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Mining Legislation
In the 1830’s, Wisconsin miners working in the Galena mines carved out caves in the hillsides as their homes. The caves were described as badger dens, and the men – miners who lived in them - badgers. Eventually, all Wisconsinites were nicknamed badgers, and in 1957, the badger became Wisconsin’s official state animal.
Mining is very much a part of our history in Wisconsin and I think it should be a part of our future. Iron mining is different than non-ferrous or sulfide mining. Iron mining is a process which uses magnets to separate the metal from rock while non-ferrous mining uses chemicals. Our Midwest neighbors, Michigan and Minnesota, have separate regulations to address each mining industry and have different regulations for ferrous and non-ferrous mining operations.
Once again Wisconsin has an
opportunity. Gogebic Taconite LLC is attempting to obtain
the necessary permits required to initiate mining over two
billion tons of iron ore resources in Ashland and Iron
Counties.
Foundries throughout Wisconsin would have access to locally
mined iron instead of iron mined in Minnesota, Michigan, or
foreign countries. According to the Department of Workforce
Development, there are over 75 different companies which
operate as foundries in this state.
Various stakeholders united to research
and discuss ways to improve Wisconsin’s ferrous metallic
mining regulatory environment. New statutes were created to
responsibly regulate iron mining while streamlining and
separating it from other forms of mining.
Both Michigan and Minnesota have already streamlined their
iron mining regulations.
AB 426 doesn’t remove any of the requirements needed to
comply with standards set by the DNR, the EPA, and the Army
Corps of Engineers. The bill creates a minimum two year
permitting process which includes a one year pre-approval
environmental study followed by a 360 day DNR review period.
By streamlining the permitting process for iron mines,
companies seeking to invest in Wisconsin will be guaranteed
a definite “yes” or “no” answer.
The projected $2 million cost of a DNR review will be paid
for by mining companies seeking approval, not Wisconsin
taxpayers. Input from the public will be taken during the
process. To ultimately get a permit, the applying mining
company will have to meet rigid environmental standards.
Opening an iron mine in northern Wisconsin would create more
than an estimated 3,000 jobs during the initial phase.
North Star Economics, a consulting and research firm,
estimates the mine would have the potential to create 2,800
to 5,600 long term jobs with average compensation packages
reaching $82,000 per year. The firm also estimates the mine
would add an annual $600 million to $1.2 billion to
Wisconsin’s economy.
Please reply to this update with your views on this issue.
Wisconsin Dairy Industry Sets Record
The state’s dairy industry harvested 26.1 billion pounds of milk last year. It is only an increase of less than 1 percent over 2010 production, but it’s still good enough to set a state record.
Wisconsin accounted for about one of every eight gallons harvested in the nation. Each dairy cow produced an average of just over 10 tons of milk.
Statewide production likely jumped last year because of a steady increase in dairy prices. Dairy prices rose 9 percent between January 2011 and January 2012 according to the USDA.
However, any boon for dairy farmers was tempered by rising operating expenses of milk production - increased costs of gas and feed.
Minnesota cows were a little less productive. Dairy farmers there harvested 8.9 billion pounds, a decrease of 2 percent from in 2010. Cows averaged about 9.5 tons of milk for the year.
California continues to be the nation’s top milk producer. The Golden State accounted for 41.5 billion pounds of milk last year, or about 21 percent of the national total.
As in the past I would continue to encourage you to contact my office with ideas for this next legislative session and on individual pieces of legislation. Now more than ever your ideas and opinions need to be heard, so we can begin to get Wisconsin back to work. As before I will continue to work across the aisle to find common ground and move legislation forward. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (608) 266-3404, or Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov.
Please share this update with your friends and neighbors within the 47th Assembly District. If there is anyone you know who would like to be included please respond to this email with their email address.
I want to remind everyone that my door is always open and you can always visit me at my Madison office in the Capitol (223 North). Please do not hesitate to contact me with any issues you maybe facing. You can call my office at 608-266-3404 or email me at Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov. I look forward to hearing from you.