Comments on: Governor’s UP Director Resigned to Work for Kennecott http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:05:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Douglas Scott Treado http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6006 Douglas Scott Treado Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:17:17 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6006 Many of us really wondered about Governor Granholm and Matt Johnson--and their benign neglect of some of the earlier, major DNR/DEQ issues in regard to the potential pollution dangers to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan's environment via the Rio Tinto/Kennecott's metallic sulfide mining permits. Now, pieces of the recent (2007-8) DNR/DEQ puzzle (and what really transpired in Lansing--and why) fall into place--particularly with Matt Johnson--who obviously also had private, personal contact with--and ultimately, a job offer--from Rio Tinto/Kennecott. It's now obvioius that for Matt Johnson, ethical behavior is not required in representing the interests of the taxpayers and those who care about the Marquette and Baraga County watersheds and other ecosystems. (He should be ashamed of himself, but I doubt it....) And now. we're also dealing with the US/EPA's Region 5 Office--and the recent firing of Region 5 Director Mary Gade (who earlier took on Dow in Midland, MI, and their major watershed pollution); and who was quickly replaced by the anti-environmental Bush Administration's appointee in August. So, more public vigilance and action is required to make sure that the upcoming Region 5 EPA rulings on this sulfide mining permit issue are not to have similar, "unethically tainted" results. It's amazing how corporate greed appears to trump ethics, public good, health and safety so easily...Let's not permit that to happen, again! Many of us really wondered about Governor Granholm and Matt Johnson–and their benign neglect of some of the earlier, major DNR/DEQ issues in regard to the potential pollution dangers to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan’s environment via the Rio Tinto/Kennecott’s metallic sulfide mining permits.
Now, pieces of the recent (2007-8) DNR/DEQ puzzle (and what really transpired in Lansing–and why) fall into place–particularly with Matt Johnson–who obviously also had private, personal contact with–and ultimately, a job offer–from Rio Tinto/Kennecott. It’s now obvioius that for Matt Johnson, ethical behavior is not required in representing the interests of the taxpayers and those who care about the Marquette and Baraga County watersheds and other ecosystems. (He should be ashamed of himself, but I doubt it….)
And now. we’re also dealing with the US/EPA’s Region 5 Office–and the recent firing of Region 5 Director Mary Gade (who earlier took on Dow in Midland, MI, and their major watershed pollution); and who was quickly replaced by the anti-environmental Bush Administration’s appointee in August.
So, more public vigilance and action is required to make sure that the upcoming Region 5 EPA rulings on this sulfide mining permit issue are not to have similar, “unethically tainted” results. It’s amazing how corporate greed appears to trump ethics, public good, health and safety so easily…Let’s not permit that to happen, again!

]]> By: Patrick http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6005 Patrick Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:26:33 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6005 In my opinion this indicates an obvious and very disturbing conflict of interest. It makes one wonder how long Mr. Johnson has actually been on the Kennecott payroll. Apparently, Kennecott is now sufficiently confident in the fact that their mine(s) will be approved by the same government which Mr. Smith was supposedly representing. This type of occurrence is indicative of how the powerful mining interests operate both here and elsewhere. It is an outrage and should be fully investigated immediately. Shame on you Mr. Johnson...you were supposed to be representing the people and you failed us. In my opinion this indicates an obvious and very disturbing conflict of interest. It makes one wonder how long Mr. Johnson has actually been on the Kennecott payroll. Apparently, Kennecott is now sufficiently confident in the fact that their mine(s) will be approved by the same government which Mr. Smith was supposedly representing.

This type of occurrence is indicative of how the powerful mining interests operate both here and elsewhere. It is an outrage and should be fully investigated immediately. Shame on you Mr. Johnson…you were supposed to be representing the people and you failed us.

]]> By: Mike http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6004 Mike Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:16:06 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6004 It seems to me that when money is involved people lose their integrity. The people need to continue to fight back. Mr. Johnson is bought just like other politician's. Greed will destroy are world and it is up to the people we elected to protect us from this kid of environmental destruction. The people don't want the mine, so their shouldn't be one. Try to pass a permit to build a garage with your neighbor showing a disapproval, you wont get the permit. Ruin the world and have thousands showing disapproval and ...... I pray it will be stopped. The quiet place I call home. It seems to me that when money is involved
people lose their integrity. The people need to continue to fight back. Mr. Johnson is bought just like other politician’s. Greed will destroy are world and it is up to the people we elected to protect us from this kid of environmental destruction. The people don’t want the mine, so their shouldn’t be one. Try to pass a permit to build a garage with your neighbor showing a disapproval, you wont get the permit. Ruin the world and have thousands showing disapproval and …… I pray it will be stopped. The quiet place I call home.

]]> By: Mike Stadler http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6002 Mike Stadler Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:19:58 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6002 For all who think jobs are the only issue, Google "Rio tinto bougainville" to learn just what kind of good neighbors these people would be. One of the reasons so many folks are leaving the Hill in DC this election cycle is because of a doubling of lobbying involvement after leaving office from one to two years. Five sounds better to me, but it's a start. As to claims Kennecott will clean up, I've been told that they will once operations are shut down. (That's little comfort as they pollute while they're operational.) I've further been told that operations cease once the last viable structure is shut down, which never happens because then they'd have to clean up. "That's'a some'a catch'a, that catch'a 22." For all who think jobs are the only issue, Google “Rio tinto bougainville” to learn just what kind of good neighbors these people would be.
One of the reasons so many folks are leaving the Hill in DC this election cycle is because of a doubling of lobbying involvement after leaving office from one to two years. Five sounds better to me, but it’s a start.
As to claims Kennecott will clean up, I’ve been told that they will once operations are shut down. (That’s little comfort as they pollute while they’re operational.) I’ve further been told that operations cease once the last viable structure is shut down, which never happens because then they’d have to clean up.
“That’s’a some’a catch’a, that catch’a 22.”

]]> By: Matthew Schaut http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6001 Matthew Schaut Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:20:17 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6001 This sort of news is the sort of thing that makes one's heartsick. I do not know why Governor Granholm travels this dismal path. Certainly Mr. Johnson's behavior is unethical, and does not have the interests of the environment or the citizens of the UP at heart. In the face of this kind of willful sleaze, it is easy to lose some heart, but I do not think we should. Shed light on these behaviors! That is the way to neutralize shady characters, and it proves the argument that rather than these recent sulfide mining proposals being in the interests of the state and the nation, they are rather in the interest of a very few shareholders in the mines. The rest of us must remain vigilant and refuse to permit a Rio Tinto victory, because -- as Mr. Maki of the DEQ has so kindly admitted, -- the DEQ didn't even bother to demand an environmentally plan from Rio Tinto. Yet even if they do present a "plan", it is certain to be a self-serving and specious plan. As much as I would like to feel that with the recent election and the hope for a change in attitudes towards environmental stewardship at the national level, these venal actions at the local level break my heart. I hope we all continue the fight against short-term profit and long-term environmental degradation in our UP and throughout our world. This sort of news is the sort of thing that makes one’s heartsick. I do not know why Governor Granholm travels this dismal path. Certainly Mr. Johnson’s behavior is unethical, and does not have the interests of the environment or the citizens of the UP at heart. In the face of this kind of willful sleaze, it is easy to lose some heart, but I do not think we should. Shed light on these behaviors! That is the way to neutralize shady characters, and it proves the argument that rather than these recent sulfide mining proposals being in the interests of the state and the nation, they are rather in the interest of a very few shareholders in the mines.

The rest of us must remain vigilant and refuse to permit a Rio Tinto victory, because — as Mr. Maki of the DEQ has so kindly admitted, — the DEQ didn’t even bother to demand an environmentally plan from Rio Tinto. Yet even if they do present a “plan”, it is certain to be a self-serving and specious plan.

As much as I would like to feel that with the recent election and the hope for a change in attitudes towards environmental stewardship at the national level, these venal actions at the local level break my heart. I hope we all continue the fight against short-term profit and long-term environmental degradation in our UP and throughout our world.

]]> By: Clayton Adams http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/governors-up-director-resigned-to-work-for-kennecott/comment-page-1/#comment-6000 Clayton Adams Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:40:11 +0000 http://www.savethewildup.org/blog/?p=636#comment-6000 It seems that there should be an official inquiry into this relationship Mr. Johnson now has with Rio Tinto/Kennecott. There ought to be limitations in law for state employees to jump ship to go work for companies in this manner, much like the military has with government contractors. There ought to be some oversight, recourse, and some alarm with Governor Granholm regarding this situation. It appears very suspect of unfair influence pedalling. Johnson does not have the people's best interest at heart, in my opinion. Even if he thinks he does, it seems unethical for him to work directly for the pro-minining interests now, having been on the state payroll just previously. It seems that there should be an official inquiry into this relationship Mr. Johnson now has with Rio Tinto/Kennecott. There ought to be limitations in law for state employees to jump ship to go work for companies in this manner, much like the military has with government contractors. There ought to be some oversight, recourse, and some alarm with Governor Granholm regarding this situation. It appears very suspect of unfair influence pedalling. Johnson does not have the people’s best interest at heart, in my opinion. Even if he thinks he does, it seems unethical for him to work directly for the pro-minining interests now, having been on the state payroll just previously.

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