MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – More than 130 community leaders, business owners, labor representatives and residents from across the Upper Peninsula are joining forces to launch “Our U.P., Our Future,” a coalition focused on bringing new jobs and economic opportunities to the region while protecting the U.P.’s natural resources.
The group includes all six state legislators representing the Upper Peninsula, along with people who live, work and do business in all 15 U.P. counties.
Supporters say the U.P. has been dealing with economic challenges for decades, including the loss of industries and hospitals, declining school enrollments and aging infrastructure. They say new investment is needed to create good-paying jobs and give families more reasons to stay in the region.
One of the coalition’s main priorities is the Copperwood Project, a fully permitted mine planned for the western Upper Peninsula.
The project is expected to create hundreds of good-paying jobs while operating under Michigan’s environmental and mining regulations.
Recent statewide polling by EPIC-MRA found that 71 percent of Michigan voters support the Copperwood Project, while 58 percent support state funding for the project.
Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP, says the U.P. doesn’t have to choose between economic development and protecting the environment.
He points to the Eagle Mine as an example of how the two can work together.
Fittante says the coalition wants to make sure the rest of Michigan understands the level of support for new economic opportunities in the U.P.
Gogebic County Board Chairman Dan Siirila says his county has watched jobs disappear and young people leave in search of opportunities elsewhere.
He says projects that bring new jobs and investment to the area can make a real difference for local families and give younger generations a reason to stay.
The building trades are also backing the effort.
Ryan Stern of the Michigan Building & Construction Trades Council says skilled workers in the U.P. often have to travel long distances for work — or leave the region altogether.
He says projects like Copperwood could provide opportunities for workers to build their careers closer to home.
The coalition is calling on local, state and federal leaders to support projects that meet environmental and regulatory standards while creating good-paying jobs.
For small business owners, supporters say the impact of new jobs goes well beyond a worker’s paycheck.
George Dellich, owner of Club 28 Restaurant in Wakefield, says when families leave the U.P. because they can’t find good jobs, local businesses feel the impact, too.
He says those families take their everyday spending with them — from grocery shopping to restaurants and other local businesses.
Dellich says that’s why economic growth matters to the entire community.
The “Our U.P., Our Future” coalition says its goal is to create more opportunities for U.P. families while making sure economic development and environmental protection remain part of the conversation.
