The setup from straight man, and some would say beloved Minnesota media icon and former TV anchorman, Don Shelby.
Iron mining and northern Minnesota have gone hand in glove for a century. But the proposed PolyMet mine in Hoyt Lakes is a different animal. It is called hardrock sulfide mining. It will be going after copper and nickel and precious metals. It promises jobs in a job-starved part of our state. But there are two things you should know about hardrock sulfide mining. The first thing is that the Environmental Protection Agency says hardrock mining generates more toxic waste than any other sector of the U.S. economy. The second thing you should know is that the history of this sort of mining shows that when the metals run out, the companies decamp. The real pollution starts after they leave with the winnings, go broke, or sell out.
Make sure you are sitting for the punch line.
Are you ready?
This next sentence is not a joke. Tony Hayward has been hired by Glencore as the executive expert in charge of environment and safety.
That Tony Hayward.