APG Specialty Publications 00_IRON_MINING_ASSN_19_BOOK_NEW | Page 19

IMA COMMITTEES' YEAR-IN-REVIEW
By the numbers, in the past year, the
IMA has:
• Participated in 10 community
meetings throughout the state to
explain the position of the iron mining
industry as related to wild rice.
• Created a “Call to Action” page,
supplying participants in the process
with facts about wild rice and its
interaction with sulfate.
• Lead the effort with partners to
submit 4,500 letters, postcards,
signatures, and comments to prevent
rulemaking, which ultimately resulted
in the proposed rule’s rejection
(according to two Administrative Law
Judges).
• Funded new research to better
understand the true environmental
effects on wild rice growth, like water
level, pH, temperature, etc.
• Successfully passed legislation
through 10 committees and twice
passed the full legislature. (Governor
vetoed, twice). As a result of these
efforts, Governor Dayton created
a Wild Rice Task Force through an
executive order.
The IMA also lobbied for the successful
passage of a small tax reduction for the
iron mines (taxes for the industry are on
an annual escalator). This legislation
was passed and sent to the governor,
who then vetoed the entire tax bill.
The IMA also made a successful
appeal for tariffs and a Section 232
investigation with the help of our
federal partners.
MEMBERSHIP
The IMA capped off 2017 with its annual
meeting and dinner on December 7 at
Fortune Bay Resort & Casino in Tower, MN.
Consistent with past events the annual
dinner started with the IMA board opening
its meeting to the full membership – 128
attended – to hear a review of the previous
year and outlook for 2018. Dinner was
attended by 181 members who received
25th anniversary pint glasses and heard
from outgoing IMA Board Chair, U.S. Steel
Minnesota Ore Operations General Manager
Larry Sutherland.
The 20th annual Funspiel kicked off IMA’s 2018
events with 128 curlers at the RRCC Feb. 9th
in Eveleth. Thirty-two others joined for lunch,
and the event raised $3,000 and two boxes of
food to donate to the Hibbing and Virginia
Salvation Armies. We look forward to seeing
you in 2019 for the 21st annual Funspiel in
Hibbing!
Immediately following the Funspiel, the IMA
packed up for the SME National Trade Show
Feb. 25-28 at the Minneapolis Convention
Center. The IMA was as Silver Level sponsor of
the event – the association had a booth, ad on
the mobile app, and signage at the Mining &
Exploration Luncheon. Thank you to the IMA
members in attendance for putting our IMA
signs in their booths!
So far in 2018, the IMA has grown
by 17 members. Thank you and
welcome to our newest members:
• BNSF Railway (Associate Level)
• Boilermakers (Associate Level)
• City of Mt. Iron (Associate Level)
• ESCO (Contributing Level)
• Enpro Inc (Contribuing Level)
• Envirotech Systems (Contributing
Level)
• Geosyntec Consultants (Contributing
Level)
• JF Brennan, Inc. (Contributing Level)
• Lube-Tech (Contributing Level)
• MineraLogic LLC (Contributing Level)
• Minnesota Energy Resources Corp.
(Contributing Level)
• Northern Dewatering (Contributing
Level)
• Northland Constructors (Supporting
Level)
• Teck (Associate Level)
• Town Square Media (Associate Level)
• WSP (Contributing Level)
• Viant Crane (Contributing Level)
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