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Marathon Co. Mining Ordinance Passes Committee

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The Marathon County Land Conservation and Zoning Committee has moved the county’s proposed sulfide mining ordinance on to the full county board for approval.

The move comes after several hours of discussion and public input Thursday during a committee meeting. Much of the discussion centered on four proposed additions which came at the recommendation of the Wisconsin Association of Counties. Marathon County Corporation Counsel Scott Corbett says the additions focused on the process of creating local agreements with the mine companies. “There’s a statutory part that says counties, towns, and other political subdivisions that are involved with the mining companies can meet and create local agreements to address some of these concerns.”

Chantae Lessard with Aquila Resources said her company still has interest in mining the deposit near the Town of Easton, and that they would be willing participants in those conversations. “Our company is interested in working with the locals to get a local agreement. We want to understand their concerns, consider their concerns, and work with them to make sure that if mining occurs in Marathon County that everyone is on board and happy with what’s happening.”

Some of the language that was clarified in the updated draft includes a requirement for a $15,000 deposit for each well that could potentially be impacted by mining within the area. That money would be put in a ground water trust fund and made available in the event that a well is contaminated. Corbett said that amount was agreed upon because the going rate to drill a new well is currently $10,000, meaning an extra five thousand would be available for inflation or other expenses. The exact distances for setbacks from occupied buildings was also cleared up. Corbett says another important addition to the document gives the county the ability to revisit any agreement they make with a mine company if needed. “Let’s say there’s a breach or a new condition occurs, or somebody wants to do something different. We set up a system for doing that.” He adds that a super majority, or three-quarters, vote would be required for the county to take action on that new condition.

Many of those who spoke during the public comment period expressed concerns for how mining would impact the environment around the area, from water pollution to fish kill and chemical runoff. Lessard said those concerns are legitimate but technology has changed. “The practices in the past haven’t always been fantastic, they haven’t always been protective of the environment so I get where they are coming from. But if you look at the regulations today, and the things that mining companies have to go through. We have the technology to mine safe and environmentally friendly.”

She adds that Aquila also wants to be known as an environmentally friendly company because they know that their reputation is on the line every time they dig. “If we don’t get this mine or any mine that we propose right, we won’t be able to mine again in the future.”

After the approval County Board Chairman Kurt Gibbs said he intends to call a special session of the Board of Supervisors to take up the proposal. He did not immediately specify a date but speculated that it could happen as soon as next Thursday or Friday if a quorum of the board could be present. Companies interested in mining in Wisconsin can begin applying for permits on July 1st after the state lifted its so-called "mining moratorium" last December.

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