The Water’s Edge (WE) has been continuously published for the past decade. Previously WE was published, reproduced, and distributed locally. With the advent of technology, WE is now available on line and is updated on an as needed basis or at least weekly. WE seek articles, opinions, commentaries, cartoons, and suggestions. WE want to provide all points of view and WE will publish letters, articles ,cartoons or provide links that may be recommended. For more information contact the WE editor, Frank Koehn at savethewatersedge@gmail.com.
WE are currently providing a one-stop shop for information about the proposal to permit and operate an open pit iron ore mine in the Northern Wisconsin. The WE website needs your help: it may be suggestions to improve the site, suggestions for articles, and requests for information, sharing your thoughts for publication.
This is a controversial project that could have short term and long-term harmful impacts on our water, vegetation, and all the critters that depend on the wind, sun, rain, and groundwater. Throughout the region meetings are being held in living rooms, kitchens, backyards, coffee houses, and on the streets. The region is organizing as we have in the past. Brothers and sisters from struggles long past are once again celebrating, laughing, sharing stories, and recounting how we stood on the blockaded tracks, faced the racists at the boat lading, chased the Federal government and their nuclear waste dump out of the Northwoods. We joined together and walked to Madison and then a few years later walked around Lake Superior. The Mole Lake Protect the Earth (PTE) rallies, the Turtle wars, forcing DuPont to fess up and pipe water to rural residents, boating through the Kakagon Sloughs to protect the rice beds, taking the fire out of the Neutralysis incinerator project, protecting usurfructory rights from oil well wild cat operations, and forcing Excel Energy and EPA to recognize the dangerous coal tar lurking underneath Ashland required us to work together. Institutional racism was challenged by a successful boycott of Ashland, exposing area doctors who refused to provide medical care for babies, and denouncing the illegal actions of the Federal Fish and Wildlife and the Minnesota DNR in the Feathergate investigation that forced the closure of a profitable shop in the Duluth mall. These projects required us share, develop trust and lasting friendships. Over the past thirty years we have learned the power of standing together, sometimes arm and arm to protect and preserve our natural systems.
WE know the natural systems upon which we all depend to sustain life belong to the generations that will follow – out grandbabies and their grandbabies will need water, sunlight, vegetation, the animal world, the wind, and air. The words from our brother, Walt, who is now in the spirit world ring just as loud and clear as they did years ago; Remember water is always more precious that gold, or copper, or iron ore! Eating stock certificates will not provide a healthly diet!