According to a new article by Glenn Puit, Kennecott Minerals is engaged in an extensive lobbying effort in support a proposed sulfide mine near Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The mine--which would be located underneath an unspoiled trout stream--has met significant opposition from residents of the Upper Peninsula and environmentalists across the state. However, according to the article, this opposition has been met by a complex public relations and lobbying campaign that has targeted members of Governor Jennifer Granholm's administration and lawmakers in the Upper Peninsula. In addition, Kennecott has pumped cash into nonprofits associated with the Democratic and Republican parties.
In the article, Puit writes that:
It is now clear that Kennecott knew that there might be stiff resistance to the mine, which the firm calls the Eagle Project. So the company, owned by Rio Tinto, a large, London-based mining company, set out to win the support of local residents and local and state leaders and lawmakers.
Kennecott established its Eagle Project Community Relations plan, which targeted local residents who would have a stake in the mine's success, including civic and political leaders. The company's goal, according to its own documents, is "to make meaningful, long-term contributions to the surrounding communities, which would in turn provide the company benefits in business and social standing."
Kennecott identified and engaged local political groups with legislative clout, regulatory government agencies, environmental groups, and business, labor, and charitable organizations. It placed large ads in Marquette's daily newspaper and ran a heavy schedule of well-produced TV commercials, some featuring two professors from nearby Michigan Technological University, which Kennecott has financially supported in the past. The company has also donated to local charitable groups and to Veterans Memorial Park, in Champion, which is near the proposed mine site.
While it is difficult to discern a direct link between the lobbying and the lack of legislative opposition to the project, the article points out that few elected officials of either party have taken a position on the project, with most politicians instead arguing that it is up to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to make a decision. Kennecott's lobbyists have targeted legislators via the Governmental Consultant Services lobbying firm which has spent $53,997 on behalf of Kennecott according to public records. Kennecott refuses to say how much it has spent on lobbying via nonprofits.
