A western Wisconsin state legislator is making another attempt at a bill he says will plug a gap in the mining bill that became law in 2013.
Representative Dana Wachs, a Democrat from Eau Claire last year saw his "Save Our Lakes" bill shot down, but says he's looking to bring it back again. The bill would protect the lakebeds, flowages, and reservoirs from being destroyed, drained, or filled in by iron mining activities.
Wachs says there are minerals under many Wisconsin lakes which could become a target of iron mining interests...
"....the way the last mining bill passed, there are exceptions to the general prohibitions against filling in lakebeds. What we're trying to do is plug those holes...."
Wachs says there are iron deposits under the water, including iron and a metal called vanadium, which companies are increasingly wanting...
"....it's a super conductor. It's really good for electronic devices and batteries, particularly in the aerospace field...."
In 2014, Wachs first attempt at passing the bill was shot down along party lines in the legislature.
