A U.P mining project that has pitted the promise of mining jobs against environmental concerns for the past five years is poised to go forward, now that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has given its final approval to Kennecott Mine. The project to mine metal sulfide ore is proposed near Marquette, nine miles from Lake Superior.

The order, signed Thursday, January 14, is the DEQ’s final action on Kennecott’s application, the state reported, and culminates a long review conducted by the DEQ. It permits the company to build and operate the mine and to discharge treated wastewater underground. A federal groundwater permit is pending.

Sulfide mining opponents, concerned about environmental threats and spurred by a 2007 announcement that up to seven mines will be considered by the mining giant Rio Tinto in the Upper Peninsula, sued the DEQ in late December 2007 for approving one sulfide mine, charging that the permits were illegal.

The National Wildlife Federation, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Huron Mountain Club, and Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve filed the lawsuit to halt the mine, citing concerns of acid mine drainage and groundwater and air pollution. They have said they will appeal the decision in circuit court.

The administrative law judge in the case ruled that the proposed mine would meet the requirements of Michigan's environmental laws, the DEQ reported last week, and that a land feature known as Eagle Rock is not exempt as a place of worship under the state's mining laws. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community considers Eagle Rock an important spiritual site.

In addition to the DEQ permits, the mining proposal has received scrutiny from the Department of Natural Resources, which controls the surface of the land, and U.P. lawmakers. The DNR wanted to know how the company would prevent a potential mine collapse, how it would respond if a collapse did occur, and how it would restore the land after the mine's closure.

Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company announced January 14, it is preparing plans and schedules for construction of the nickel and copper mine.

"Permitting this project has been a very rigorous process that has enabled Kennecott to develop an exceptionally responsible design and approach to mining in the 21st century in Michigan," said Jon Cherry, general manager of the company, in a written statement.

The $300 million project is expected to create about 700 construction and mine operations jobs, according to the company.

Work planned for this year will include clearing and grading the 120-acre site and the construction of a $10 million water treatment plant.

Construction will take three years, with mining operations beginning in 2013.