MINING CONTROVERSY IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Fox News - 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/12/mining-attempts-controversial-comeback-in-wisconsin/#ixzz2bqV9pG2i

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

MINING LEGISLATION UPDATE - TOM TIFFANY

From: Sen.Tiffany [mailto:Sen.Tiffany@legis.wisconsin.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 9:15 AM
To: northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com
Feel free to publish it in your newsletter. 

TT

Subject: RE: Mining Legislation Update

Hi—thank you for sharing the letter from Senator Jauch.  Monday March 11th was a very good day for the people of the state of Wisconsin.  With Governor Walker’s signature, we took the next step in putting the miner on the flag of the state of Wisconsin back to work.  For over 40 years, except a brief interlude in the 90’s, mining has not been allowed to help pull the load  in the Badger State.

Act 1 is truly a 21st Century Mining Bill.  Concerns about mining from decades ago are well-founded.  However, our know-how and technology is exponentially better than 50 years ago.  My favorite example is where my excursion boat operates on the Wisconsin River.  The Rhinelander paper mill used to befoul the river 50 years ago with sludge and other toxic pollutants.   Now we showcase loons and eagles and nature’s majesty on that very same stretch of the river.

I believe mining is in a very similar place as the paper industry was 50 years ago.  With advancements in knowledge and technology, heavy industry CAN coexist in a modern economy.

Having said the above, I am not going to dispel every misrepresentation in Senator Jauch’s letter.  I am simply going to point you to a few portions of the bill.  You and your friends decide what you choose to believe.

On page 31 of the Legislative Council memo from January 14th under Groundwater Quality the memo states, “The bill does not modify numerical groundwater quality standards and surface water quality standards”.  In the Legislative Reference Bureau overview they say, “This bill incorporates all of the functional values and criteria that are contained in the DNR rules for water quality standards for wetlands”.  Both Legislative Council and the Legislative Reference Bureau are non-partisan agencies representing the legislature.  They CANNOT take a side in writing and reviewing legislation.

I challenge any of your friends to review Chapter 140 of the natural resources rules that cover groundwater emissions and tell me they do not apply in Act 1.  We put the numerical standards in current law, whether air, surface water and groundwater in Act 1.

The problem in current law can be summed up in a sentence from Page 3 of the previously mentioned Legislative Council memo, “Current law does not provide a deadline by which an application will be considered complete”.  In other words, there is no certainty that an application will ever be deemed complete.  How do we expect any company to consider doing business in Wisconsin if there is no deadline to receive an answer?  That is why we put in a ~3 year process for a permit to be reviewed.

Now to a few of the bombastic claims the good Senator from the 25th leveled at me and others:

 Act 1 will allow adverse environmental impacts.  Yes, I did say that but so does current law.  How can you have a mine without having environmental impacts?   The key is to limit the impacts--which is required under the bill.  Furthermore, if the standard is going to be no environmental impacts, are we going to stop building roads?  Does Senator Jauch propose shuttering the paper industry?  Should the Monona Terrace have ever been built when the good people of Madision decided to fill in 1.5 acres of Lake Monona to build it? 

Gogebic Taconite is an out-of-state West Virginia coal company that has environmental problems at its coal operations in Illinois.  Since there are no mines in Wisconsin, is it surprising that an out-of-state company is seeking  to re-start mining in Wisconsin?  In Minnesota, two of the four companies operating on the Iron Range are foreign interests.  Do opponents of mining prefer we seek out foreign companies for Wisconsin mining? 

Gogebic Taconite’s owners took over an Illinois coal operation that had been shuttered for a few years at the REQUEST of the state of Illinois.  The mine had environmental problems from a PREVIOUS owner.  The company agreed to work with Illinois EPA to resolve the environmental problems that existed PRIOR to GTac’s owners acquiring the mine.  In fact they have sunk dozens of wells to identify the extent of the groundwater contamination and have worked diligently with Illinois EPA to resolve the problem.  Senator Jauch’s nasty allegation tells very little of the real story.  Is it any wonder Wisconsin has had a bad reputation for job creators with such misinformation being disseminated by elected representatives?

I wrote the Iron Ore Mining Bill.  Did I seek information from people involved in the mining industry, yes, but I also met with many groups throughout the process the last two years including environmental groups, regulatory agencies including in Michigan and Minnesota, Indian tribes and many others.  In talking to long time Madison observers, this was one of the most thoroughly debated issues in recent memory.

I understand some are simply opposed to mining.  But, I challenge those opponents to show where Wisconsin’s current numeric environmental standards are changed.  I will be happy to discuss the examples they find.

Finally, I believe in a prosperous society like ours, we have an ethical obligation to produce some of which we consume.  Are we going to continue to out-source our manufacturing to foreign countries that have less stringent environmental regulations than us?  If so, maybe it is time we put giant wind turbines on the West Coast to blow southeast Asia’s emissions back to them.  As a kid, I was encouraged to think globally and act locally.  Act 1 is a perfect example of the people of Wisconsin acting locally to do what is best for our planet.

You are welcome to forward this message to others.  I welcome calls anytime to discuss this issue.

Senator Tom Tiffany

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

MINING BILL PASSES

No friends found in last episode of WI mining dramedy

http://watchdog.org/73497/no-friends-found-in-last-episode-of-wi-mining-dramedy/

Wisconsin Reporter – M. D. Kittle and Ryan Ekvall – 3/7/2013

As the bill heads to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk for his expected signature, we effectively say goodbye to this long-running dramedy,   That is until the reunion through what Democrats promise will be numerous court appearances over the next couple years.

Wisconsin’s mining bill saga comes to an end with, as expected, passage by majority Republicans

Republicans for it, Democrats against. The straight party-line vote tally was 58 in favor, 39 opposed.

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

MINING BILL MOVES FORWARD IN WISCONSIN

WI Assembly will debate mining starting on Thursday 9 a.m.

http://www.wbay.com/story/21451078/wis-assembly-gears-up-for-mining-fight

Because Assembly Democrats may filibuster the Assembly as it prepares to vote on the mining bill, you are being asked to  PLEASE CONTACT ALL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES TO URGE THEM TO SUPPORT THE MINING BILL.

If Democrats lose on the mining bill, they may file lawsuits to stop mining jobs.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/194687871.html

Wisconsin State Assembly - http://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/leg-list.aspx?h=a

MINING COMMITTEE HEARINGS FEBRUARY 2013

WHO ARE MY WISCONSIN LEGISLATORS - http://legis.wisconsin.gov/Pages/waml.aspx

MINING – Call legislators encouraging them to pass a bill to process a mining permit.

Senator John Lehman (608) 266-1832 or email Sen.Lehman@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Bob Jauch (608) 266-3510 or email Sen.Jauch@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Bob Wirch (608) 267-8979 or email Sen.Wirch@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Tim Carpenter (608) 266-8535 or email Sen.Carpenter@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Jon Erpenbach (608) 266-6670 or email Sen.Erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Lena Taylor (608) 266-5810 or email Sen.Taylor@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Dale Schultz (608) 266-0703 or email Sen.Schultz@legis.wisconsin.gov

Gov. Scott Walker on Mining – one minute audio

http://walker.wi.gov/Images/Radio%20Addresses/01%2024%2013%20WRA%20mining%20for%20jobs.mp3

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish – 5 minute video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AVLmLMOvCY&feature=youtu.be

Facebook: LtGovKleefisch - https://www.facebook.com/ltgovkleefisch

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RESPONSIBLE MINING LEGISLATION

MINING IS A PART OF OUR HISTORY

1. We get our badger state nickname from our mining heritage and this is represented with a miner on our state flag. The roots of Wisconsin mining began with the Native Americans who mined copper on the shores of Lake Superior.

MINING WILL CREATE NEW JOBS

2. The Northwoods has been hit especially hard by this recession. Iron County has the 2nd highest unemployment rate in Wisconsin with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of nearly 12%.

3. A mine in northern Wisconsin would create 2,834 long term jobs and up to 5,668 jobs. The average miner will have an overall income of over $80,000 per year. In just the first two years, a new mine would add over 3,000 construction jobs and a $1.5 billion direct investment into our economy.

4. Mining isn’t just good for the Northwoods, Milwaukee is the world leader in making mining equipment. Mining equipment manufacturing directly employs 2,933 workers in metro Milwaukee. The industry impacts the region with hundreds of millions of dollars in payroll and additional economic activity.

WE CAN MINE WHILE PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

5. The legislation rewrites Wisconsin law to create permitting certainty and clarity for a mining company interested in making the investment in Wisconsin.

6. Responsible mining legislation does not approve a new mine. A permit has to go through a rigorous review and approval process by the DNR. It also needs to comply with EPA regulations and get approval from the Army Corps of Engineers.

7. Legislation maintains Wisconsin’s existing air and water quality and groundwater standards.

THE CURRENT LAW DOESN’T WORK - WE NEED REFORM

8. The bill removes unnecessary roadblocks which discourage prospective companies from locating in Wisconsin.

9. Because of regulation, Wisconsin is ranked among the worst places in the world to open a mine.

10. Wisconsin is home to one of the largest known iron deposits in the world. But all iron mining in the US occurs in Minnesota and Michigan. Taconite mining has been done safely in Minnesota and Michigan for decades.

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

MINING REFORM BILL 1/23/2013

MINING REFORM BILL

 Wednesday, January 23, 2013

9am

Room 411

South at the State Capitol

Northwoods Patriots – Please consider representing your Northwoods at the upcoming Mining Hearing in Madison.   Kim Simac has travel plans and is unable to attend.  So we’re looking for at least five people to represent the Northwoods.  So far one person has stated he will attend.  The NWP can pay for your gas, or there is a bus in Minocqua.

Please contact Kim Simac direct with your willingness to participate:

715-479-8784 – bk951@frontier.com

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/MiningJobsForWisconsin?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/events/503943879627352/permalink/511585435529863/

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

PROPOSED MINING LEGISLATION

2013 BILL – WISCONSIN PROPOSED MINING LEGISLATION

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/Documents/13-0762_1.pdf

206-page PDF

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

VOTER SCORE CARD -- PERMIT TO MINE FAILS

MINING BILL

Will you vote for someone who PROMOTES private job growth?

Will you vote for someone who VOTED AGAINST the mining permitting process?

Democrats kill WI jobs to Spite Governor Scott Walker

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/03/democrats_kill_wisconsin_jobs_to_spite_governor_scott_walker.html

Mine Shaft – How Politics Foiled Efforts To Bring Jobs To Northern Wisconsin – YouTube – 32 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_h_4WXiHw&feature=player_embedded

Wisconsin Assembly Bill 426 -- Mining Bill Failed

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/proposals/ab426

AB 426 Passes Assembly 1/26/2012

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/data/votes/av0565.pdf

AB 426 -- Senate Rejects Amendment 3/6/2012

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/2011/data/votes/sv0396.pdf U.S.DEBT CLOCK -- http://www.usdebtclock.org/ Wisconsin Taxpayer Dollars Saved: $1,048,240,388 Click your County to see the Savings -- http://reforms.wi.gov/ DISTRICT LINES MAY HAVE CHANGED--KNOW WHERE YOU CAN VOTE! VOTER PUBLIC ACCESS – https://vpa.wi.gov/ Who signed the Recall? -- http://www.iverifytherecall.com/ Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com

MINE SHAFT

MINE SHAFT – HOW POLITICS FOILED EFFORTS TO BRING JOBS TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE_h_4WXiHw&feature=player_embedded

YouTube – 32 minutes

Click on the video and listen while you’re doing something else.

This video is an important record of before, during and after the vote that did not allow a permit process to evaluate an application for a mine in Hurley in northern Wisconsin. Meet some of the people in Hurley who at the end state “We got screwed.”

Published on May 1, 2012 by MacIverInstitute

The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy presents this mini documentary about attempts to open an iron mine in Northern Wisconsin and efforts to modernize the state's mine permitting process.

Northwoods Patriots - Standing up for Faith, Family, Country - northwoodspatriotscomm@gmail.com