Biden's EPA pulls plug on critical Minnesota-based nickel mining operation

By 
 June 7, 2023

Welcome to another day in President Joe Biden's America, where local economies are devastated in the name of promoting green energy. 

According to the Daily Caller, a company behind the efforts to invest millions in a Minnesota mine discovered that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, under the direction of Biden's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had revoked its permit.

Biden loves to tout to his dwindling support base that he's all for the working man and woman, but his actions regularly counter that message.

The mine would have been America's second nickel-mining outfit, which would have helped the nation become somewhat less dependent on foreign sources of the crucial element.

What happened?

The Corps granted a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit for the NewRange Copper Nickel’s NorthMet mine, which would have created numerous jobs and boosted local economies.

However, the EPA pulled the plug on the permit in early 2021, forcing the company. The permit was totally revoked just over a year later. The EPA cited dangers to water quality.

The Daily Caller noted:

Just one week ago on May 30, NewRange announced that it had begun to prepare the NorthMet site so it would be ready “once the project receives final approval” at an estimated cost of $18 million to fund the work of 120 union workers.

The company, and presumably thousands of locals, were thrilled at the new project.

"We are pleased to put Minnesotans to work and ready the site for construction and at the same time recycle and return tons of metal and concrete to beneficial use," a press release from the company read.

It added: "This investment will lead to a safer work environment and trim precious months off the construction schedule when the project is given the go-ahead. Demand for clean energy critical minerals is growing and we will continue to create opportunities to put people to work so that we can safely and responsibly deliver these clean energy critical minerals to the North American supply chain.”

Immediate backlash

After learning that the Biden administration had revoked the permit, Republican Rep. Pete Stauber of Minnesota lashed out at the administration.

"The Biden Administration continues their assault on northern Minnesota and our way of life," Stauber said.

He added:  "We are on the cusp of delivering for the world and our country an ethically and responsibly sourced supply of these greatly needed critical minerals for our everyday life. Again today, this activist administration took another step toward killing yet another domestic mining project in the largest copper nickel find in the world."

While the Biden admin and Democrats continue to push for electric vehicles and other green energy initiatives, critics continue to wonder why the administration is so adamant in keeping America reliant on China and other countries for the critical supplies needed, like nickel, to produce batteries and other crucial components.

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