The controversial bill on iron mining in Wisconsin’s Legislature may pass by the end of this session after Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) dissolved the Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs. The bill has been hailed by Republicans as a measure supporting job creation and economic development in the north while democrats and environmentalists decried portions of the bill that weaken the state’s environmental standards on groundwater, wetlands and more. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have also voiced concerns about the bill and cited potential violation of treaty rights in ceded territories. Below is a statement from Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.
Sen. Fitzgerald Refers Mining Bill to JFC
Madison, WI — In an effort to ensure that mining legislation can pass before the end of the session, Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) announced today that he is dissolving the Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs and referring the Assembly mining bill to the Joint Finance Committee.
Sen. Fitzgerald released the following statement:
“A new mine in Northern Wisconsin has the potential to bring thousands of jobs and real economic relief to an area of Wisconsin that desperately needs it. Wisconsin needs jobs, not politics, and Republicans will continue to fight to get our economy back on its feet.
“Over the past five months, the Select Committee on Mining has taken a close look at a wide range of issues surrounding a potential mine in Northern Wisconsin, and they have heard from a wide range of voices. But we can’t allow the clock to run out on a project that could mean a generation of good-paying jobs and revitalize an entire local economy.
“Sadly, we’re stuck in a hyper-political world where the Democrats are likely to say and do anything to oppose this jobs bill, just for the sake of opposing it. I’m glad to be among leaders in Madison willing to work through distraction and discord to keep job creation as the top goal for Wisconsin.”
For more information on the latest news on the bill, you can visit the following links to learn more.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article
