History/Latest
Developments Of The Mining Exploration In Menominee County?
Dec. 22,
1997 - Bill 4273 was signed by then Gov. Engler. The Bill
called for a 3 year extension, from passing, to allow the mineral right owner to reassert their rights at the County Register of Deeds
office.
2000 - Doug Duskin,
the company’s land agent, and others from the company spent their days at the
Register of Deeds office going through our County records.
Dec. 19,
2000 - Bill 4273 called for mineral rights to revert to
the surface land owner if the mineral right owner had not filed to reassert
those rights. Three days before this would have taken
place, Harry P. Kleiman, co-owner of VMS Development,
LLC, filed a Notice of Interest for approximately 53,000 acres of mineral
rights that cover property over the entire County of Menominee.
2001-2002 - The landowners on River
Road watch as planes fly over and
surveyors work.
Nov & Dec 2001 - The company’s
President, Tom Quigley, filed a Mineral Lease Agreements with the heirs of
Harvey Washburn for approximately 750 additional acres in Lake Township. The surface land was owned by uninformed
private land owners.
Jan 2002 - The state DNR enters into Lease
Agreements (M-770 to M-777) for state owned minerals on approximately 2000
acres (approx. 500 acres are privately owned surface land where the state owns
the mineral rights).
Feb 2002 - Lynne Boyd, state DNR, approved
an Exploration Plan (Plan 2002-1) for the company. The approval letter states, “A mineral well
permit is not required …”
(The company can drill on private land without a permit).
July 2002 - The company
purchased the Pratt land. They use the
house for their office and pole barn for equipment. Menominee River Exploration Company now has a
‘business site’ in Menominee County. They
purchased/leased other private parcels.
August 2002 - DNR issues Use Permit 503-02 to
drill on state land.
Fall of 2002 - The drilling rigs start and run
7 days a week. (Including
holidays.)
Dec 30,
2002 - Use Permit 503-02 expires, but drilling
continues.
Feb 10,
2003 - Concerned citizens meet for the first time in Lake Township. The group is informed about looking into
their mineral rights; they may no longer have them. The citizens can not remember any article in
the local papers explaining the importance of reasserting ownership of mineral
rights. The group decides to hold a
public meeting.
March 21,
2003 - a Public Meeting is held at the Stephenson High
School.
Around 350 landowners present. The DNR/DEQ/reps for our
elected officials/ and company reps present.
The company announces American Copper and Nickel has joined the
venture. The Co. announced it will have a Public Meeting in April-May, probably mid-April.
March 26,
2003 - The FRONT 40 receives letter from Gov. Granholm stating, “I have asked the department (DEQ) to
look into your specific situation and report their findings to my office”. The DEQ has not responded to the group on the
Governor’s request.
April 2003 - The Co.’s 2 public
relations firms have one on one meetings with our
elected state, county and township officials, the newspapers and individuals.
April 2003 - The County Board, Lake Township
Board, Native American sub-committee of the County Historical Society pass the
Resolution banning the use of CYANIDE in Michigan
mining. More Township Boards and
organizations will pass it in May.
April 27,
2003 - The FRONT 40 and the WI groups protecting the Fox
and Wolf Rivers join an Alliance to protect
the Green Bay watersheds. The Alliance will hold
a Public Forum on environmental issues of metallic mineral mining and the
economic impacts to communities. The meeting
will be held in Marinette on July 26th.
May 2 - The public still waits for the Company’s meeting to be held…
