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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2001

The Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday banned the use of cyanide in mining projects, giving hope to opponents of 50-million ton zinc and copper mine near the Mole Lake Ojibwe Reservation.

The chairman of the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe said banning cyanide was good for the environment and has opposed the project. The Sokaogon Band of Ojibwe, who live at Mole Lake, also opposes the mine.

The Sokaogon band has been given authority by the Environmental Protection Agency to control the water quality in the reservation, including adopting standards that would affect the mine, which is upstream. The state opposes tribal control and has asked the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision to uphold tribal authority.

The Assembly hasn't voted on the cyanide ban.

Get the Story:
Senate approves ban on cyanide in mining (AP 11/6)

Relevant Links:
Ban Cyanide at Crandon Mine - http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html
American Indian Environmental Office, EPA - http://www.epa.gov/indian

Related Stories:
State fighting tribal water ruling (11/6)
Wis. might appeal Ojibwe decision (9/25)
Challenge to tribal authority rejected (9/24)
Court rejects challenge to tribal authority (4/17)
EPA Budget: No new tribal grants (4/13)
Pueblo battles arsenic in water standard (4/16)
EPA attorney pleads guilty (06/28)