At least one central Wisconsin county is in the process of setting up its own mining regulations, as the state is about to end a 19-year-old moratorium on sulfide mining. The Marathon County conservation department in Wausau is rounding up information for an ordinance to make sure taxpayers don’t get left holding the bag for environmental damage once miners leave. Aquila Resources has been considering mines in Marathon and Taylor counties, but has not filed for state licenses — and Taylor County has had a similar environmental protection ordinance since 2013. Governor Scott Walker is expected to sign a bill passed earlier this month which ends the state’s mining moratorium and relaxes certain regulations. The bill’s main author, Senate Republican Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst, says he did not seek to ban tougher local ordinances — saying companies need some type of “social license” in order to conduct mining.
Mining: As State Moratorium Ends, Locals Can Still Regulate
Nov 20, 2017 | 5:49 AM
State News