State Business Groups Pushed For Bill

In a memo issued to members of the state Assembly before the passage of AB 426 Thursday night, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce along with other business organizations, asked the legislators to pass the bill. 

If also approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker, the legislation would change state mining laws.

The memo says the mining bill would allow for "historic job creation and economic development opportunity without sacrificing the environment."

"You have an opportunity to literally change the standard of living in Northern Wisconsin with high-paying, long-term jobs," the memo reads. "The positive impact of the Gogebic mining project will be felt by workers and small businesses throughout the entire state, and will allow Wisconsin to take an important step forward toward economic recovery."

In contrast, Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) on Thursday stated before the Assembly vote that AB 426 would "potentially harm our state's drinking water for decades to come."

Barca says he met with Walker last August to discuss the mining issue.

"The governor promised to approach mining in a bipartisan and bicameral way so we could all work together to create jobs but hasn’t followed through on that plan," Barca says.  “Instead, we have a bill that is so extreme that even Senate Republicans show no signs of allowing it to move forward and ultimately become law. Meanwhile, responsible, collaborative efforts to create jobs are being ignored."

Ultimately, Barca says the Assembly bill is based on illusion.

“Sadly, today is not about creating jobs – it is about the illusion of working to create jobs without any real progress on what needs to be our top priority," Barca says.