TOP ACTION: Halt the illegal $50 million to Copperwood

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On August 25th, the Michigan Strategic Fund — a body of unelected businesspeople — approved the use of 50 million taxpayer dollars to advance the proposed Copperwood Mine next to Lake Superior and the Porcupine Mountains. The funding had been thrice denied by elected lawmakers, and so this time they utilized a backdoor workaround which entirely subverts the purview of elected lawmakers and thus the will of We the People. An anti-democratic handout of public money to enrich a foreign extractive company sets an extraordinarily dangerous precedent which must be challenged with full vigor.

Please remember also that the Porcupine Mountains are a place that proud Michiganders fought for decades to see protected, culminating in the 1940s with the Save the Porkies movement and the designation of the State Park. This secretive and anti-democratic handout of public money to help a foreign company mine next to and underneath the Park as well as degrade surrounding lands is a profound slap in the face to past generations.

They lit the torch, now it’s our turn to carry it!

We must convince the Michigan legislature to approve a bipartisan bill to halt the $50 million for Copperwood Mine infrastructure. 

The Michigan Senate would introduce and approve such a bill, but it will also need to pass through the Republican-dominated House. This will be more of an uphill battle, but far from impossible, as there are many Republicans who do not support a taxpayer-funded handout to a Canadian mining company. 

So we need to conduct outreach to ALL state lawmakers, with a special focus on the House.

• All Michigan residents should follow the Steps 1, 2 and 3 below.
• Non-residents, please proceed to Step Three.

Michigan residents, please go to house.mi.gov and senate.michigan.gov to find your state representative, then contact them using your own version of the sample message at the bottom of this action.

*** Upper Peninsula residents, even though our representatives do not represent us on this issue, they are all up for re-election so it's crucial they hear from us. Tell them to withdraw support for Copperwood and pass a bill halting the funding or lose your vote.

All Michigan residents— but especially constituents — are strongly encouraged to reach out to the lawmakers below, who have been chosen because:

1. they are Republicans who may be amenable to supporting such a bill (only a Republican-supported bill will win the House)
2. they are up for re-election and will be especially sensitive to pressure from constituents
3. they are “lame ducks” (leaving office soon due to term limits) and thus open to taking bolder steps since they need not seek re-election
4. a combination of the above

Use the sample message at the bottom of this action for inspiration. 

TOP OUTREACH TARGETS

• James DeSana (R) District 29
  JamesDeSana@house.mi.gov (517) 373-0475
  ***Running for re-election
• Pat Outman (R) District 91
  PatOutman@house.mi.gov (517) 373-3436
  ***Running for re-election
• Dylan Wegela (D) District 26
  DylanWegela@house.mi.gov (517) 373-3818
  ***Running for re-election
• Rylee Linting (R) District 27
  RyleeLinting@house.mi.gov (517) 373-0478
  ***Running for re-election
• Steve Carra (R) District 36
  SteveCarra@house.mi.gov
  (517) 373-0843
  ***Running for re-election
• Reggie Miller (D) District 31
  ReggieMiller@house.mi.gov (517) 373-0159
  ***Leaving office — emphasize legacy
• Matt Hall (R) District 42
  MattHall@house.mi.gov
  (517) 373-1784
  ***Running for re-election — emphasize lack of transparency: “Sneaking funding to a foreign mining company without a single vote from elected lawmakers is entirely antithetical to Republican platform of  transparency and America First."
• Steve Frisbie (R) District 44
  SteveFrisbie@house.mi.gov (517) 373-2616
  ***Running for re-election
• Kathy Schmaltz (R) District 46
  KathySchmaltz@house.mi.gov (517) 373-1798
  ***Running for re-election
• Donni Steele (R) District 54
  DonniSteele@house.mi.gov (517) 373-1771
  ***Running for re-election

BASE MESSAGE (use for inspiration or as is)

"Hello,

I'm calling/writing today to urge you to support a bill to block the $50 million to advance the proposed Copperwood Mine, which was approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund using a loophole to completely subvert votes from elected lawmakers such as yourself. We cannot allow this dangerous precedent to go unchallenged, or in the future it will allow for further enrichment of foreign companies using public money beyond the purview of democratic governance.

Please remember also that past generations fought to see the Porcupine Mountains protected from industrial interests way back in the 1940s. Using public money to degrade the Park and the surrounding area — all for the sake of boom-and-bust jobs and copper to be shipped out of country — is profoundly disrespectful to past generations and their legacy. Supporting such an attack on Michigan's natural heritage is not in keeping with the ideals and principles of either party.

The Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior belong to all of Michigan, as do the taxpayer dollars which would come from all of our pockets. For the sake of our lands, waters, economy, and democracy, as well as for your own legacy, please support a bill to halt the $50 million as soon as you can.”

ADDITIONAL POINTS

• (Constituents) If the lawmaker is up for re-election, tell them, “My vote is on the line!” 
• (Everyone) If they are due to leave office soon (either from term limits or because of a defeat in the November election), tell them, “Helping to restore democracy in Michigan and protect the beloved Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior is a powerful way to leave behind a positive legacy.”
• (UP residents) Tell these lawmakers that your own representatives do not represent you, and so we are counting on a brave legislator from downstate to help us protect our lands and waters and restore democracy.
• (LP residents and others) Remind them that the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior belong to ALL of Michigan, as do the taxpayer dollars they’d be using to degrade these places by advancing the mine.
• (Republican talking points) If the lawmaker is Republican (we need a Republican co-sponsor for the bill or it has no hope), remind them: "A taxpayer-funded handout to a Canadian mining company via secretive, anti-democratic means is not in keeping with the Republican platform of transparency and America First."

Governor Whitmer appointed the Michigan Strategic Fund and is the reason the funding was pushed through. Both residents and non-residents are encouraged to call Governor Whitmer and communicate:

“I will remember the anti-democratic tactics you employed to advance the widely opposed Copperwood Mine by pushing through 50 million taxpayer dollars without a single vote from elected lawmakers. If the mine advances, the 40+ million ton waste pile next to Lake Superior and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park will be your most enduring legacy. I will not vote for you if you ever seek higher office unless you take immediate steps to remedy the situation and halt all $50 million. The door is open to make amends, but the clock is ticking.”

517-335-7858 

Contact Form

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

If you're fired up, please proceed to Action #2 to help us protect a state endangered species and stop contaminated wastewater from reaching Lake Superior.

 The proposed Copperwood Mine has recently applied for a wastewater discharge permit, which would enable the company to dump over a billion gallons of contaminated mine wastewater into the stream of a Michigan endangered fish, the redside dace, and on into Lake Superior.

The public comment period for challenging this permit has now concluded, and we’ve given Michigan’s regulators every reason to deny the permit. However, low-level bureaucrats cannot be trusted to do their jobs properly unless they receive significant pressure from their superiors. So now it’s time to put some heat at the top!

No matter who you are, please find ten minutes in the coming days to reach out to the leadership of Michigan’s regulatory agency EGLE using the resources below. We need them to feel that the eyes of the world are watching!

Jerrod Sanders, Director of the Water Resources Division

Phone: 269-350-1801
Email: SandersJ3@Michigan.gov

Phillip Roos, Director of EGLE

Phone: 517-284-6700

Email: RoosP@michigan.gov

 “I’m writing/calling today to urge EGLE to deny the wastewater discharge permit to Highland Copper. If approved, the permit would threaten a state endangered fish, the redside dace, which requires streams of low flow and high ice production. It would also violate the Anti-Degradation Rule by not taking account of feasible alternatives like Zero Liquid Discharge.

Thousands of people are watching this decision. If EGLE approves a permit to a widely opposed, foreign owned mine immediately adjacent to the Porcupine Mountains, which would degrade the habitat of a legally protected fish and contaminate the waters of Lake Superior even though feasible alternatives like Zero Liquid Discharge have been presented, it will shatter public confidence in the agency’s abilities to protect Michigan’s lands and waters.

Please deny the permit. Thank you.”

Please share this action with others. Thank you!

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!