Public Talk with Nationally Known Community Rights Attorney Tue, February 3 at 4:00-5:30 pm

Can our counties use Community Rights ordinanes to address the very real threat of  frac sand mining? Come This Tuesday at 4pm to learn more about how such ordinances are challenging the destruction of our land, water, and air. View this email in your browser Public Talk with Nationally Known Community Rights Attorney Tue, February 3 at 4:00-5:30 pm at Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center, 119 Winnebago Street, Decorah Attorney Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin from Washington State will give a short presentation with time for Q&A regarding a Community Rights ordinance to ban frac sand mining in Winneshiek County. Civil Rights and Constitutional Law Attorney Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin has spent the last several years assisting communities as they attempt to keep out unwanted industrial activity and to re-establish their right to local decision-making. His work seeks to "challenge the legitimacy of corporate rights, as large corporations frequently use their 'rights' at the expense of the community." Here in Winneshiek County we face the threat of frac sand mining corporations invoking their "right to mine." Schromen-Wawrin will discuss potential next steps in our effort to ban frac sand mining. The content of the talk will presume a basic understanding of Community Rights, but those unfamiliar with the approach are welcome to attend. The event will take place at the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center on 119 Winnebago Street in Decorah from 4-5:30pm. Over 150 communities across the country, including the city of Pittsburg and Mendocino County, CA, have already passed into law what are commonly referred to as "Community Rights ordinances." The Community Rights Alliance of Winneshiek County is an alliance of citizens of the Driftless Region of the Midwest. We peacefully assert our Constitutional right to local, democratic self-governance, for the purpose of protecting the health and integrity of our communities, our commonly shared natural resources, and our future. For More Info, Contact: Jim Tripp, 382-6029 unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

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Railroad expansion in Houston County

Bruce Kuehmichel of Citizens Acting for Rail Safety (CARS) and Ken Tschumper of Houston County Protectors (HCP) have documented the long rumored expansion 

RAIL SIDING BEING BUILT NEAR LA CRESCENT FRAC SAND MINING IN HOUSTON COUNTY IMMINENT.

For Immediate Release:                       For More Information; Contact

Sunday, January 11, 2015                   Bruce Kuehmichel 507-450-9519

                                                              jackym@acegroup.cc

                                                              Ken Tschumper 507-894-4248

                                                              ktschump@aegroup.cc

 

 

RAIL SIDING BEING BUILT NEAR LA CRESCENT

FRAC SAND MINING IN HOUSTON COUNTY IMMINENT.

                                       

 

Activists concerned about increased railroad traffic in the La Crosse Area and the possibility of frac sand mining beginning in Houston County discovered today that the Canadian Pacific Railroad began construction in the last couple days on a new rail siding just south of La Crescent at Miller’s Corner near the Intersection of State HWY 16 and County HWY 26.

 

Bruce Kuehmichel of Citizens Acting for Rail Safety (CARS) and Ken Tschumper of Houston County Protectors (HCP) have documented the long rumored expansion late this afternoon with photos of the site. (see attached photos)

 

“The photos of this construction verify the rumors that we have been hearing since last  summer that CP would soon be building a siding near Miller’s Corner to be followed shortly by a railroad loading facility to load frac sand coming from Houston County” said Kuehmichal.

 

The ramifications of the CP build out are serious. “Three years ago Houston

County citizens were assured that silica frac sand mining would not and could not occur

because there were no railroad loading facilities close enough to make it economical. But not now”, Tschumper pointed out.

 

This is another example of the Mississippi River Transportation Corridor undergoing enormous expansion of rail transport on both sides of the river. Last Tuesday, the Wisconsin DNR held a hearing on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe permit request to build a second track through the La Crosse Marsh. Over 160 local citizens heard the nearly unanimous request by dozens of speakers that the WDNR conduct an Environmental Impact Study for the Marsh. A parallel request for an entire Upper Mississippi River Valley Environmental Impact Statement was also voiced by a majority of concerned speakers.

 

“It’s really ironic that this project was started just a few days ago”, Tschumper said. “Last Tuesday, Houston County Officials held a Public Hearing on a proposed Amendment to the County’s Zoning Ordinance that would have allowed unlimited frac sand mining in the hills and valleys of our area. Yet every single person who spoke at the Hearing condemned the proposed Ordinance and half of the speakers asked the Commissioners to ban frac sand mining all together.”

 

Kuehmichal mentioned that the Houston County Commissioners have until mid-March to act on the issue of frac sand mining before a three year moratorium expires.

 

“Wherever frac sand mining has occurred, county and township roads have been destroyed, ground water polluted, property values diminished, air quality compromised, reclamation costs dumped on tax payers, and the scenic beauty and tourism severely damaged”, Kuehmichal stressed, “ and now we are seeing firsthand how frac sand mining will adversely affect our wetlands as well”.

 

“With a railroad loading facility at Miller’s Corner and five frac sand mines already proposed for the Root River Valley, Highway 16 will become a Frac Sand Mining Corridor with literally hundreds of dump trucks going back and forth seven days a week, just like in Wisconsin”, Tschumper observed. “We need the Houston County Commissioners to do what a majority of county residents want and that is to ban frac sand mining now”.

Sand turns rural Trempealeau county upside-down - MPR frack sand report about our neighbors' experiences

The fracking boom has transformed rural Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, and areas like it. There’s no oil or gas here —  just sand, the kind oil and gas drillers prefer. Fracking has made sand a $10 billion industry, and publicly traded companies have rushed in, digging enormous mines. Trempealeau — on the western side of the state, population 28,000 or so — has more mines than any other county.

www.marketplace.org/topics/world/sand-turns-rural-county-upside-down

Fracking makes sand a $10 billion industry - MPR frack sand report about our neighbors' experiences

On a square of clay and gravel about 40 miles north of downtown Denver, Joel Fox’s colleagues are starting a frack on an oil well. Fox — who runs fracking operations for Encana Corp., a $9 billion oil and gas company — points to the action we’ll be able to see from our safe distance.

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/world/fracking-makes-sand-10-billion-industry

Frac sand companies get creative with local politics - MPR frack sand report about our neighbors' experiences

When officials in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, tried to set limits on new sand mines, mining companies looked closely at how local government is structured in rural Wisconsin and got creative.

www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/frac-sand-companies-get-creative-local-politics

Letter to Wisconsin DNR

Dear Wisconsin DNR,

This is in regards to the proposal to putting a second track through La Crosse River Wetlands. I’m sure there are many profitable reasons for permitting this without an EIS, but, for me, the biggest and most logical reason against it is that it WOULD BE FOOLISH. Very foolish. In fact, many decades of experience has taught us that an EIS is a no-brainer.

Besides, if the Wisconsin DNR requests an EIS, it would be setting a good example for us over here across the river. There’s nothing like precedent to give people an excuse to do something.

What’s the big deal, anyway? If there’s no problem with their proposal, an EIS won’t change the end result.

Hold Wis. DNR Accountable for Region’s Rail Safety!

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

  It is legitimate for Minnesotans to question impacts about the marsh, habitat and the Mississippi. River. Those impacts are not just local.

  Also, railroads can carry silica sand across the nation to fracking locations, so question how this will impact development of additional sand mining and processing- that could very well affect Minnesota. An EIS would address these issues and allow for public comment.

  Anyone for car pooling?  It lessens the carbon footprint and combines energy.

Wishing you well,

Bonita

Click here for WDNR Hearing January 7, 2015 - BNSF Rail Expansion La Crosse River Marsh video 

Hold Wis. DNR Accountable for Region’s Rail Safety!

Attend DNR Hearing on BNSF’s Request to Build in La Crosse River Marsh

2-5 p.m., Wednesday January 7

Black River Beach Center, 1433 Rose Street, La Crosse

Or submit written comments/questions by January 17

 Click here for help on drafting a letter