We are just the messenger.

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On August 25th, 2026  the Michigan Strategic Fund — a board of unelected businesspeople — voted to approve the use of 50 million taxpayer dollars to advance the Copperwood Mine. The funding had been three times denied through plain old democracy, so this fourth time the MSF employed a deceptive backdoor strategy to bypass votes from elected officials by allocating left-over funds from a completely different project.

This move was quite likely illegal and unconstitutional. We will get it overturned, but only if key decision-makers hear from us in unprecedented numbers.

***Not a Michigan resident? Participate in steps 2, 3, and 4!

Michigan residents should reach out ASAP to their local state representatives and senators:

house.mi.gov/

senate.michigan.gov/

Request that an investigation into the MSF be conducted as soon as possible regarding:

• the total subversion of the democratically-elected appropriations committees
• the unprecedented, illegal transfer of funds from an obsolete 2022 project to the Copperwood Mine proposal
• the approval of Copperwood funding even though the company has failed to fulfill the original conditions of the 2024 grant
• potential Open Meetings Act violations
• potential violation of Article IV, Section 30 of the Michigan Constitution

Utilizing one of the contact methods below, reach out to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to file a formal complaint against the Michigan Strategic Fund, demanding investigation into possible illegal and unconstitutional tactics. 

• Phone: 517-335-7622
• Email: miag@michigan.gov
• In-Person: G. Mennen Williams Building, 525 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, MI 48933.
• Official Complaint Form

SAMPLE MESSAGE

As a Michigan resident, I'd like to file a formal complaint against the Michigan Strategic Fund regarding the illegal transfer of funds to the Copperwood Mine proposal and demand than an investigation be conducted on the following points:

• the total subversion of the democratically-elected appropriations committees
• the unprecedented, illegal transfer of funds from an obsolete 2022 project to the Copperwood Mine proposal
• the approval of Copperwood funding even though the company has failed to fulfill the original conditions of the 2024 grant
• potential Open Meetings Act violations
• potential violation of Article IV, Section 30 of the Michigan Constitution

The Senate Appropriations Committee has been our staunchest ally, three times denying the $50 million. They are not pleased at having their votes subverted through anti-democratic methods. Reach out to as many of the lawmakers below as possible, asking them to conduct a formal investigation into illegal, unconstitutional tactics of the $50M transfer.

Phone Numbers — Senate Appropriations Committee

Sarah Anthony (Majority Chair) 517-373-6960 

Sean McCann (Majority Vice Chair) 517-373-5100 

Kristen McDonald Rivet 517-373-1725 

John Cherry 517-373-0142 

Rosemary Bayer 517-373-2417 

Sylvia Santana 517-373-0990 

Sue Shink 517-373-2426 

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 (Minority Vice Chair) 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

E-mail Addresses 

SenSAnthony@senate.michigan.gov

SenSMcCann@senate.michigan.gov

SenKMcDonaldRivet@senate.michigan.gov

SenJCherry@senate.michigan.gov

SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov

SenSSantana@senate.michigan.gov

SenSShink@senate.michigan.gov

SenJIrwin@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

SenLTheis@senate.michigan.gov 

Contact the State Ethics Board and request that a hearing be held to address the illegal transfer of funds administered by the MEDC CEO, Quentin Messer,

Phone: 517-284-0125 

Email: ethicsboard@mi.gov

Executive Secretary
State Board of Ethics
400 South Pine Street
P.O. Box 30002
Lansing, MI 48909

Performing these actions alone is just the start — next, spread word to others, via social media, email, and in-person outreach.

On September 16th, 2025, the Export-Import Bank of the United States announced a Letter of Interest (LOI) to provide $250 million in debt financing for the advancement of the proposed Copperwood Mine. The EXIM Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States. 

The LOI is non-binding, meaning there is no commitment to follow through with the funding, but the final decision may ultimately be determined by what we do next.

$250 million would constitute a massive bailout for a failing junior company with only ~$20 million in the bank; it would provide a significant portion of the $450 million the project needs to get up and running; and it would catalyze an avalanche of fresh private investment. In other words, this could make or break the dangerous Copperwood Mine, adjacent to the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior.

So it's time to mobilize!

Send a hand written letter or postcard to the EXIM headquarters, urging them to "deny all funding to Highland Copper." This sentence alone is sufficient, though you are welcome to add more. More than your individual message, it is the totality of all our messages, sent from around the country and around the world, which is THE message.

In this modern screen-based era, a mass letter writing campaign has much more of a tangible "real" impact than simply sending emails. Our goal is to show EXIM that we are real people fighting for a real place. 

Consider personalizing your letter with drawings or photos!

Export-Import Bank of the United States
811 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20571

A single sentence is sufficient: "Please deny all funding to Highland Copper."

We will win by making friends, not enemies.

Please write your message from your own personal perspective depending on what feels right to you. 

Those interested might also consider including arguments to emphasize the RISK of the project, the IMMENSE SCOPE OF THE OPPOSITION, and its INCOMPATIBILITY WITH EXIM'S MISSION.

1) Antithetical to EXIM's Mission

The EXIM Bank state that its mission is "to support American job creation... by unlocking financing solutions for U.S. companies competing around the globe." But Highland Copper is not a U.S. company — they are an inexperienced Canadian company seeking to develop a highly opposed copper sulfide mine immediately adjacent to Michigan's most beloved State Park, with 40+ million tons of toxic mine waste to be stored in unprecedented proximity to Lake Superior. Furthermore, a wealth of research shows that mines are more likely to harm the economy in the mid- and long-term (1,2). To quote Harvard Economist James Stock, former presidential advisor: "In 89% of cases copper mining ends up being a negative for jobs and incomes."  The jobs at Copperwood would last for a maximum of 10.7 years, though many would be six-month contracts, with highest paid positions going to specialized non-residents. Over the mid- to long-term, this mine will leave the area poorer than it started.

2) The scope of opposition to this project is enormous. 

469,000 people — largely from the state of Michigan — have signed a petition opposing its development, and over 100 organizations signed a letter opposing state funding for the project, including the Michigan League of Women Voters, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan Sierra Club, and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, as well as five Tribal Nations.

3) Funding denied by Michigan legislature

The state of Michigan has THREE TIMES denied the use of $50 million to help the project advance — twice in 2024 (1,2) and again in 2025 — due to outreach from tens of thousands of constituents.

4) A risky investment

A report the Keweenaw Land Association — the company leasing the Copperwood mineral rights — states (page 13): "There are a number of factors weighing against near-term development of the Copperwood Project and as a result, the Copperwood Project could face significant delays and ultimately prove to be unprofitable or fail to yield the expected cash revenues."

Separately, an independent auditor's report states that there is significant doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; that the project is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties; and that an investment in Highland involves significant risks and should be considered speculative.

5) No supply chain vulnerability for mined copper

Although refined copper has been named as a "critical mineral" by the U.S. Geological Survey, mined copper is still listed at a negative risk (page 37): thus, no undersupply of raw copper; thus, no need to accelerate the development of new mines, especially those opposed by multiple Tribal Nations, 100+ organizations, and hundreds of thousands from around the state and nation.

6) The copper in question would be shipped out of country — to Canada, Europe, or Asia (p 19-3) — where it would enter the international market with no  contracts in place ensuring the return of the copper to the United States.

*** You may supplement your message with more material from our home page.

Please share this action with others, from around the USA and beyond. Thank you!

On April 2nd, the White House officially named Highland Copper in a government press release.

This combined with other factors — copper price at an all time high, the White House establishing Project Vault, and more — suggests that a massive federal bailout for a failing, hotly opposed project could be just around the corner.

Reach out to national lawmakers and urge them to do everything in their power to ensure not a single copper penny goes to this dangerous project. The lawmakers listed below have been on critical mineral committees or in contact with the mining company CEO. 

Some are up for re-election — let them know their jobs are on the line.

We also encourage you, no matter your residence, to contact any other national legislators.

• Conduct some research on the Home Page
• Make a call / send an email to the contacts below
• Share this action with others

The more of us they hear from, the more seriously they will take our message.

• Sen. Elissa Slotkin (MI) contact form 202-224-4822
• Rep. Jack Bergman (MI) — up for re-election Bergman.constituent@mail.house.gov 202-225-4735 / 231-944-7633 (Traverse City district office) / 906-273-2227 (Gwinn district office)
• Rep. John Moolenaar (MI) — up for re-election contact form 202-225-3561 989-802-6040 (district office)
• Rep. Haley Stevens (MI) — re-election / running for U.S. senate 734-853-3040 / 202-225-8171
• Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI) — running for WI governor contact form 202-225-3365 / 715-298-9344
• Rep. Pete Stauber (MN) — up for re-election contact form 202-225-6211 218-481-6396

Hello,

I'm calling / writing to urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that no American taxpayer dollars go to the proposed Copperwood Mine. This dangerous project was recently named in U.S. Government fact sheet from April 2nd as an example of a company expanding domestic copper mining, but the release failed to mention:

• Highland Copper is a Canadian company
• They are not a mining company, having never owned or operated a mine
• They're seeking to build their first ever mine right next to Porcupine Mountains State Park, one of the most beloved outdoor recreation destinations in the nation
• Over 40 million tons of toxic mine waste, containing arsenic, mercury, cadmium and lead, would be stored in unprecedented proximity to Lake Superior, this continent's largest, cleanest source of surface freshwater
• The copper in question would be shipped to Canada for processing, with no promise of return

Again, I urge you to deny any potential federal funding, as well as to educate your colleagues on the risks of this project, which is so hotly opposed that its funding has been three times denied by the State of Michigan. 

Please share this action with others. Thank you!

Despite the Copperwood Project lacking $400+ million, despite lacking crucial preliminary infrastructure such as the power grid, cell towers, and industrial roads, and despite lacking the support of We the People, Michigan's environmental regulatory agency EGLE continues to issue permits enabling the clearcutting of forest, the destruction of wetlands, and the rerouting of streams.

Permitting destruction is the same as committing it. So it's time to speak up! It's time to hold the permitters accountable!

The Copperwood Permit must regularly apply for new permits and to renew existing ones. One major permit — the NPDES permit for wastewater discharge — is currently under consideration, and a public comment period will eventually be opened. Interestingly, this application has suffered a six-month delay in approval, potentially suggesting that EGLE may be beginning to feel the will of the people, so the time to strike is now!

Our goal is to pre-empt the upcoming public comment period by setting a firm tone. We need thousands from around Michigan to demand that EGLE cease to issue ALL permits for this dangerous and widely opposed project.

In many of our actions we encourage participation from folks from outside of Michigan. In this case, however, we believe EGLE will be most receptive to Michiganders. Please only participate if you are a Michigan resident / property owner.

1. Write an email to this address:  EGLE-Assist@Michigan.gov
2. And / or make a phone call: 800-662-9278 (Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm EST
3. Speak your mind or use the sample message below. Be sure to include a phrase to this effect: "Please halt the issuing of all major and minor permits for the proposed Copperwood Mine."
4. Share this action with others!

Here is a sample message which you may adapt to your liking:

"Hello,

My name is _________ and I'm a resident of ________. I kindly request that your agency cease to issue all major and minor permits for the proposed Copperwood Mine. The development of this dangerous project is not in the best interests of Michigan, and it does not have the support of the people. By permitting Copperwood's advancement, you are complicit in destroying and compromising a beloved area at the juncture of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness, Lake Superior, and the North Country Trail. 

Once again, I urge your agency to stand with the people of this great state by halting the project.

Please make note of this message for the consideration of the agency's directors.

Thank you."

*** To elaborate on your reasons for opposing Copperwood, you'll find ample material on the home page.

Please share this action with others. Thank you!