Legislators must unite for lasting mining reform
More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson argued that great innovations should not be forced by a slender majority. Jefferson believed in broad support for sweeping change, and I believe that principle holds true today.
Last session, partisan divisions dragged progress on a key economic development issue—mining—to a grinding halt. In the year ahead, the issue of mining will demand a more collaborative Legislature.
The mining industry is looking for the Legislature to eliminate uncertainty in the permitting process. If a mining bill passes on a party-line vote, the industry would be reluctant to invest in Wisconsin because political waves can lead to shifts in partisan power. The best way to provide certainty and bring mining jobs to Wisconsin is to create a bill that receives wide support and could withstand a political sea change.
Assembly Bill 426 from 2011 failed to receive broader support last session because it was unrealistic. The Senate Select Committee on Mining recently learned that AB-426 ignored the fact that Wisconsin is not the only player in the permitting process.
The bill would have created irreconcilable conflicts with federal regulatory agencies, forcing a mining company to conduct two separate permitting processes—one with the state and one with the federal government. This would add time and costs to a mining application, while also opening the door to legal challenges if the two processes had different results.
Legislators need to create a realistic timeline that speeds up the permitting process but still allows the state to work with federal agencies, which already have an established permitting timeline that could take up to six years—two years for a pre-application exploratory process and up to four years for the environmental review process and formal application review period.
Minnesota, known for its welcoming attitude toward mining, conforms to these timelines.
As the mining committee has learned, the only way to bring mining back to Wisconsin is to ensure that new mining regulations protect our water and comply with state and federal environmental safeguards, while also recognizing treaty rights exercised by Native American tribes.
AB-426 attempted to legalize the devastation of Wisconsin’s waterways. That action would violate the state constitution, which is clear in its language that no individual or company can own our waterways or is entitled to destroy them. AB-426 would lead to a legal stalemate and fail to create jobs.
Mining companies won’t invest in a state with a business environment that creates endless legal hurdles.
Thomas Jefferson would surely agree that it is in Wisconsin’s interest to pass a mining bill with broad support. Now that the latest round of elections is over, both sides have indicated they want to work together to pass a mining bill that works for Wisconsin.
The Legislature can create long-lasting policy that will grow our economy—and we can change the culture of governing in Wisconsin while we’re at it.
Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, serves as the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Mining. Readers can reach him by phone at 1-800-334-1468 or by email at sen.cul-len@legis.Wisconsin.gov.
Nov 29, 2012 at 7:57 a.m.
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MooShoo: You used the word "treasonous" in reference to RAF. Frankly I think the word may apply to the POTUS for his request that Putin back off on his criticism of the European missle defense system until after the election when Obama would have more "flexibility" to deal with Mr. Putin. That statement, the coverup in Benghazi, and Mrs. Obama's statement 4 years ago that she was finally proud to be an American are probably the 3 biggest items that bother me. I wonder what the flexibility is going to mean especially with all the end arounds that the POTUS has been doing on Congress. I supported neither candidate but those 3 items concern me to this day.
Nov 27, 2012 at 12:02 p.m.
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Goodbye ObamaCareTax, Hello Mining and jobs.
Minnesota's been doing it for years Cullen. They are still the Land of a Thousand Lakes with no problems.
Nov 27, 2012 at 10:29 a.m.
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Yada says what?
Nov 27, 2012 at 8:16 a.m.
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" Do you think the republican majority in the Fitzwalkerstani Legislature should pass a law that would arrest federal employees who come into Wisconsin to install national health insurance? "
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I might have missed something--please provide a link which outlines Walker and the Republican majority proposing such a law......thanks!
Nov 27, 2012 at 8:12 a.m.
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"When Republicans are in the minority, they are obstructionists. When they have the majority, they ram bills through without allowing for discussion or introduction of amendments. This is not what the majority of the people want in this state. They elect representatives."
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This comment was laughable! In 2009 would you care to share which party rammed though a budget including $1 billion in tax increases, in under 24 hours, with no public hearings and the entire other political party voting against it?? I'll give you a hint.....it wasn't the Republicans:)
Nov 27, 2012 at 6:47 a.m.
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No matter the facts keep on posting the faux claims, typical lib.
Nov 26, 2012 at 10:35 p.m.
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More lies and mistatements by the children of the left...
-I can do better.--Still waiting for you to do that.
-How do you reconcile collecting a military retirement pension--The same way all other people do
--government paid for health care--They don't pay for my healthcare
-shopping in a tax exempt PX--I don't
-and collecting social security while damning the left for being socialist?--Not even close enough to that age.
moo was there any more lies and misconceptions you need corrected on or does that about cover it?
Nov 26, 2012 at 5:06 a.m.
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Is that really the best the children of the left can do?
Nov 25, 2012 at 11:07 a.m.
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Let them ram it through , it will "create jobs" for lawyers that the taxpayers will be on the hook for as it will be challenged like most all his bone-head ideas.
Nov 25, 2012 at 10:12 a.m.
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When fleebaggers are in the minority, they are obstructionists; Yeah for the clocktower.
Nov 25, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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Senator Cullen, when bi-partisanship is defined by the Democrats as the Republicans adopting the Democrat agenda, there is little hope for what you describe. Not only is your own party totally unwilling to compromise, they find it difficult to accept the outcome of elections that they've lost. (Will the Democrats try recalling a few more Republican Senators early next year?) They challenge every new Republican lead law passed in the legislature in Dane County courts knowing full well the judges there openly support their agenda for the purpose of delaying implementation beyond the next election they hope to win. Your call for bi-partisanship will no doubt be ignored by the Republicans as long as your own party makes it crystal clear that compromise is something they insist that only Republicans are supposed to do.
Nov 24, 2012 at 3:28 p.m.
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Was this written from the Clocktower in Rockford? Because we all know that is the capitol of Bipartisanshipville.
Nov 24, 2012 at 10:31 a.m.
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"Jefferson believed in broad support for sweeping change, and I believe that principle holds true today." In that case, considering Obamacare passed by a slender majority, bribes included, Mr. Cullen must certainly believe Obamacare should be repealed.
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