** For Immediate Release ***
SCREENING AND DISCUSSION OF DOCUMENTARY ON PROPOSED PENOKEE IRON MINE
Hayward, September 11, Park Theatre, 6:30pm
A short documentary film which addresses the controversial, proposed iron mine in the Penokee Hills will be screened at the Park Theatre in Hayward, Wisconsin, Thursday, September 11th, 6:30pm. A panel discussion with open community forum will follow the film.
WISCONSIN’S MINING STANDOFF was produced by Milwaukee-based 371 Productions for the Al Jazeera America “Fault Lines” program and premiered June of 2014. The filmmakers visited Ashland and Iron Counties to gather stories of the people there and the company behind the mine.
Gogebic Taconite (GTac) proposes to dig North America’s largest open pit mine in the Penokee Hills. Company executives are interviewed, as are area residents in opposition to the mine.
Viewers will visit a century-old family owned dairy farm, join a geologist on a rock hunt, and hike deep into the winter woods to spend time at a harvest camp established by members of the Lac Courtes Orielles (LCO) Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Local residents and members of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa raise concerns about acid mine drainage that would likely contaminate the Bad River and the large sloughs at the edge of Lake Superior. The Chairwoman of the Iron County Mining Impact Committee, on the other hand, maintains GTac’s mine would bring desperately needed jobs to a region with high unemployment.
If you care about democracy or the environment, or simply love good drama, you won’t want to miss this deep look into the controversy. The dive into the issues will continue after the half-hour film. A panel made up mainly of people featured in the film will field questions from the audience.
The panelists will be:
• Dr. Tom Fitz, geologist, Northland College
Paul DeMain, journalist, publisher of Indian County Today, member of LCO Band
Philomena Kebec, attorney, member of Bad River Band
Barbara With, citizen journalist, activist, author
The screening is sponsored by the Penokee Hills Education Project.
Press contacts:
Will Pipkin, event organizer, 715-763-3462, 715-209-3597
Devon Cupery, 371 Productions, 414-617-5843, 371productions.com
United In Defense of The Water 