Wisconsin State Assembly votes to push mining bill to the State Senate

Friday, 27 January 2012 01:12:05 (GMT+2)

According to local media reports, the Wisconsin State Assembly met on Thursday to vote on a bill that would allow Hurley, Wisconsin-based iron-ore producer Gogebic Taconite to build an iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin. The largest supporters of the bill are Republicans and pro-mining groups, while the Democrats, environmentalists, and Native Americans in the area are against the legislation.

The bill would allow the iron ore mine to be built near the Bad River Reservation in Ashland and Iron counties.  It would also create changes in the approval process including requiring the state's Department of Natural Resources to approve a mine permit within a year and relaxed environmental standards for wetlands, groundwater and rock disposal. The biggest change the bill would make if passed is the elimination of the "contested case hearing", which would reduce the amount of public participation. The bill has been passed onto the Wisconsin State Senate, where it will most likely receive a high number of objections.

If the bill does get passed, the construction of the Gogebic Taconite iron ore mine will be the largest in Wisconsin state history. It will also produce about 700 permanent jobs -- not including those jobs created for the construction of the mine.
 

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