MADISON—Less than a week after the Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs was disbanded, former members Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) have delivered on a commitment they made upon appointment to the committee.
Tuesday, on the Common Ground of the Capitol Rotunda, the two legislators—both former leaders, boasting a combined 60-plus years of legislative experience—introduced
the Wisconsin Way Mining Reform Act.
“Using Wisconsin’s existing metallic mining laws as a starting point, this piece of common sense legislation not only provides certainty for both the mining permit applicants and the potentially impacted communities, but it does so without sacrificing our state’s treasured land ethic,” Schultz said. “There are only a few places in this state where viable iron deposits exist, and my district happens to be one of them. That’s a golden rule I’ve tried to keep in mind throughout this process. Could I defend this legislation if it came to Sauk County? With the Wisconsin Way Mining Reform Act, I believe I could.”
“From the first moment this hugely controversial issue came to the Capitol, my goal has been to create responsible iron mining reform in a responsible process,” Jauch said. “This is the culmination of months of public input. In crafting this legislation, we called upon the expertise and opinion of a diverse lineup of stakeholders, ranging from our Senate and Assembly colleagues to local leaders from Northern Wisconsin, and from the Bad River Band to Gogebic Taconite, and various conservation groups.”
“It truly was a collaborative process, and I am incredibly proud of the product we came up with,” Jauch added. “In this legislation, I believe the voice of the Northwoods—indeed, all of Wisconsin—was heard loud and clear.”