Reporting Indicates Mining Bill Posed Too Much Environmental Risk

A fine piece by State Journal reporter Ron Seely shows that the mining company wanted exemptions from existing regulations that would have put priceless natural resources at risk - - and even some supporters of mining were unable to support the bill:

Bill Williams, president of Gogebic Taconite, told the Wisconsin State Journal in interviews for a series about the mine in the fall that exemptions from laws protecting high-quality wetlands were among the most important of the changes to state mine laws being sought by Gogebic, along with setting a deadline for the state to act on a permit application...

In the fall, Mellen Mayor Joe Barabe said that, though he strongly supported a mine in the Penokees, he also wanted to make sure the area’s rich natural resources would be protected.

He said last week he was happy a permitting bill that relaxed environmental protections didn’t make it through the state Legislature.

“We can still have a mine,” Barabe said. “But somebody is going to have to come in here and say, ‘Let’s do this right.’”