Federal officials are raising objections to a proposed open-pit mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants answers to questions about a wetlands permit application filed by Aquila Resources Inc. The Canadian company plans to mine gold, zinc and copper near the Menominee River on the Michigan-Wisconsin line. Aquila has received three of four permits it needs from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. It's seeking a permit to fill wetlands.
The EPA and other federal agencies have given the DEQ 90 days to respond to their concerns. They say the application lacks key information about how the mine would affect wetlands and the river, and about the adequacy of lands selected for preservation to offset wetlands damages. A Wisconsin tribe filed a lawsuit in January, hoping to block the project.
