A petition with 250,000 signatures and a letter signed by over 70 organizations has been delivered to the Michigan Governor’s office and members of the House and Senate Appropriations by representatives of the Protect the Porkies campaign. Both were intended to express opposition to SOAR funding of the proposed Copperwood Mine. Along with the petition and the letter signed by organizations, another letter signed by one hundred local residents opposing the mine, which will produce an estimated 30 million tons of mine waste in an area that slopes into Lake Superior. The delivery comes just a week before Highland Copper is scheduled to speak in front of the House Appropriations Committee next week. The Protect the Porkies campaign is supported by a group of local residents, outdoorspeople and environmental groups who believe that although the mine may bring a limited number of jobs to the area, the copper being mined is being shipped out of the U.S. and could ruin the state’s $12 billion outdoor recreation economy.