Bureau of Indian Affairs Reviews Mining Bill for Tribe Consultation
Rep. Molepske: Hopes that Senate Mining Committee will do the right thing, talk with Tribes
MADISON – Today, Representative Louis J. Molepske, Jr. released the following statement in reaction to reports that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is looking into Wisconsin’s mining bill:
“As we stated from the beginning, a bill of this scope and effect on our northern Wisconsin population and local environment should be crafted in consultation with the tribes located here in Wisconsin. It was a serious misstep to exclude them. Only by having these sovereign nations at the table from the beginning could a bill be crafted that truly ensures efficiency and streamlining for future mining operations in Wisconsin.
“First of all, the tribes should have been consulted in order to avoid an inquiry by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which we now learn is occurring under President Obama’s November 5, 2009 Executive Order. Equally important, though, is that the mining bill affects the Bad River Tribe, which has state status to implement provisions of the Clean Water Act. This means that the Bad River Tribe can object to a proposed mining operation if the operation would jeopardize the Tribe’s own water quality downstream. Such a result seems not just likely but probable, given the extreme gutting of Wisconsin’s environmental protections under AB 426.
“The tribes said from the beginning that they needed and wanted to be involved in the process of making changes to Wisconsin’s mining law. They absolutely should have been at the table as this bill was being developed. I truly hope that the Senate takes the appropriate path of starting over and inviting the tribes to the conversation as they craft an entirely new mining bill.”
Rep. Molepske represents the 71st Assembly District and currently serves as the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.