August 6, 2019 Governor Tim Walz 130 State Capitol 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 via electronic delivery Dear Governor Walz, In order to reassure working men and women in Greater Minnesota that we are standing to support the future of mining in Minnesota, we are correcting the recent claims made that the PolyMet project hasn?t met state and federal statutes and regulations. Living wage jobs are the backbone of our communities, and we will not stand idle when misinformed legislators levy false attacks against valued industries in our state like mining. We respect differing opinions; we do not appreciate last?ditch efforts meant to throw sand in the gears of an already state?and federally?approved project vital to the future of the Iron Range and Northern Minnesota. Together we refute each false claim levied against PolyMet and Minnesota environmental regulators from metro legislators in a Wednesday July 24th letter to your office. 1. All PolyMet permits meet or exceed all state and federal standards. Permits were issued after a thorough, public process that involved numerous state and federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and US. Army Corps of Engineers. This included robust dialogue between the EPA, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and other appropriate state regulatory agencies. The ?leaked? emails mentioned in the allegations represent a snapshot in time during the drafting of the MPCA permit and in no way discredit the final permit since it met the requirements of the law and EPA did not object to its issuance. It is common during environmental review for staff from relevant regulatory agencies to correspond with one another, raising issues of concern or asking for clarification. It is through this back and forth in meetings, phone calls, or on draft documents that regulators solve outstanding issues so the final permit meets all standards and the intent of the law. This is exactly what happened during PolyMet?s environmental review and permitting. In response to criticisms, MPCA constructed a factsheet outlining the various questions/concerns raised by EPA and how they were resolved in the final permits. All were answered or solved, period. The July 24th letter naively criticizes the engineering of PolyMet?s tailings basin and compares it to two high profile dam failures in Brazil. Like many things, a well?engineered tailings basin is an extremely safe and efficient tool in minerals mining. PolyMet will use the existing, stable tailings basin previously operated as part of the former LTV taconite mine and will add some enhancements to further reinforce the already time?proven structure. After a careful and thorough review, including by independent dam safety experts, the MDNR concluded the existing tailings basin will ?meet applicable Factors of Safety and satisfy permitting requirements intended to ensure the safety and stability? of the tailings basin 1 MDNR Findings of Fact and Order on Dam Safety Permits, at ¶165 MN Rules 6132.1200, and discussed in detail on how these rules are addressed in the MDNR Findings of Fact for the Permit to Mine, at ¶433-442 2 Senator Michelle Benson District 31 15% Senator Justin Eichorn District 5 Senator Jeff Howe District 13 . Senator John Jasinski District 24 91M Senator Mary Kiffmeyer District 30 WW Senator Andrew Mathews District 15 ML Senator David Osmek District 33 Senator Jason Rarick District 11 5% Senator Roger Chamberlain District 38 Senator Mike Goggin District 21 Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen District 8 Senator Mark Johnson District 1 WV Senator Mark Koran District 33 AW Senator Scott Newman District 18 Senator Eric Pratt District 5 5 Senator Jerry Relph District 14 dim, WW. Senator Julie Rosen District 2 3 Senator David Tomassoni District 6 71mm Senator Torrey Westrom District 12 WMK Representative Paul Anderson District 12 EMKM Representative Dave Baker District17B Representative Brian Daniels District24B dd? obmw? Representative Lisa Demuth District13A Representative Rob Ecklund District 3A 93 . MW Representative Dan Fabian District 1A Senator David Senjem District 25 Senator Paul Utke District 2 7% Representative Tony Albright District 5 5B 4% Representative Jeff Backer District 12A 24? Representative Greg Boe District 47 Representative Greg Davids District28B @13sz Representative Bob Dettmer District3 9A at. gin Representative Sondra Erickson District 15A .m Representative Mary Franson District 8B Representative Pat Garofalo District 58B 2y Representative Matt Grossell District 2A Representative Bob Gunther District 23A 9031 Representative Josh Heintzeman District 10A Representative Brian Johnson District 32A Representative Jon Koznick District 58A ?aw Representative Dave Lislegard District 6B Mme? Representative Dale Lueck District 10B Wm Representative Steve Green District 2B WNW Representative Glenn Gruenhagen District 18B Representative Rod Hamilton District 22B wa?QL, Representative Jerry Hertaus District 33A Representative Deb Kiel District 1B Representative Sandy Layman District 5B Representative Eric Lucero District 30B Representative Joe McDonald District 29A .3 Om Representative Shane Mekeland Representative Jim Nash District 15B District 47A Representative Nathan Nelson Representative Anne Neu District 11B District 32B )ijd/ (I 9? . ha. Representative Bud Nornes Representative Tim O?Driscoll District 8A District 13B .l?l?lmOM <53? Representative Marion O?Neill Representative Nels Pierson District 29B District 26B Di??rt 2% Representative Duane Quam District 25A Representative Linda Runbeck Representative Julie Sandstede District 38A District 6A Representative Chris Swedzinski Representative Tama Theis District 16A District 14A (QM :1 Representative Paul Torkelson Representative Dean Urdahl District 16B District 18A Representative Bob Vogel Representative Nick Zerwas District 20A District 30A