"As a responsible government and largest employer in Ashland County, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Band) believes in the importance of supporting existing industries and employers and hopes the legislature will slow its drive to support an out-of-state company and focus instead on supporting its local communities and business-owners.

First, the Band's position on proposed iron mining legislation is that such legislation should be based on sound science and sound legal principles.

Second, the Band opposes the proposals that were included in LRB 2035, which, like now, was scheduled for a hearing only days after the 180-page technical document was made available to the public. The recommendations in LRB 2035 propose to weaken the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources permitting process and hamper public participation. The Band opposes any similar legislation that may be introduced at this time.

Third, it is the Band's position that there is no need for a change in current law to address iron mining because the state's mining laws already cover all metallic mining, not just sulfide mining."

Get the Story:
Mike Wiggins, Jr.: Mining: Boom And Bust, Not Job Creation (The Ashland Current 12/8)