Lawrence University Panel Discussion Examines Crandon Mine Controversy
APPLETON, WIS. -- Native American Kenneth Fish and author John Mutter will discuss the political, legal and technical aspects of the permitting process for the controversial ore mine proposed near Crandon Monday, April 16 in a Lawrence University panel discussion.The Lawrence geology department presents, "The Crandon Mine: Environmentalist Perspectives," at 7 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium. The program is free and open to the public.
Fish, the director of the Menominee Treaty Rights and Mining Impact Office, will examine the long-term and short-term economics of mining and discuss his role in the fight between environmentalists and corporate "big money."
Mutter wrote the book, "To Slay a Giant," in which he chronicles the grass-roots efforts of Wisconsin citizens during the 1990s in their opposition to corporate mining giants Exxon and Rio Algom to keep the Crandon mine from opening through the passage of a mining moratorium bill by the Wisconsin legislature.
In 1975, Exxon discovered an ore body near Crandon and the headwaters of the pristine Wolf River, setting off a two decades-long battle with environmental groups and other concerned citizens over permits to mine gold, silver, zinc and copper. Despite the passage of a mining moratorium bill in May, 1998, the mine permitting process remains ongoing under the direction of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.