sand rush spreads to northeast Iowa

FRAC SAND: The sand rush spreads to northeast Iowa andthe Black Hills of South Dakota. (Des Moines Register, Rapid City Journal)

Fracking and Frac Sand Mining
MPR: Debate continues on frac sand mining's health, environmental impact
MPR: Documentary explores fracking issues in Minnesota
MPR: EQB report sums up frac sand mining issues
MPR: Frac sand documentary in Red Wing
TC Daily Planet: The Price of Sand: Wisconsin today, Minnesota tomorrow?
Winona Daily News: Commentary: Frac sand gold rush will hurt our economy and environment

9:00 A.M. AT THE WHITEHALL CITY CENTER ON THURSDAY, MARCH 28.

We can spread the word, and recognize how difficult it is to contain/control an industry once it gets started. From: Patricia J. Popple <sunnyday5@charter.net> Subject: Flyer for March 28th Public Hearing-Trempealeau Co. Wisconsin IF YOU ARE IN DRIVING DISTANCE OF TREMPEALEAU CO. WISCONSIN, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE AS YOUR "FRIENDS" IN THE FRAC SAND FIGHT. OVER 3300 ACRES OF LAND IN THE COUNTY HAS BEEN COMMITTED FOR FRAC SAND MINING, PROCESSING, AND TRANS-LOAD! AND HERE IS ANOTHER NEW MINE BEING ADDED TO THE LIST!  9:00 A.M. AT THE WHITEHALL CITY CENTER ON THURSDAY, MARCH 28. (SEE THE ATTACHMENT!) ATTEND THE MEETING!!! YOUR ASSISTANCE FROM ACROSS THE BORDER AS WELL AS WITHIN WISCONSIN WOULD BE SO APPRECIATED! PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO JOIN THE CAUSE! Flyer to be passed on to email lists, neighbors, concerned citizens, or to be posted in communities on bulletin boards etc.

Notice of Mar 26 Winona meeting cancellation

There will not be a meeting on Tuesday night, but stay tuned.

 ACTION ALERT:

KEEP ACTIVE LOCALLY
CALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF UPCOMING BILLS (ABOVE)
#1 WRITE LETTERS TO THE PAPERS (INCLUDE PAPER IN THE CITIES)
• SET ASIDE THE EVENING OF TUESDAY MARCH, 26TH I am working with Bobby putting together a regional meeting for Tuesday night in Winona.  As a group of IA & SE MN concern citizens it is important we put together a unified plan and share information.  Bobby will give some insight on the State level and help organize a good strategy that won't exhaust us. I will send out more information on this later!!!!!  Please let me know if there is a conflict I do not know about.

I'll be in touch,

AmAndA S GriGGs

Cell:  507-459-6700

OR  507-896-2165

What you can do NOW

We have a brief amount of time to send letters to editor to undermine their myths and weaken their message.

March 22, 2013

Mining propaganda meeting in Rochester,  sponsored by their Chamber of Commerce.   www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2013/03/what-the-frac-racc-swears-it-came-up-with-totally-original-name-for-silica-sand-event.html

FYI Strib articles:Collapse of St. Charles Project causes split among investors

 Each step is important in this process of informing ourselves and spreading that information.

Mining-hub town of St. Charles says no to major frac sand facility

Collapse of St. Charles frac sand project causes split among investors

WNPJ's is having a spring meeting in Eau Claire Wisconsin on March 23

From: Patricia J. Popple <sunnyday5@charter.net>
Subject: WNPJ spring meeting Mar 23 in Eau Claire! You are invited!!!
Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 9:28 PM

 WNPJ's is having a spring meeting in Eau Claire Wisconsin on March 23.  There's also info on our website at:  http://wnpj.org/node/7779

This is your state on frac sand mining.  Any questions?

(Photo by Jim Tittle)

WNPJ's spring meeting, with a focus on frac sand mining, will be Saturday, March 23 in Eau Claire, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 421 S Farwell St.  Click here for details and a map.

Join us for lunch and a meet and greet with local groups at 12:30 pm, followed by WNPJ's spring steering committee meeting from 1 to 4 pm.  The frac sand mining discussion will be led by Pat Popple with Heather Andersen of the Save the Hills Alliance, Inc. and Concerned Chippewa Citizens.

We invite you to share information about your group's efforts, verbally and by bringing newsletters, petitions or other written materials.

All are welcome!  Please RSVP if you're joining us for lunch, including any dietary needs or restrictions, to diane@wnpj.org or 608-250-9240 by March 15.

--
Diane Farsetta, Executive Director
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
122 State St #405A, Madison, WI 53703
608-250-9240 ~ diane@wnpj.org ~ www.wnpj.org
Connect with WNPJ on Twitter and Facebook!
Proud agency member of Community Shares of Wisconsin

Tough news from Wisc, but Citizens Still Have the Power of the Law to Defend Natural Resources in the Courts

Another way we can learn from and support efforts of our good neighbors in Wisconsin.

Right now we can stand up and speak up....or be in a similar situation as they.

Protecting our heritage of healthy water, air, land and government.

Statement from Midwest Environmental Advocates on the signing of mining deregulation in Wisconsin Today the Governor’s signing of a mining deregulation law will be the last step in a broken legislative process throughout which the voices of citizens, the treaty rights of a sovereign nation, and the weight of scientific evidence have been ignored. For two years, state lawmakers have disregarded the majority of their constituents who are opposed to exempting mining corporations from environmental protections in order to push through a bad bill written largely by an out-of-state company. And from the beginning, neither state legislators nor the Executive Office has engaged the sovereign nation whose health and way of life are put at risk by the largest proposed iron mine in our state’s history.   As an organization that works every day to help citizens use the power of the law to protect our heritage of healthy water, air, land and government, Midwest Environmental Advocates will be closely watching the implementation of the new law. We continue to have deep concerns about how the law conflicts with long-established tribal treaty rights and the Public Trust Doctrine in our state constitution. This mining deregulation legislation comes closely on the heels of recent changes in laws that protect our wetlands which create a faulty, backwards mitigation scheme that attempts to fix environmental damage after it has been done and allows destruction of irreplaceable, pristine wetlands.   “This legislature and governor have gutted the capacity of DNR, while at the same time inserted political pressure for special interest lobbies over the judgment of professional, experienced staff,” said Kimberlee Wright, Midwest Environmental Advocates. “The proposed mine would be the largest, most destructive activity in the history of the state. We haven’t seen anything at this scale of destruction since the great cutover of our Northern forests. Instead of diminishing citizen rights and tying the hands of state regulators, this law should have enhanced science-based protections of our air, land and water. This law literally puts the profits of one company above the long-term health and well-being of people for centuries to come. The people of Wisconsin have worked together throughout most of our history to protect our precious natural heritage, we will not give away the rights of future generations because big, dirty money bought enough votes to pass a bad law.”   The people of Wisconsin and of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa shouldn’t have to bear the cost of turning to the courts to protect their natural resources. This law takes one more step toward weakening the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Our state’s most important regulatory agency entrusted with protecting our natural resources will now be prohibited from stepping in to stop iron mining activities found to be dangerous to public health and the environment. Further, the size and scope of a proposed mine in the Penokee Range demands an autonomous and science-based review of the impact a mine would have on the landscape and on the water, but this law places an unreasonable limit to what this science costs. Our WNDR does not have the funding, staffing or autonomy to issue and enforce routine permits across the state, let alone properly review and approve the largest open pit mine in the nation. Midwest Environmental Advocates will also be closely watching whether or not our WDNR has the resources and autonomy it needs to assess the environmental impact of open-pit mining.    Midwest Environmental Advocates will support the people of Bad River in whatever way we can to work through the courts to address the continued environmental concerns with this law before significant damage is done to an internationally important natural area. Despite hopeful promises by legislators who are satisfied with the mining deregulation bill Governor Walker signed into law today, there is still not a clear path to an open-pit mine in the Penokee Hills. This fight has just begun and the numbers of people standing together to protect the rights of future generations grows every single day.   To support the work of Midwest Environmental Advocates, please visit our donation page.

Midwest Environmental Advocates 612 West Main Street, Suite 302 Madison, WI 53703 608-251-5047 www.midwestadvocates.org Contact us: advocate@midwestadvocates.org

St Charles will NOT annex the property for the proposed frac sand facility

From: bcjohnson4@netzero.net
To: kholen@acegroup.cc
Date: 03/09/13 21:08
Subject: Fw:

Kent,

The following is an e-mail I sent to Tony Kennedy at the Star Tribune.  Excellent news!  More will be coming out at the city makes the official announcement.  Spread the news.

Collin

 

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: "bcjohnson4@netzero.net" <bcjohnson4@netzero.net>
To: Tony.Kennedy@startribune.com
Subject:
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2013 03:05:23 GMT

Tony,

 

     The following is the first paragraph of an e-mail that was sent out to us by Travis Lange and the Concerned Citizens group Saturday afternoon.  I guess the big news will officially come at the City Council meeting Tuesday night.  As Travis reached out to thank us for our efforts, I'd like to thank you for all your help.  Our battle is by no means over, but this will make it more difficult for the industry to set up shop close to St. Charles.

 

     "It is with great pleasure that I am writing this note to you all today. This morning, I sat down with Mayor Spitzer to discuss the proposed sand plant as well as many other items that were on my mind. The result of the meeting, in my opinion, was nothing but positive. On Tuesday evening, the Council will sign a resolution that states the City will NOT annex the property for the proposed frac sand facility. They are denying the three petitions that have been filed requesting annexation, which were filed by the three property owners associated with the proposed MN Proppant facility. There are numerous reasons listed for the reasoning of this decision, but the two that really jumped out at me were the Township’s stance on the proposed project, and the petition filed by the Concerned Citizens for St. Charles. A copy of the exact wording can be found on the City’s website. I learned today that as soon as the Council receives their packets on the Friday prior to the next Council meeting, the public can get a copy on the website or stop down at City Hall and request the packet."

 

Thanks again and I will try to keep you updated on Winona County activity.

 

Collin Johnson