The Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior don't just belong to a single township, county or state — they belong to all of us, and they belong to no one but themselves.
After being twice defeated in 2024 due to pushback from around the state and nation, a grant of 50 million Michigan taxpayer dollars to the proposed Copperwood Mine has been reintroduced as a Legislatively Directed Spending Request in the Michigan House.
Seeking to obfuscate all connection to the controversial mine, the new grant also requests 50 million taxpayer dollars for the very same purpose, this time thinly veiled as "community infrastructure."
Rolling out the power grid, cell towers, and heavy industrial roads into a remote, uninhabited region will NOT benefit the community, especially when it's mainland Michigan's largest old growth wilderness preserve. To the contrary, this "preliminary infrastructure" would serve exclusively to enable the development of the proposed Copperwood Mine.
If approved, the company is sure to cite it as a "Michigan endorsement" (a phrase used by the CEO), thus triggering an avalanche of fresh investment and potentially the capital to at last start construction
We the People won’t be fooled, but we need massive collective outreach to break through the noise and ensure that our busy lawmakers get the real story before they craft the 2026 budget proposals in May, June, and July of this year!
Here you will find a sample letter, which you may copy directly or use as inspiration for your own message.
Below you will find all the contact information for the targeted politicians who urgently need to hear from you. They include House Speaker Matt Hall and all the members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Please be sure to communicate clearly: "I urge you to deny the Legislatively Directed Spending Request, introduced by Rep. Markkanen on Aoril 23rd, for $50 million for Wakefield Township to enable the Copperwood Mine."
Copy and paste the full list! Depending on your email service, you may need to divide the list into two or three messages.
NancyJenkinsArno@house.mi.gov,
SamanthaSteckloff@house.mi.gov,
SenSAnthony@senate.michigan.gov
SenSMcCann@senate.michigan.gov
SenJCherry@senate.michigan.gov
SenSSantana@senate.michigan.gov
SenKHertel@senate.michigan.gov
SenDCamilleri@senate.michigan.gov
SenVKlinefelt@senate.michigan.gov
SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov
SenMCavanagh@senate.michigan.gov
SenJBumstead@senate.michigan.gov
SenTAlbert@senate.michigan.gov
SenJDamoose@senate.michigan.gov
SenMHuizenga@senate.michigan.gov
SenROutman@senate.michigan.gov
TOP TARGETS
Matt Hall (517) 373-1784
Ann Bolin (517) 373-7515
Nancy Jenkins Arno (517) 373-8808
SECONDARY TARGETS (also very important!)
House Appropations Committee
Matt Maddock (517) 373-1780
Alabas Farhat (517) 373-0144
Phil Green (517) 373-0587
Tim Kelly (517) 373-1778
Greg Markkanen (517) 373-0850
Mike Mueller (517) 373-0840
Bradley Slagh (517) 373-0841
Greg Van Woerkom (517) 373-1830
Timothy Beson (517) 373-0158
Ken Borton 517-373-0829
John Roth (517) 373-1766
Cam Cavitt (517) 373-0833
James De Sana (517) 373-0475
Tom Kuhn (517) 373-1706
Donni Steel (517) 373-1771
Ron Robinson (517) 373-1794
Amos O'Neal (517) 373-0837
Julie Rogers (517) 373-1783
Samantha Steckloff (517) 373-3920
Carol Glanville (517) 373-0476
Kimberly Edwards (517) 373-0852
Jasper Martus (517) 373-1786
Donavan McKinney (517) 373-0849
Jason Morgan (517) 373-0855
Natalie Price (517) 373-0823
Will Snyder (517) 373-0842
Matt Longjohn (517) 373-8670
Senate Appropations Committee
Sarah Anthony 517-373-6960
Sean McCann 517-373-5100
John Cherry 517-373-0142
Rosemary Bayer 517-373-2417
Sylvia Santana 517-373-0990
Jeff Irwin 517-373-2406
Kevin Hertel 517-373-7315
Darin Camilleri 517-373-7918
Veronica Klinefelt 517-373-7670
Mallory McMorrow 517-373-2523
Mary Cavanagh 517-373-7748
John Bumstead 517-373-1635
Thomas Albert 517-373-1734
John Damoose 517-373-2413
Mark Huizenga 517-373-0797
Rick Outman 517-373-3760
Lana Theis 517-373-2420
See the Homepage for inspiration.
More elaboration can be found here.
If the project is to advance, may it do so on its own two feet along with the rest of us, through the forces of the free market without the interference of a corporate welfare handout from our pockets. Why should the taxpayers bail out a failing foreign company who wants to ship our copper abroad? This is a message politicians on both sides of the aisle can get behind. Tell our elected officials this is a controversial and divisive use of taxpayer dollars!
The Governor has the power to intervene with Michigan's environmental regulators and halt permitting to the proposed Copperwood Mine. Contact the Governor today and demand a formal state review of the Copperwood Mine. Find talking points here.
The Attorney General also has the power to influence Michigan's environmental permitting regulators. Contact the A.G. today and demand a formal state review of the Copperwood Mine. Find talking points here.
Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) continues to approve permits to the proposed mine, despite significant environmental concerns, disruptions to outdoor recreation, and public pushback. Urge them to stand with the people of Michigan by denying all additional permits!
The Gogebic County Board of Commissioners continue to approve Resolutions of Support for the mine, despite pushback from the community, the local Tribe, and folks from around Michigan and beyond. Contact the Commissioners and tell them: 1) your tourist dollars are on the line; 2) the County's reputation is on the line; 3) Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountains belong to all of us!
Every single person has unique skills, resources, and time allowance to commit to this important cause. As a campaign based in a remote and scarcely populated area, we will only be successful if we have the help of many thousands of passionate individuals.
Please consider contributing by:
Now that you've got the message, what will you do?
ProtectThePorkies is run entirely by volunteers dedicating considerable time and energy to this important cause. As a small team, we strive to make efficient and constructive use of funding. Your contributions assist greatly with our mission.
You may also mail checks to this address:
PO Box 6
Wakefield, MI
49968
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