Bi-Partisan Mining Bill Expected To Be Announced

Bad River Tribal Chairman Mike Wiggins complained at a recent mining bill hearing about a wall separating Democrats and Republicans over the mining issue. That wall may be coming down.

State Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) will announce what is expected to be a moderate iron ore mining bill addressing environmental and economic concerns of the Assembly bill passed last month. The two senators are expected to hold a 9 a.m. news conference in Madison at the Capitol on Tuesday to unveil and discuss the mining legislation. 

Schultz and Jauch were on the Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs, a committee appointed by Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in September, but dissolved last week. Fitzgerald said the Senate committee was not functional and wouldn’t meet an end-of-the-session deadline to pass a mining bill.

On Saturday, Jauch and Schultz will hold an informational session in the Morse Town Hall, near the area of the Penokee Range where a $1.5 billion iron ore mine has been proposed by Gogebic Taconite. It starts at 1 p.m. and ends at 3 p.m.

A forum with Jauch and Schultz is also scheduled to take place at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center on Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 

Here is a link to the story we ran on Sat., Feb. 18 about the upcoming forum: http://www.ashlandcurrent.com/article/12/02/18/jauch-schultz-finding-common-ground