mining

Quote, unquote

September 26, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

The question is what happens when mining goes wrong, because it will. If we don’t expect problems, then we have learned nothing from the BP oil spill... the Legislature needs to take its time in rewriting the mining law. A speedy job done within a couple of months to satisfy one company will not do..."-- Racine Journal Times editorial.

It is probably not coincidental that State Rep. Cory Mason, who has been asking some godo questions about the proposed open pit mine in northern Wisconsin, is from Racine.

 

Open Pit Express is back on the rails; environmentalists are tied to the track

September 23, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

The Open Pit Express, sidetracked for the summer, is back on track and beginning to build up a head of steam.

The State Senate has created a new committee with the word jobs in its title -- the Select Committee on Mining Jobs, not the Select Committee on Mining -- and you know what that means. Hang on to your hats, there's a railroad job coming.

So far we only know the Republican members of the committee, because the GOP hasn't decided whether it wants to be able to outvote the Dems 4-2 or 4-3. Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has named four Republicans, and is considering how many seats to give the Dems.

Jim Rowen asks

Why don't they create a Legislative Council Study Committee instead of a Senate members-only body to get input into mining, science, employment and environmental issues?

but the answer is obvious. A committee like that just takes too darned long, and the whole idea is to steamroll streamline the process for approving mines in Wisconsin.

Is Neal Kedzie The Right Senator To Negotiate Native Americans' Mining Concerns?

September 23, 2011 by The Political E...

State Sen. Neal Kedzie, (R-Elkhorn), appointed head of a special state senate committee to write a fast-tracked mining bill, says he will be "respectful of Native Americans' request" in the process.

I wrote about this yesterday, but confess to burying the lede.

The Bad River band in northern Wisconsin has already said it opposes the planned iron ore open pit mine because of watershed pollution and other concerns.

Kedzie's pledge would carry more weight if he had not also been a leader in the fight to allow state schools to retain mascot images and names to which some Native Americans object.

Here's the headline on the story from a a paper in Kedzie's district: