Wisconsin environmental regulators are considering new conditions for a controversial Monroe County frac sand plant that would require what environmentalists call “massive” wetland destruction.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a notice Thursday regarding possible changes to a permit issued in May allowing Meteor Timber to fill 16.25 acres of wetlands for its proposed $65 million processing and loading facility. According to the notice, Meteor has requested the DNR modify the permit to reflect “current construction and design specifications” in satisfaction of conditions attached to the permit....
...The DNR has scheduled a public hearing on the project for Oct. 6 in Tomah....
....Meteor has proposed to restore and preserve more than 640 acres of other land — including more than 296 acres of existing wetlands — near the the 752-acre site between Warrens and Millston, which would serve two nearby mines on land the company acquired in 2014 when it purchased nearly 50,000 acres of Wisconsin forest....
Ken Notes: I have mentioned for four years now that sand is big business and very political. We need to regulate an industry that is not going away. I am a fan of the offset proposal but we need stronger management goals and a way for much more land to enter the program. Also we need a reclamation plan in place with funding, at the onset of these projects. It is impossible to make sand a win win but just say no is not going to work. I have seen the money and it is more than enough to influence the political landscape.
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- - Volume: 5 - WEEK: 38 Date: 9/18/2017 8:42:59 AM -