No new regulations for Polymet

ST. PAUL - A bill requiring copper mining companies to put more financial protections for the environment is seemingly dead.

Wednesday night, a state senate committee agreed enough protections for non–ferrous mining are already in place.  That came after 14 hours of testimony, much of it from Iron Range Polymet supporters.

"We do it right in Minnesota," says Mining Minnesota executive director, Frank Ongaro.  "That's a good thing.  But, it has to be fair, it has to be balanced.  The committee saw that's the case.  The bill was withdrawn."

Ongaro says, if passed, the bill would have delayed job creation on the Iron Range.