Amy Carey, a real estate agent and Island conservationist, has become the new head of Preserve Our Islands (POI), the group that formed 10 years ago to block Glacier Northwest’s plans to dramatically increase its excavation work at its 235-acre Maury Island site.

Carey, who has been in-volved in the group since its inception, joined the board last spring. She said the group is well-positioned to move forward.

“The organization is in a phenomenal place with a lot of momentum, thanks to the 10 years-plus of hard work by a lot of people,” she said.

Carey takes on POI’s leadership at a time when the group’s efforts seem to be garnering increased attention. POI just got word that the state Supreme Court will decide on Jan. 8 whether it will hear the group’s appeal of a lower court decision to grant Glacier one of its key permits.

The group has also unearthed documents that show the state never transferred mineral rights to Glacier, throwing another wrench into the multinational corporation’s efforts to mine.

The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) disputes the significance of POI’s discovery, saying sand and gravel are surface materials. Carey, however, said DNR is misreading the definition of mineral as laid out in state statute and said POI will continue to press the issue.

The group also plans to take its cause to the Legislature again this January, working with lawmakers to reintroduce a bill that failed by just a handful of votes last session.

J.W. Turner, who’s stepping down after three years as the group’s president, said he’s pleased Carey has stepped forward.

“She’s not afraid of confrontation. I think Glacier’s in for a few surprises,” he said.