Thursday, October 17, 2013

Pro-Mine GOP Legislator Wants End To Local Controls, Period

GOP State Sen. Tom Tiffany seems to have but one constituent in his District - - an out-of-state coal mining company hell-bent to blow up and mill the Penokee Hills for low-grade iron ore.

So he's carrying the company's water to the detriment of everyone else's.

And air quality, and transportation spending, and anything else the mine owners want from the public.

See his latest giveaway - - remember, he tried but failed to close off thousands of acres of publicly-accessible forest land prior to much significant work on and near potential excavation sites - - to serve the mine owners' interests:

13-3146_1.pdfPreview · Download
His bill - - call it the 'Go Ahead And Dynamite Despite The Asbestos Act' - - is not a hit at local control. It the elimination of local control in favor of the company's control, with the blessing of the state.

Late Thursday morning Update: More asbestos located on the mine site.

Tiffany must want the mine, with its potential for acid mine runoff and toxic release of cancerous asbestos fibers, to inflict maximum damage to people, the land, the water and a traditional native culture.

Can an elected official really have A Constituency of One? And a business, at that?



2 comments:

ed hammer said...

Remember, this is the same guy who ranted about the loss of local control way back when he was just an ordinary citizen and opposed to comprehensive planning. How things change when campaign contributions play a factor.

Anonymous said...

He also ranted, as a candidate for state senate, about out-of-control DOT spending and road-building becuz Hwy 51--which runs right through downtown Minocqua--was being torn up for a 4-lane expansion and turn lanes--construction which would disrupt local businesses.

Apparently he was then given the recipe for the secret sauce, which is: 1) mitts off the DOT, 2) here's your road builders' campaign check, and 3) your owners at G-Tac need the roads to supply their open-pit mine. The recipe for secret shut-up sauce.