Washburn Mayor Ralph Brzezinski will be a guest on a new weekly segment on Northland College radio station 97.7 WRNC. Brzezinski will speak on the segment “Leaders’ News & Views,” a WRNC radio program which interviews local leaders in the Chequamegon Bay area about issues facing their local governments. The segment will air on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 9 a.m. Danielle Kaeding, station manager of WRNC, talks with Brzezinski about the city’s marina bulkhead wall repairs, wastewater treatment plant, budget and more.
Ecotopia: Mining & Environment
Note: Audio of Saturday’s mining forum at Northland College will be available on the WRNC website by Tuesday afternoon.
Northland College radio station 97.7 WRNC-LP examines the relationship between mining and theenvironment in January’s installment of Ecotopia. Ecotopia is a monthly radio program produced by WRNC that looks at a topic or series of subjects related to the environment. The program will air Monday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Radio stations 91.3 KUWS-FM in Superior and 90.9 WUWS-FM in Ashland. The program was originally scheduled to air at 9 a.m. Monday on WRNC, but it will now air at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, after Leaders News & Views with guest Washburn Mayor Ralph Brzezinski.
WRNC’s Danielle Kaeding talks with Al Gedicks, sociology professor at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and author of “Resource Rebels: Native Challenges to Mining and Oil Corporations.” Gedicks discusses how a proposed mining bill in Wisconsin may impact the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Also, Gedicks touches on how mining legislation may change the state’s environmental standards as the bill is currently written. In addition, Tom Fitz, associate professor of geoscience at Northland College in Ashland, talks about the geology of the mineral deposit in the mining area proposed by Gogebic Taconite.
“If there is a mine, one of the ways that there could be environmental impact is from waste rock piles where the rock has been crushed up,” says Fitz. “If rainwater percolates through that and gets into shallow groundwater which discharges into surface water, there could be impacts from that.”
In addition, listeners will hear comments from Gogebic Taconite President Bill Williams on proposed mining legislation at a December public hearing courtesy of Wisconsin Eye. Williams talks about the company’s need for more regulatory certainty and GTAC’s intention to protect the environment if an iron mine is constructed.
“We will avoid every impact we can, minimizing those that we can’t and will mitigate those that can not be avoided at all,” said Williams at a December hearing before the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business. “We will not obtain a permit, nor will we be able to maintain a permit, that’s issued by the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers and EPA unless we can demonstrate that we will be able to avoid, minimize and mitigate all impacts.”
Ecotopia is a WRNC program produced in collaboration with Northland College and the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland. People may visit the WRNC website to hear extended interviews with guests and past programs at www.wrnclp.org.
WRNC to broadcast mining forum
Residents of northern Wisconsin will have the opportunity to learn about the proposed Penokee Hills and Gogebic Range iron ore mine from a variety of perspectives. The college will sponsor a public forum on Saturday, Jan. 28, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Campus Center Alvord Theatre. Discussion will feature presentations on the geological, scientific, social and cultural aspects of mining with opportunities for the public to ask questions of the panelists and presenters. WRNC will broadcast the forum live from noon to 5 p.m. People may tune into 97.7 or listen online at www.wrnclp.org.
“As an educational institution with a long history of involvement in environmental matters, our role is to help provide sound information so individuals can make their own decisions about the complex issue of reestablishing mining in this region,” said Michael A. Miller, President of Northland College. “We want Mining and the Environment Week to take the conversation beyond ‘are you for or against mining’ so that our society can make informed decisions about one of the most important economic proposals in this state for many decades. What we decide now will affect our children and our children’s children.”
The Jan. 28 forum will include presentations from professionals with an informed understanding of various aspects of mining regulation and legislation. A group of panelists will ask questions of the presenters, followed by opportunities for audience questions.
Presenters will include Mike Wiggins, tribal chair of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, who will address the issue of sovereignty and resource management; Tom Evans, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, University of Wisconsin-Extension, speaking on the role of resource regulation and democratic processes; George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and retired secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, addressing recent mining history and regulation in Wisconsin.
Panelists will include Jennifer Giegerich, the Legislative Director of the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters; Randy Lehr, Bro Professor at Northland College; and Patrick Boerboon, board member of the Ashland/Bayfield League of Women Voters, past Chair of the Town of Gingles and a private practice attorney. Campus Minister David Saetre will moderate the forum.
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