Sunday, March 1, 2015
Minnesota Sands' Frac Sand Proposal is BACK!
They make the Terminator look insipid
The MN Sands proposal now includes: related frac sand mining, processing and transportation sites in Winona, Fillmore, Olmsted, Goodhue, aand possibly Wabasha counties. The Star Tribune also reported that the investors now backing Minnesota Sands refuse to disclose their identities.
What a surprise.
Tuesday, March 3, Houston County Commissioners will take their final vote on frac sand mining
Dear Friends,
I am writing with an urgent appeal, the
background of which is below. In essence, this coming Tuesday, 3 March is
when the Houston County Commissioners will take their final vote on frac sand
mining in Houston County. In spite of their vote FOR a ban two weeks ago,
they now seem to be back-pedalinig toward ordinances which will do no
good in truly regulating the industry. (For example, enforcement language
indicates that the County "may" take actions if violations occur, not that it
"may," "shall" or "will.")We are looking for people from within an hour radius to come.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Houston County Commissioners Backpedaling on Frac Sand Mining
Ban
At their Feb 24th
meeting, Houston County Commissioners backpedaled on the commitment they made
the week before to ban frac sand mining in the County.
On February 18th,
the Houston County Board voted unanimously to add language to the draft
mining ordinance that would ban frac sand mining. That
decision was made after a three-hour Public Hearing during which hundreds of
County residents turned out to overwhelmingly voice their opposition to the
mining of silica sand for use in hydraulic fracking.
Since then the County
Board has been pressured by the mining industry and its local allies to abandon
that commitment. It appears a majority of the Board, Steve Schuldt, Teresa
Walter and Judy Storlie, now favor allowing frac sand mining instead of a ban.
(http://www.news8000.com/news/frac-sand-mining-ordinance-vote-delayed-in-houston-county/31459714)
Following a controversial Public
Comment period last Tuesday, Commissioners discussed regulating frac sand mining
in the County instead of prohibiting it. This development comes despite
the fact that Houston County Attorney Sam Jandt advised the Commissioners that a
ban on frac sand mining could legally be passed and defended in
Court.
During the contentious Public
Comment period, Charlie Wieser from La Crescent again attempted to bully
the Board into rejecting the ban. Wieser, whose brothers Brian and Jeff,
and other family members are heavily involved in the frac sand mining industry,
again threatened that the County would be sued if the Commissioners passed a
ban. (See a video of his comments and frequent updates at www.houstoncountyrealitycheck.com)
Please contact
Commissioners Schuldt and Walter before the Tuesday, March 3rd
showdown vote!
Teresa Walter 895-2446 or teresa.walter@co.houston.mn.us
Steve Schuldt 724-3639 or steve.schuldt@co.houston.mn.us
Tell them you want a ban on frac
sand mining. Tell them that you do not believe their argument that
regulations will protect our county from the destruction of frac sand mining.
Please try to attend our
“Ban the Sand” rally this Tuesday at 8:30 at the County Courthouse before the
Commissioners’ meeting at 9:00.
Ken Tschumper
Houston County Government
Accountability Project
Stewardship & Democracy Meeting
Learn how the 2015 state legislative session will impact you.
Take action to protect local democracy and the land!
Thursday, March 5, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Faith Lutheran Church, St Charles, MN
Registration and snacks beginning at 6.30 pm.
Protect farmland and rural communities from destruction by the frac sand industry.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
LAST CHANCE TO TALK SAND
Monday, February 16, 6.30
The ONLY way
to protect
our communities is to
ban frac sand mining in Houston County
we need your help in getting this info to all folks
Two things -- we
need your help in getting this info attached to all folks --- right away please as
this is a HOT Action
Alert. Aimed at any and all Houston County, MN residents and
folks who wish to learn more -- or if you are elsewhere in the Upper Midwest and
know of people in Southeastern MN -- please forward these CRITICAL FLYERS with
vital info (ATTACHED).
1) Monday
2/16 there is a EDUCATIONAL FORUM on frac sand mining -- 6:30 pm at La Crescent
Community Center, La Crescent Minnesota. Numerous groups are having an
incredible educational event on the dangers of frac sand mining. What it is and
why it must be banned.
This a tremendous presentation and will have some great speakers, including Pat
Popple, Doug Nopar, Joseph Morse, Kelley Stanage and others who are deeply
concerned about Houston County and Minnesota.
This panel of
highly qualified experts will ALSO answer questions after the presentation. Not
to be missed and we must ALL go. (6pm -m 830pm La Crescent - See flyers below
and please forward).
2) Wednesday 2/18 --
People are NOW calling the two key Commissioners in Houston County so as to
suggest they vote "NO" on frac sand mining. The VOTE could potentially
come as early as next Wednesday
(2/18). PLEASE GO TO THIS HEARING ON WEDNESDAY. Go to the
websites listed and also to the flyers (attached) to learn more. There is
apparently an interesting NEW GROUP called F.R.E.E. (Families Resisting Energy
Extraction) -- Started by many concerned families in Houston County, Minnesota
-- they too have a website shown below.
PLEASE SEE
attachments - printable flyers of these two most critcal Houston
County events for Monday, 2/16 Forum and Wednesday, 2/18 Hearing.
All people who
want to know more about this controversial subject should come to La Crescent,
MN this Monday night. Representatives from groups such Land Stewardship Project,
Winona CASM Group, Houston County Protectors, Pat Popple, and others will all be
present to get citizens up to speed -- answer questions on the true facts of
this very high risk industry now expanding to our area.
Two days later -- all without exception --
must come to The County Building in Caledonia, MN on
Wednesday 2/18 - 10am. CRITICAL.
It's a very
serious time in Houston County. Let's all together attend these events. Learn --
and then go watch democracy in action. Please pass the word to all you know
plus print or email the flyer attached.
See you in La
Crescent this Monday night 6pm! Then
see you again in Caledonia Wednesday 10AM.
Here also -- Websites of
two outfits that will be present on Monday with the panel:
http://www.sandpointtimes.com/
Cheers and thank you! Enjoy the
two docs attached.
On Feb 18, the Houston County Board is having a public hearing on the final draft Ordinance
Tell Commissioner Walter and Schuldt to Ban Frac Sand Mining
On Feb 18, the Houston County Board is having a public hearing on the final draft Ordinance that will determine whether or not frac sand mining is allowed in the County. The Ordinance currently before the Board was stripped of wording that banned frac sand mining by the Planning Commission. In the next few days we need you and many other County residents to contact Commissioners Walter and Schuldt and urge them to put language back in the Ordinance that bans frac sand mining.
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. The truth is that the only effective way to protect our families, our homes, our farms and our businesses is to completely prohibit frac sand mining.
Our County Commissioners are under pressure from the mining interests to write a weak ordinance that will allow frac sand mining. Commissioner Walter and Commissioner Schuldtoften defend their pro-frac sand mining position by saying that this Ordinance would protect County residents from large scale frac sand mining.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The fact is that this Ordinance, as it now reads, will allow unlimited frac sand mining in Houston County. It is very much a “pro” mining Ordinance. It will allow hundreds of small mines which will do just as much, if not more damage to our county as a few big mines. It is full of “may” where it should say “shall” in terms of specific requirements. It will be next to impossible for anyone to seek legal remedies to protect their property rights and property values. The density regulation is confusing and will not withstand legal challenge, because there is no “rational basis” for it.
This Ordinance should put the protection of public health ahead of the mining interests but it doesn’t. There is hardly anything in the proposed Ordinance related to protecting ground or surface water or to monitoring air quality, two of the most important health related concern with frac sand mining. This was glaringly obvious in the setback requirements for mining of only 1000 feet from public entities such as nursing homes and schools. Compare that with our lucky local trout population. Under this draft Ordinance, it will be better to be a trout than Senior citizen in Houston County. They will enjoy the State statutory protection of a year-long study if the mining occurswithin a mile of their stream.
That is why we need you to act with us and many other County residents to persuade our Commissioners to pass an Ordinance that bans frac sand mining.
On Feb 18, the Houston County Board is having a public hearing on the final draft Ordinance that will determine whether or not frac sand mining is allowed in the County. The Ordinance currently before the Board was stripped of wording that banned frac sand mining by the Planning Commission. In the next few days we need you and many other County residents to contact Commissioners Walter and Schuldt and urge them to put language back in the Ordinance that bans frac sand mining.
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. The truth is that the only effective way to protect our families, our homes, our farms and our businesses is to completely prohibit frac sand mining.
Our County Commissioners are under pressure from the mining interests to write a weak ordinance that will allow frac sand mining. Commissioner Walter and Commissioner Schuldtoften defend their pro-frac sand mining position by saying that this Ordinance would protect County residents from large scale frac sand mining.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The fact is that this Ordinance, as it now reads, will allow unlimited frac sand mining in Houston County. It is very much a “pro” mining Ordinance. It will allow hundreds of small mines which will do just as much, if not more damage to our county as a few big mines. It is full of “may” where it should say “shall” in terms of specific requirements. It will be next to impossible for anyone to seek legal remedies to protect their property rights and property values. The density regulation is confusing and will not withstand legal challenge, because there is no “rational basis” for it.
This Ordinance should put the protection of public health ahead of the mining interests but it doesn’t. There is hardly anything in the proposed Ordinance related to protecting ground or surface water or to monitoring air quality, two of the most important health related concern with frac sand mining. This was glaringly obvious in the setback requirements for mining of only 1000 feet from public entities such as nursing homes and schools. Compare that with our lucky local trout population. Under this draft Ordinance, it will be better to be a trout than Senior citizen in Houston County. They will enjoy the State statutory protection of a year-long study if the mining occurswithin a mile of their stream.
That is why we need you to act with us and many other County residents to persuade our Commissioners to pass an Ordinance that bans frac sand mining.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)