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Sokaogon Chippewa Community leader cheers end of mine plan






Tribal leaders greet lawmaker at the annual State of the Tribes address. Chris McGeshick is in the center with the small round bolo. Photo by Rebecca Kemble / Twitter

Chris McGeshick, the chairman of the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, delivered the annual State of the Tribes address to the Wisconsin Legislature on Thursday.

McGeshick discussed a wide range of issues in the speech as he called for greater cooperation in the state. He also welcomed the apparent end of a controversial mining plan that tribes have been fighting for several years.

"When it comes to the Penokee Hills mine, we are not going to see that mine happen," McGeshick told lawmakers, according to news reports. Democrats reportedly applauded loudly while Republicans mostly stayed quiet in response to the comment.

Last week, the Gogebic Taconite company said it was putting a hold on the $1.2 billion iron ore mine in the northern part of the state. The site sits upstream from the reservation of the Bad River Band.

Get the Story:
Ojibwe tribal leader heralds end of proposed iron mine (The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 3/6)
State of Tribes address draws one-sided cheers over mine company pullout (The Racine Journal Times 3/6)
Ojibwe leader addresses state legislature during State of the Tribes (The Daily Cardinal 3/6)
State Of The Tribes Speaker Calls For Increased Cooperation From State (Wisconsin Public Radio 3/6)
Wisconsin Tribal Nations Address State Lawmakers (NBC26 3/5)
Lawmakers pause Assembly session for annual State of the Tribes Address (WITI 3/5)
Sokoagon Chippewa Chairman Gives State of the Tribes Address (WXPR 3/5)

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