A large front-end loader transports a shovel full of pellets from the huge stockpile at the Tilden Mine. (Journal photo by Brian Halbrook)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners showed its support for the controversial expansion of Tilden Mine during a recent meeting.

The board submitted a letter penned by board Chair Joe DeRocha to Cleveland-Cliffs General Manager Ryan Korpela in support of a possible Tilden Mine expansion, which would see the Cleveland-Cliffs-owned mine expand by more than 70 acres and fill more than 4,000 linear feet of the Escanaba River watershed.

The board’s letter addresses environmental concerns brought up by citizens during a recent Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy public hearing.

“There has been concern expressed about the environmental impacts of this project. The county certainly shares this interest in protecting the environment,” the letter reads. “However, we must understand that Cleveland-Cliffs is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to ensure the project’s environmental impacts are minimal. We are confident that any environmental concerns will be addressed.”

The letter was unanimously approved for sending by the board, with DeRocha adding that copies of the letter will also be sent to EGLE and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Randy Crouch can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 542. His email address is rcrouch@miningjournal.net