Clean Wisconsin Opposes Proposed Mining Legislation
Mining companies should operate within current law, group says
Article | May 15, 2011 - 6:42pm | Ashland Current
A 186-page bill, available online and released last week, seeks to fast-track iron mine projects in Wisconsin by making the expansion of mining a state policy, slashing opportunities for public input and eliminating environmental protections, says the advocacy group Clean Wisconsin.
“This bill was written by the mining industry to gut the environmental review and public input process for proposed mines,” said Katie Nekola, attorney for Clean Wisconsin. “It serves the interests of wealthy out-of-state mining developers who contribute heavily to political campaigns at the expense of Wisconsin’s Northwoods.”
The bill would allow dumping toxic mine waste in floodplains, near rivers and lakes, and near the boundaries of neighboring properties, Clean Wisconsin says. It would eliminate the requirement that a mining application includes an assessment of the risks of soil erosion, flooding, pollution of ground or surface water, damage to public health or threats to public safety, the group added.
Clean Wisconsin says that in a telling statement, the bill reads, “it is probable that mining those deposits will result in adverse impacts to areas of special natural resource interest and to wetlands.”
The bill includes a “legislative finding” that this environmental destruction is “presumed to be necessary.”.................
http://ashlandcurrent.com/article/11/05/15/clean-wisconsin-opposes-proposed-mining-legislation