Friday, June 21, 2013

Ashland County Exerts Modest Controls Over Probable Mine Impacts

Faced with the possibility of massive iron ore open-pit mining and its financial impacts on public budgets and assets, Ashland County wants to make sure that mining interests establish a modest expense fund of $100,000 - - chicken feed when you consider the mining operation is billed as a $1.5 billion project - - and keep at least $50,000 in the fund as county expenses escalate.

Pretty reasonable, given the impacts to local roads, law enforcement roads, air and water quality, and other public assets, though I expect the company and its water-carriers in the Walker administration to undermine it with complaints and even further administrative and legal assaults on local control and residents' peace of mind.

Details, here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The utter disdain they have for the concerns of Americans is thoroughly offensive. Why don't they just move to China and get it over with?

Ashland County resident said...

The average person in northern Wisconsin including some Iron & Ashland County Board members are coming around to the fact that they have been screwed, lied to, and bullied into supporting mining.

Unfortunately the options to reverse their mistakes are few.

Ashland County's latest board action is a small demonstration of the recognition that they have open a pandora's box with regards to mining.

Although they have little power to stuff the evil back into the box they are trying to put bandaids on the mess.