"Mike Wiggins, Jr. serves as tribal chairman of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Its reservation covers more than 125,000 acres in northern Wisconsin.

Wiggins has NOT hidden his opposition to proposed iron mining in the nearby Penokee range.

“This is oftentimes made out to be a Bad River Tribe versus jobs, or Bad River Tribe versus the mines; the reality is, what we’re trying to send a voice out for is clean land, clean air, clean water,” Wiggins says.

Wiggins insists there’s more at stake than the lush wetlands where wild rice thrives.

“We try to protect our tribe’s homeland and the health and welfare of our people; as a result of that effort we’ll end up protecting Lake Superior and the Kakagon Sloughs that filters and enriches and cleans billions and billions of gallons of water for Lake Superior,” Wiggins says."

Get the Story:
Tribal Rights Central to State's Mining Debate (WUWM News 11/29)