Poll suggests 71% of Michiganders support Copperwood Project; Protect the Porkies calls poll ‘bogus’

UPPER MICHIGAN. (WLUC) - A statewide poll conducted by EPIC-MRA shows 71% of voters across Michigan support the Copperwood Mine Project - a greenfield copper mine in the Western U.P. Meanwhile, an organization in opposition to the project calls the validity of the poll into question.

InvestUP shared the poll results in a Friday morning press release. The organization says many poll respondents in favor of the project cited local community support, the addition of new jobs, and the project’s adherence to state environmental regulations as reasons for viewing it favorably.

“The Western Upper Peninsula has suffered industry closures, hospital closures, declining school populations and degrading regional infrastructure that have made it hard for the region to attract economic development opportunities and retain its workforce, especially younger generations,” said InvestUP CEO Marty Fittante. “The Copperwood Project will bring good-paying jobs and lasting economic opportunity to our local communities, while helping secure the copper America needs for advanced manufacturing and national security, all while safeguarding the very nature that makes the U.P. someplace special. That’s why projects like this are so important to the future of the U.P. and our country.”

The release says 46% of respondents showed concern about the project’s impact on the environment. But after consideration of environmental factors, 61% remained in favor.

The InvestUP release says protecting the environment is a top priority for the Copperwood Project, saying:

“Michigan’s mining regulations are strong and require rigorous environmental monitoring, strict water protections and monetary guarantees that ensure proper mine closure and reclamation. Before construction begins, the Copperwood Project is updating numerous environmental surveys to refresh and augment original baseline data for natural changes in the years since receiving its permits. The project will not draw water from Lake Superior but will collect rainwater for several years for use in initial operations. Discharged water will be treated to limit impact on protected aquatic species.”

Tom Grotewohl, the founder of Protect the Porkies, a group that has gathered to oppose the Copperwood Project, responded to InvestUP’s release with this statement:

“We all know this poll is bogus. You will get very different responses to a question like, ‘Do you support creating jobs with a new mine in historic copper country?’ versus ‘Do you support an inexperienced Canadian company building their first ever mine next and underneath Michigan’s most beloved state park, shipping the copper to Canada, and leaving behind over 40 million tons of toxic waste in unprecedented proximity to Lake Superior?’ The first question is vague and useless, the second has actual facts. Polling can easily be weaponized to manufacture the desired results. Remember when the polls showed Hillary Clinton beating Donald Trump with 90% certainty? It’s worth noting that Highland Copper’s CEO is on InvestUP’s board of directors. Should we really look to them as a disinterested arbiter of truth?”

The InvestUP release also says 22 units of government from townships to county boards have issued resolutions of support, nearly 10 local institutions have submitted letters of support and dozens of community leaders have spoken in support, including those in Wakefield Township, Ironwood Township and Gogebic County, where the project will reside.

The release says it has also received bipartisan support from local, state and federal leaders, including Senator Elissa Slotkin, Congressman Jack Bergman and all four U.P. state legislators.

In the statement, Protect the Porkies draws attention to those who oppose the project:

“Meanwhile, nearly half a million people have signed a petition opposing the mine — a large portion of which are Michiganders – along with multiple Tribal Nations and 100+ businesses and organizations. These results are far more reliable because the signatories were provided with actual information. But for the Copperwood Mine, basic facts and transparency are the enemy.”

The InvestUP release says support for the Copperwood Project has remained consistent.

To learn more about the Copperwood Project, click here.

To learn more about Protect the Porkies, click here.

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