Copperwood Project has the support of western UP residents | Opinion

Written by Kim Corcoran, mayor of Ironwood, Michigan and a member of the Our UP, Our Future Coalition.

The Western Upper Peninsula has been at the center of a statewide conversation, thanks to Michigan’s support of the Copperwood Project. This permitted greenfield mine is going to create hundreds of good-paying jobs in the place I’m proud to call home: Gogebic County.

I have heard claims that the state approving this grant was against the “will of the people." I’d say the complete opposite. In the Upper Peninsula, a growing coalition of more than 130 community leaders, small business owners, working families, and others has come together to show their strong support for responsible economic development in the region, including the Copperwood Project. 

Industries like mining and logging enabled thousands of people to put down roots and build their futures in the Western U.P. Surrounded by the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior, it’s a beautiful place that’s tough to leave, but even harder to stay because of limited opportunity.

Ironwood, once a city of 25,000, now has just 5,000 people. Pregnant women are forced to drive more than 50 miles across the Wisconsin border just to give birth and don’t have access to critical services like EMS because of a lack of resources and staff. Tourism creates some jobs, but not enough to keep our young people here or give them the kind of living they need to support their families.

The lack of good-paying jobs has a ripple effect, making it hard for small businesses and workers to make ends meet. That’s why the state's approval of grants to the Gogebic County Road Commission to upgrade and repave roads, and to the Copperwood Project to build necessary, critical infrastructure that will pave the way for hundreds of new jobs in our community, gave us hope. But recent pushback makes it clear that there are some major misconceptions about the project and our support of it that must be addressed.

First of all, I find it hard to believe that anyone loves the Porkies and Lake Superior more than the people of the Western UP. We grew up hiking these mountains and swimming in these waters. Our concern for the environment isn’t just theoretical; we live it every day.

We also know, thanks to projects like Eagle Mine, that mining can be done safely without compromising the environment. Copperwood is not permitted to mine under Porcupine State Park and will not draw water from Lake Superior. Through its strong environmental design and site reclamation efforts, the Copperwood project has shown that it prioritizes environmental protections. Michigan has some of the most stringent mining laws in the country, and I’m confident the state will hold the company accountable just as it would on any other project.

Secondly, some are calling the grant a blank check. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Copperwood is not getting any money up front. It must prove it has the required funding before it can request a penny of the grant. Any funding provided is on a reimbursement basis, and only after the project proves the money was spent on regional infrastructure. On top of that, if the company doesn’t create the 380 jobs it promised, the state can claw back the grant.

This isn’t just an investment in a mine. It’s an investment in the region, creating reliable, good-paying jobs that support not just one mine or one industry, but many. The roads, utility and broadband investment will last long after Copperwood is gone, supporting industries like logging and, yes, tourism. For the first time, the area County Road 519 serves will be accessible to industry year-round, and the taxes generated give areas like Gogebic County the resources and runway we need to plan for the future — a process we have already started. It also gives Copperwood, like the Eagle Mine, an opportunity to prove that mining can coexist with environmental protections and tourism. This can create real long-term impact for the Western U.P.

As the mayor of Ironwood and a lifelong resident of the Western Upper Peninsula, I can tell you for sure this investment is a lifeline and a chance to build a brighter future.