Week of February 20th SWE Udpates

Schedule of Upcoming Events

A Declaration for the Great Lakes Revisited by Walk Bresette

New poll shows most oppose changes to mining regulations  02/20/12

GTac President assures us "there are hundreds of areas like this up here" !

GTac's Managing Director's "aim" may have been a little off last January - (Ashland Current Article)

Joint Finance Committee Meeting on the Mining Bill (WI EYE) 02/17/12

Geologists Rock the House with Stunning Testimony at Mining Hearing (Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative) 02/17/12

Wisconsin Rock Star Schools Mining Committee on Mining Bill (Blue Cheddar Progressive Blog) 02/17/12

Voices of the Penokee Hills Project  Joy  Shelble (You Tube)

BREAKING NEWS: WI Mining Bill Contains  Erronenous Definition of “Sulfide Ore”; Opens the State to Irrepairable Damage  (Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative 02/2012                       

SWE Reports from the Water's Edge of Lake Superior.......

This past week, as you know, Sen. Scott Fitzgerald disbanded the Senate Mining committee for Jobs. He decided to present the Assembly version of the Mining for Jobs bill that was concocted by a nameless gang.  Even Gogebic Taconite spokesperson, Bill Williams, did not seem to know. Sketchy reports and speculation seem to include  misguided legislators from the Milwaukee area, Wisconsin's famous bastion of business and commerce, (WMC), mining company big wigs, and of course our open for business Governor Scott Walker. SWE will gladly correct this list with additions or deletions if SWE is told who actually wrote this bill, Attempts have been made to no avail. 

In effect Scott has turned the mining legislation to his little brother, Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald. Jeff explained his passion for mining and his desire to restore fiscal responsibility to Wisconsin by blowing up the Penokee Hills and threatening of the waters of the Bad River Watershed. One has to consider if he will treat the Horicon Marsh with the same eye if jobs in Horicon become an issue.  Apparently he has opted for the analysis of the Penokee Hills and the Bad River Watershe dofferd by GTa'c's president quoted fro an article in the Green Bay news article. This watershed has recently been designated as an area of great importance.

Assembly bill 426 which was wrangled through Assembly hearing process by the committee chair, Mary Williams. Even Mary Williams had not be able (or allowed) to divulge the authors of this bill. Her committee was allowed to run amuck and she apparently spent little or no time educating herself and her committee on the the responsibility required by the government to government relationships. Representative Jeff Stone's comments seemed represent the sentiment of Mary's leadership and the Republican members of her committee. This arrogance, ignorance, or inexcusable oversight has now involved the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

In addition to the federal concerns, Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources has issued statement suggesting that if AB426 passed, it could cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The wetlands bill which is  held near dear to the heart of Scott Walker's Wisconsin Open for Business, which has become poli-speak for Wisconsin is for Sale, has now involved the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers.