A federal watchdog agency is broadening its investigation into the handling of a key water pollution permit for PolyMet Mining’s proposed Minnesota copper-nickel mine, giving the probe national scope.
Without issuing any findings on the PolyMet case, the Inspector General of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a nationwide audit of comparable water quality permits. Specifically, it will examine whether the permits adhere to federal law “based, in part,” on the Inspector General’s examination of PolyMet, which started in June. A memo announcing the move also cited additional hotline complaints that have been lodged since the one in January that launched the PolyMet inquiry.
The agency will fold its PolyMet findings into the national audit, which means it could be many months before anything is released.
View the complete September 9 article by Jennifer Bjorhus on The StarTribune website here.