>> Cathy: APPRECIATE T. HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: THANKS.

>> ERIC: "DEMOCRACY DEMANDS THE WISDOM AND VISION OF ITS CITIZENS.” CONGRESS MADE THAT BOLD DECLARATION WHEN IT ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES.

THIS SUMMER, THE MINNESOTA HUMANITIES CENTER AND DANGER BOAT PRODUCTIONS HAVE BEEN TOURING THE STATE, EXTRACTING WISDOM FROM CITIZENS THROUGH COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND IMPROV COMEDY.

WE’RE FOLLOWING ALONG AS PART OF OUR VOICES RISING: STORIES FOR AMERICA’S 250TH INITIATIVE.

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED IN ONE NORTHERN TOWN.

GLEMLY, MINNESOTA, WAS FOUNDED ON TWO INDUSTRIES.

EMILY, INNESOTA.

LOGGING AND TOURISM.

>> THE LIFE OF WILLIAM H. ANDREWS, WRITTEN BY LYDIA BRYANT ANDREWS.

LET'S SEE.

THEY WOULD HAVE MY GREAT GREAT UNCLE, MAYBE ONE MORE.

>> ANNA IS A VOLUNTEER AT GO NORTH MN, A NONPROFIT THAT PROMOTES AREA BUSINESSES, SUPPORTS TOWN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, AND PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF THE AREA.

>> FRANKLY, THE WAY THAT I MAKE MY INCOME RIGHT NOW IS LOGGING STILL, JUST LIKE MY ANCESTORS.

I HAVE A TREE FARM, WE'RE LOGGING THIS SUMMER, AND IT'S EXCITING.- ITCITING.- IT'STING.- IT'S SNG.- IT'S SCA.- IT'S SCARY TO CUT DOWN ALL MY TREES.

>> ANNA INHERITED LAND THAT SITS ON THE LARGEST DEPOSIT OF MANGANESE IN NORTH AMERICA AND A PROPOSED MINING SITE.

>> IT'S HARD FOR ME TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO ME AND MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS.

>> SHE'S FACED PRESSURE TO GIVE UP THE LAND FOR YEARS.

>> SOMETIMES I JUST FEEL TIRED, YOU KNOW, LIKE I JUST WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE AND NOT HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THESE GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES, YOU KNOW.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO JUST BE ABLE TO LIVE OUR LIVES AND BUILD OUR COMMUNITY.

IF WE DIDN'T HAPPEN TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THIS MANGANESE DEPOSIT IS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE HESE CONCERNS AND THESE QUESTIONS.

>> MANGANESE HAS MULTIPLE USES, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL AND LITHIUM ION BATTERIES T. CAN ALSO BE A NEUROTOXIN WITH POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE HEALTH COMPLICATIONS.

ACCORDING TO NORTH STAR MANGANESE, THE COMPANY HOPING TO MAKE THE HINE A -- THE MINE A REALITY, THERE'S ENOUGH SUPPLY TO SUPPORT EXTRACTION FOR 20 YEARS.

>> I AM ORIGINALLY FROM THE OTHER IRON RANGES AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME GROWING UP IN THE GRAND RAPIDS AREA AND THEN WHEN I MOVED HERE, THE VERMILLION MINES THAN SHUT DOWN, ND THE AMOUNT OF FAMILIES THAT WERE DISLOCATED AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE MINE SHUT DOWN.

SO MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS WITH THIS THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

>> IN A TOWN WITH A POPULATION AROUND 850, THERE ARE JUST AS MANY OPINIONS ABOUT THE MINE.

>> HELLO, EMILY, MINNESOTA!!!!

[ Cheers and applause ] >> AT THE RECENT SKETCHES OF EMILY IMPROV SHOW, A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS GATHERED TO LEARN MORE.

>> MAGDAMESE, WHAT IS IT, WHY DO I CARE?

>> TESTING RIGHT OUT OF THE WELL.

>> 470 PARTS PER MILLION.

>> HAVE A FEW LAUGHS.

>> I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT, I THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

>> WELL, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, I HAVE TO OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC REVIEW.

>> OKAY.

[ Laughter ] >> AND HARE THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED MINE.

THE WISDOM OF THE PEOPLE WAS LOUD AND STRONG ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS DEMOCRATIC DEBATE.

>> PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT.

>> PEOPLE DON'T AT THE PRESENT TIME, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT DO WANT IT ARE THE ONES THAT -- >> ARE THERE SOME LOCALS THAT WANT IT?

>> WELL, YEAH, YEAH.

PROPERTY OWNER.

YOU KNOW.

THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTING THE MINE WORKERS THAT WILL BE COMING IN.

>> ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, RICK SANDRY, THE FOUNDER OF NORTH STAR ANGANESE, THE COMPANY'S STRATEGY CENTERS AROUND EMILY'S DEPOSIT, AS THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO MANGANESE MINES IN OPERATION IN THE U.S.

FOR GOOD REASON.

>> WE HAVE FIVE TO TEN TO 15 TO 20 YEARS OF STUDY, MAYBE 50, 100, 100 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS OF EVALUATIONS.

WE HAVE TO PASS IN THE END ABOUT 900 QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE ANSWERED.

AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAS TO HAVE A CHECKMARK.

IF THERE'S A SINGLE ONE THAT DOESN'T GET CHECKED, PROJECT DOESN'T GO AHEAD.

SO IT'S A HARD BUSINESS.

>> A HARD BUSINESS THAT HAS MANY PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT WATER QUALITY.

WHILE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EVIEW PROCESS DOES NOT HAVE SET TIMELINES, JOY ANDERSON THINKS OF THE EMILY MANGANESE MINE AS PRE STAGE ZERO, STILL, SHE SAYS, IT'S THE IDEAL TIME TO GET INFORMED.

>> BEING INVOLVED IN THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS, OUR LAW ALLOWS TO YOU DO THAT.

MINNESOTA'S SET -- MINNESOTA SET UP ITS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS SPECIFICALLY SO THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISIONS IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY LIVE.

AND, SO, MINNESOTA LAW GIVES US THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, NOT ALL STATES HAVE A LAW LIKE THIS.

>> WE JUST STARTED PUTTING OUR TIME IN TO TRYING TO GET INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WAS WELL SOURCED, SUPPORTABLE, SCIENTIFIC TO THE EXTENT WE COULD GET IT.

>> DAN BRENNAN TALKED TO SCORES OF EMILY RESIDENTS WHILE DOOR KNOCKING AS A CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE.

POLITICS, HE SAID, ARE NOT NECESSARILY AN INDICATOR OF SOMEONE'S LEANINGS ABOUT THE MINE.

>> EVEN THOUGH WE'RE 20 MILES NORTH OF CUYUNA, THIS AREA WAS NEVER A MINING AREA.

AND THIS WHOLE ECONOMY AND WAY OF LIFE AROUND LAKES AND WOODS AND GETTING OUT IN NATURE, THIS CULTURE ISN'T THAT CULTURE.

THE OPPORTUNITY IN SMALL TOWNS IS THAT DEMOCRATIC, THAT CLASSIC SMALL D, WHERE YOU ACTUALLY GET TO DO IT FACE TO FACE.

>> BY DAY, DAN IS AN ESTATE ATTORNEY AND SPENDS A ARGE AMOUNT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT FUTURE GENERATIONS.

>> IT MATTERS FOR EVERYBODY WHO COMES AFTER US AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS, THEN WE