We’re happy to welcome Tom Grotewohl of Protect the Porkies, who are organizing against the development of the Copperwood Mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Tom shares about the (4:40) launch of Protect the Porkies and describes what’s at stake with this boom and bust project if allowed to move forward including environmental damage to Lake Superior, ground water, local wildlife, old growth forest and the pristine Porcupine Mountain State Park. (9:10) Protect the Porkies is encouraging people to sign their online petition in opposition of the Copperwood Mine and to help spread the word on this grassroots organizing effort. (10:40) Tom shares background on Highland Copper, (16:00) discusses the importance of grassroots organizing to hold corporations and policy makers accountable, and (21:25) shares calls to action related to the proposed $50 million grant of Michigan taxpayer dollars that the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) is considering awarding the energy company. (29:48) Tom shares some of his own background including what drew him to move to the Upper Peninsula and what inspired him to get involved in this effort. (36:40) Finally, Tom shares encourage State of Water listeners to raise their voices and contribute their own creativity and commitment to this Protect the Porkies effort.

Visit https://protecttheporkies.com to learn more about current calls to action and to sign the petition opposing Copperwood Mine.

Sign up contribute a public comment to the Michigan Strategic Fund’s public comment session on March 26th at 10am (in-person in Lansing or virtually). You can get all the info about attending, pre-registering a virtual comment, or submitting a comment of opposition via email at https://www.michiganbusiness.org/about-medc/michigan-strategic-fund/public-comment/

Protect the Porkies are also hosting a virtual town hall this Saturday, March 23 at 11am where you can get more campaign updates. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcOCrqTMjHdf5LigSt0aKNbDCB1p-S5l-?

This proposed metallic sulfide mine would be the closest to Lake Superior in history as well as bordering the North Country Trail and Porcupine Mountain State Park - which is not only the largest State Park in Michigan, it is the largest designated Wilderness Area in mainland Michigan with 40,000+ acres of designated Wilderness including 35,000 acres of old growth forest which is the largest tract of mixed coniferous-deciduous old growth remaining in the Midwest. It was recently ranked as "most beautiful State Park in the country."

/// EPISODE 44


/ Tom Grotewohl interviewed by Seth Bernard/ Produced, edited and mixed by Dan Rickabus and Chris Good/ Narrators - Alex Smith, Ben Darcie, Dan Rickabus, Jenny Jones, Angela Gallegos, Rachel Marco-Havens/ Graphic by Chris Good, Photos courtesy of Tom Grotewohl/ Theme Music - Mike Savina, Seth Bernard & Dan Rickabus/ Featured Music - “Homestretch” by Ecotone; “Authors (instrumental demo)" by Dan Rickabus; and “La Nana de la Loba” by Maple Moon