher education in the region and beyond. They pay income, property, and sales taxes. They shop at our local retailers, eat at our restaurants, use our clinics and hospitals, attend our churches and synagogues, and volunteer in our communities.

There are real environmental, social, and economic issues to be evaluated and addressed as Twin Metals develops and potentially implements its mine plan of operations. However, dismissing the resource and amenity-based economies as incompatible is a simplistic strawman argument; it ignores history and the present reality and provides no real guidance on how to develop a sustainable future for our families and communities.

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