EDITORIAL: More Sign on to Repeal Act 1, Wisconsin’s Million Dollar Mining Law

March 11, 2014

Top: The Penokee Hills now. Bottom: A iron mine in northern Minnestoa, and what the Penokees would become if a mine were allowed to be built. Photo: © Joel Austin

A year ago today, Scott Walker signed Act 1, a new ferrous mining bill, into law. Written by Gogebic Taconite (GTac), it was financed with over $1M in political contributions to Wisconsin legislators. Despite the overwhelming opposition from citizens around the state, lack of local support, and the obvious danger the bill posed to the safety of the northwoods’ economy, environment and democracy, Walker signed it anyway.

The new mining law sets an unacceptable precedent for a private corporation to take over the function of the legislature. After Senator Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) engineered the passage of Act 1 using promises of environmental safety, he admitted the law legally allows the corporation to pollute. He went on to invite the frac sand industry to write legislation AB 632, which would make it illegal for communities to adopt local protections from frac sand mining. He and his friends in the legislature are subverting the democratic process.

Now GTac President Bill Williams has been formally charged in Spain for crimes against the environment. The charges were not just for poisoning the Seville aquifer with arsenic. According to the complaint, while Williams was director at Cobre Las Cruces copper mine, CLC failed to meet virtually all of the permit conditions, ignored the spirit and letter of permit, and failed to get authorization for changes to the permitted system. Their hydrogeological model was not able to produce the promised results. An investigation claims that the company had no plans to meet any of the demands of the permit.

These accusations parallel what Williams is doing now in northern Wisconsin. He lied to the public about GTac’s intention to change legislation, illegally employed paramilitary militia to guard their drill core sites, and continues to repeat false information about the known dangers of sulfides and asbestiform minerals present at the mine site.

Politicians who have abandoned the people and now appear to work for mining corporations have stolen Wisconsin’s rich tradition of environmental stewardship. As more citizens learn of the bamboozle, the more it is our duty to stand up and demand a repeal of Act 1, as well as Act 118, the wetlands destruction law that goes hand in hand with it.

AB632 is out of committee and on its way to the floor. We still have time to stop it. Call or write your legislator and tell them to vote no to the “Eat My Dust” Bill.

Then let’s get to repealing Act 1. Make mining companies abide by the “Prove It First” laws that have protected us for years. Make them prove they can mine a sulfide ore body without pollution.

If Spain is any indication, then a repeal is in order. To sign on to the movement, go here and add your name to the growing list of citizens who are demanding justice.

Barbara With, Lake Superior, Madeline Island, WI along with over 350 other signatures from citizens standing united in defense of the water.

Aaron Camacho, Fountain City, WI
Aaron Gray, Ashland, WI
Alan Gill, Madison, WI
Ali Gephart, Bayfield, WI
Alice Miller, Maple, WI
Allie Raven, candidate for Bayfield County Board, Delta, WI
Amanda Geary, Upson, WI
Amanda Jungkuntz, Milwaukee, WI
Amy Kalmon, business owner, Ashland, WI
Amy Wilson, Great Northern Solar, Port Wing, WI
Amy Nosal, Hurley, WI
Andrew Walsh, Appleton, WI
Angie Casper, Winona, MN
Ashleigh Koenigs, Milwaukee, WI
Barb Arnst, New Richmond, WI
Barbara Aho, owner of a heritage family farm land in Iron Belt, & Milwaukee, WI
Barbara Daughter, Minneapolis, MN
Barbara McFarland, Manitowish Waters, WI
Barbara Oswald, Tomah, WI
Bernadette Harrington, Cross Plains, WI
Bernie Schlafke, Madison, WI
Bernie Winter, Brule, WI
Beth Horning, Madison, WI
Betsy Wilcox, Madison, WI
Bill Roundwind, Odanah, WI
Bob Gifford, WI Green Party sustainer, Stevens Point, WI
Bob Bergman, Oshkosh, WI
Bobbi Rongstad, Gurney, WI
Bonnie Bergman, Artist, 4th generation homestead in the Penokees, Marengo Lake, WI
Brad Millikin, Sobieski, WI
Brandon Larson, Birchwood, WI
Brenda Burns RN BSN, Fond du Lac, WI
Brian Kearney, Mellen, WI
Brian Bender, Chicago, IL
Brigitte Baker, Mönchengladbach, Germany
Brittany Ricci, Birchwood, WI
Bruce Eggum, Gresham, WI
Bruce Noble, Madison, WI
Candi Vis, Green Lake, WI
Carol R Buelow, Madison, WI
Carol Becker, Mellen, WI
Carrie Chesnik, Grantsburg, WI
Cassie McCrow, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Catherine Miller, Brule, WI
Cathy Beson, Lac du Flambeau, WI
Cathy Miller, Brule, WI
Charles Ortman, Ashland, WI
Cherie Barnes, Milton, WI
Cherie Pero, Odanah, WI
Cheryl and Ed Willett, business owners, Highbridge WI
Cheryl Austin, Lancaster WI
Cheryl Andrist, Rhinelander, WI
Cheryll Pulver, Oregon, WI
Christine Lazar, Madison, WI
Christopher LaForge, owner Great Northern Solar, Port Wing, WI
Chuck Block, Winter, WI
Cindy Schave, Platteville, WI
Cinthia Davey, Kendall, WI
Clarisa Damron, Ashland, MO
Colleen Boatman-Katchenago, Green Bay, WI
Colleen Neerdaels, Green Bay, WI
Connie Lee Flonnes, Trego, WI
Craig Spaulding, Madison, WI
Curtis De Cora, Hayward, WI
Dale Kakkak, Keshena, WI
Danielle Carley, Hayward, WI
David Groh, Saint Germain, WI
David Joe Bates, Bad River Tribal Member, Odanah, WI
David Emch, Washburn, WI
David Soumis, Mcfarland, WI
Debbie Delung, Saxon, Iron County, WI
Deborah Blum, La Crosse WI
Deborah Gibbons, Bayfield, WI
Debra Topping, enrolled member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet, MN
Deena Schuppe, Lapointe, WI
Dennis Halkoski, Weston, WI
Diana Peterson, Madison, WI
Diane E Isham, Stanley, WI
Diane Marie, La Pointe, WI
Diane Gubrud, Byron, IL
Diibiisku Geshigukwe, Tyler Forks, Penokee Hills, WI
Don Roberts, Wausau, WI
Donald Roberts, Wausau, WI
Donna Jenkins, Sun Prairie, WI
Doris Dehn, Oshkosh, WI
Dorothy Mickleburgh, Madison, WI
Dorothy Olson, Plover, WI
Doug Cybela, Wausau and Bayfield, WI
Dr. Paula Mohan, Madison, WI
Dr. Steve Birchall, Monona, WI
Ed Jeannette, Edgerton, WI
Edmond Roney, West Bend, WI
Edwin G White, Orlando FL, formerly New Lisbon, WI
Edwin White, Orlando, FL
Elizabeth Bader, Marengo, WI
Elizabeth King, Bayfield, WI
Ellen Monahan Holly, Elkhorn, WI
Erik Schyvinck, Stevens Point, WI
Faye Flesia, Waukesha, WI
Frank Koehn, Ashland, WI
Gail Lemieux, Odanah, WI
Garrett Palmer, Minneapolis, MN
Gena Gephart, Bayfield, WI
Gene Cichon, Ashland, WI
Gene Lemmenes, Herbster, WI
Gene Arnst, New Richmond, WI
Gene Cichon, Ashland, WI
Gerald Buttice, Gile, WI
Gerald Flynn, Stoughton, WI
Gerard Boissy, Grand View, WI
Greg Lindquist, Highbridge, WI
Greg Sherlock, owns land adjacent to proposed mine, Clam Lake, WI
Greg Hinze, Cleveland, WI
Greggory Jennings, Wildlife Biologist, Forester, Botanist, Ashland, WI
Gretchen Fincke, West Bend, WI
Gwen Carr, Appleton, WI
Harry Engle, Tomahawk, WI
Hattie Greylord, Neenah, WI
Heidi Waddell, Verona, WI
Heidi Keller, Madison, WI
Henry C Cole, Washburn, WI
Howard D Paap, Bayfield, WI
Irene Blakeley, business owner, Washburn, WI
Jack Smith, Herbster, WI
James Nevins, Bayfield, WI
James Patterson, La Pointe Town Supervisor, La Pointe, WI
James Richard Bailey, Grand View, WI
Jane Hudalla, Osceola, WI
Jane Weber, Delta, WI
Janet Stonecipher, Monona & Vilas County, WI
Jasmine Connors, Odanah, WI
Jayne Hogfeldt RN, Poplar, WI
Jean Mazzella, Ashland, WI
Jeanette Neveaux, Odanah, WI
Jeanne Ackley, Sokaogon Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Mole Lake, WI
Jeanne Johnson, Stevens Point, WI
Jeannie Endrizzi, Nekoosa, WI
Jeff Silbert, Washburn, WI
Jeffrey Lewis, Ashland, WI
Jennifer Mahan, Ashland, WI
Jenny Gourdoux Newell, Oshkosh, WI
Jessica Zuehlke, Bayfield, WI and Red Wing, MN
Jim Brennan, Lake Galilee, WI
Jim Limbach, charter member of Portage County Transportation Planning Committee, Stevens Point, WI
Jim Oakley, Ashland County Board, Ashland, WI
Jim Radtke, Bayfield, WI
Jim Sommerville, Milwaukee, WI
Jim Weeks, Green Bay, WI
Jim Brennan, Mellen, WI
Jo Anne Wroblewski, Oregon, WI
Joan Cybela, Wausau and Bayfield, WI
JoAnn M Pfeifer, North Freedom, WI
Jodi Munson, Washburn, WI
Joe Agostine, unopposed candidate for 11th ward in Ashland, WI
Joel Austin, Ashland, WI
John E Davey, Kendall, WI
John Endrizzi, Nekoosa, WI
Jon Hoch, Eau Claire, WI
John M Stewart, Washburn, WI
John McFarland, Manitowish Waters, WI
John Sanchez, State College, PA
John Woodcock, Eau Claire, WI
Jon Gould, Naperville, IL & LaPointe, WI
Jordan Grunow, Marengo, WI
Joseph Skulan, Lodi, WI
Joseph Krick, Menomonee Falls, WI
Joyce Stabenau, Sturgeon Bay, WI
JT Haines, Saint Paul, MN
Judith Detert-Moriarty, Janesville, WI
Julie Cuccia-Watts, Watertown, WI
Julie Gordon, Green Bay, WI
Julie Snow, Le Sueur, MN
Juliee de la Terre, Viola, WI
Justus Grunow, Ashland, WI
Karen Kormann, Stockholm WI
Karin Babcock, Appleton, WI
Kate Nolan, Monona, WI
Katherine Berkvam, Beaver Dam, WI
Kathleen Grundy-Schneck, Wausau, WI
Kathleen Espersen, Hayward, WI
Kathleen Valenti, Duluth, MN
Kathy Tenney, artist, Ashland, WI
Kathy Waldo Browning, Lake Ann, MI
Kenneth Watson, Eau Claire, WI
Kenneth Wulf, Columbus, WI
Kerry Benton, Saint Paul, MN
Kevin Bronson, Georgetown, DE
Kevin Rusch, Madison WI
Kris Eilers, Duluth, MN
Krista Engelhardt, Mosinee, WI
Kristen A Martin, Fredonia, WI
Kristen Zehner, Marshall, WI
Kristi Doman, Washburn, WI
Kristine M Pettersen, Madison, WI
Kristy Jensch, business owner, Washburn, WI
Lane Hall, Wauwatosa, WI
Larry MacDonald, Mayor of Bayfield, WI
Laura Brambilla, Birchwood, WI
LeLu Schyvinck-Valadez, Stevens Point, WI
Leonore Neumann, Tripoli WI
Linda Accola Atkins, Prairie du Sac, WI
Linda L Fuller, Red Cliff, WI
Linda Fowler, Watersmeet, Michigan
Lisa Cicotte, Stockholm, WI
Lois Carlson, La Pointe, WI
Lori Liddell, Tomah, WI
Louise Robbins, Madison, WI
Lynda Holden, Superior, WI
Lynda Jarsocrak, Reading, PA
Lynn Carey, PhD RN, Germantown, WI
Lynn Maday, Odanah, WI
Lynn Treadwell, West St Paul, MN
Lynn Marquardt, Stevens Point, WI
Lynne Basina, Township of Russell, Red Cliff, WI,
Lynne Milner, Shorewood, WI
Marcie Gephart, Bayfield, WI
Marco Good, Grand Marais, MN
Marga K Krumins, Waukesha, WI
Margery Simmons, Rhinelander, WI
Margie Jessup, Milton, WI
Marianne Moonhouse, Madison, WI
Marijane Curry, Madison, WI
Marika Bader-Grunow, Marengo, WI
Marjean Moore, Pardeeville, WI
Mark Fuller, Janesville, WI
Mark Hanson, Cambridge, WI
Mark Laustrup, Hayward, WI
Mark Mitchell, Morrisonville, WI
Mark Reinertson, Saxon, WI
Marla Henseler, Webster, WI
Marsha and Gary Beggs Brown, Kewaunee, WI
Martha Cole, retired educator, Washburn, WI
Martin Curry, Town Board Supervisor, La Pointe, WI
Mary Dougherty, Bayfield, WI
Mary Gardner, business owner, Bayfield, WI
Mary Jo Walters, Madison, WI
Mary Lee Maki, Little Chute, WI
Mary Ray Worley, Madison, WI
Mary Rehwald, Ashland, WI
Mary Swerkstrom, Osceola, WI
Mary Agostine, Herbster, WI
Maureen Matusewic, Iron County, WI
Maureen O’Leary, Madison, WI
Megan Hines, Middleton, WI
}Melanie Stricker, Mellen, WI
Melanie Weberg, Osceola, WI
Melinda Marcks, Neenah, WI
Melis Arik, Stevens Point, WI
Michael McGrath, Hurley, WI
Michael Ulasich, Clarkston, MI
Michael Wirth, Schofield, Wi
Michelle Heglund, Teacher, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School, Mellen, WI
Mike and Jo Bailey, Bayfield, WI
Mike and Liz Peltier, Kenosha, WI
Mike Matusewic, Iron County, WI
Mike Kostich, Milwaukee, WI
Nancy Foudray, Viola, WI
Nancy Harris, Kewaskum, WI
Nancy Sandstrom, Bayfield, WI
Nancy Tabaka-Stencil, Wausau WI
Nancy Mueller, Milwaukee, WI
Nathaniel Bendixen, Bad River Tribal Youth, Odanah, WI
Napoleon Janczak, Bayfield, WI
Nicholas Nelson, La Pointe Town Board, La Pointe, WI
Nick Vander Puy, Journalist, Iron County, WI
Nicole Desautels, Madison, WI
Norma Bader, Marengo, WI & Peoria Hts., IL
Norman Joosten, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Pam Fischer RN, Green Bay, WI
Pam Robson, Portage WI
Pamela Meyer, Eagle, WI
Pat Ament, Stockholm, WI
Pat Juett, Washburn, WI
Pat Nash, Baraboo, WI
Patricia Hammel, Madison, WI
Patricia J Ortman, Ashland, WI
Patricia M Stewart, Town of Mason, WI
Patricia Ott, Ohio and Bad River, WI
Patricia Aiken-Buffalo, Bayfield, WI
Patricia DeZur, Montreal, WI
Patrick MIller, Neenah WI
Patrick Swerkstrom, Osceola, WI
Patrick Mayotte, Odanah, WI
Patti Jane Lemieux, Bad River, Odanah, WI
Patty Johnson, Ashland, WI
Paul Butterbrodt, Milwaukee & Montreal, WI
Paul DeMain, Reserve, WI
Paula Cooper, Pardeeville, WI
Peg Randall Gardner, Mequon, WI
Peggy McDowell, Tomahawk, WI
Pete Rasmussen, Marengo, WI
Phil Stanhope , Sarasota, FL
Rachel Byington, Madison, WI
Ray Reynolds, Bayfield, WI
Rhonda Robers, Burlington, WI
Richard D. Ackley, Sokaogon Mole Lake Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, Mole Lake, WI
Richard Knopf, Pepin, WI
Richard Young, West Allis, WI
Rob and Donna Ganson, Washburn, WI
Roberta DeCora-Crowe, Couderay, WI
Rodd Foudray, Viola, WI
Ros Nelson, Washburn, WI
Rose Lynd, Tomahawk, WI
Rose Gordon, Bayfield, WI
Sally Kessler, Cornucopia, WI
Sally Lacy, Germantown, WI
Sally Stimac, Port Wing, WI
Sandy Byrne, Milwaukee, WI
Sarah Martines, Marengo, WI
Sarah Nevins, Bayfield, WI
Sarah Wagner, Salem, WI
Scott Pitta, Wisconsin Conservation Congress Member, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Selma Bennett, Mazomanie, WI
Sharon Stewart, Washburn, WI
Sharon Homernik, Janesville, WI
Shawn Olmstead, Spring Green, WI
Sheila Pederson, Eau Claire, WI
Shirley Watson, Eau Claire, WI
Sibley Stonehorse, Odanah, WI
Stephanie Leigh, Menasha, WI
Stephanie May, Downing, WI
Steve Fiene, Madison/11218 Moore Park Rd., WI
Steve Jensen, Stockholm, WI
Steve Pacewicz, Lake Geneva, WI
Steve Sohn, Green Lake and Mellen, WI
Steve Birchall, Monona, WI
Steve Sohn, Green Lake, WI
Sue Decker, Eau Claire, WI
Susan Aguado, Mercer, WI
Susan Crane, Brantwood, WI
Susan Hall, Town of Washburn, WI
Susan Hansen, Shell Lake, WI
Susan Schneider-Bogusz, Rhinelander, WI
Suzan MacKenzie-Smith, business owner, Designer’s Outlet, Ashland, WI
Suzanne Vinmans, Albany, WI
Tala Fairbanks, Minneapolis, MN
Tammy Silver, Gingles, WI
Taylor Craggs, Ashland, WI
Ted Gephart, business owner, Bayfield, WI
Teresa Albrecht, Amherst, WI
Teresa J Wagner, City of Washburn, WI
Terri Woodcock, Eau Claire, WI
Thomas and Nancy Chisholm, Chippewa Falls, WI
Thomas Clay, Cottage Grove, WI
Thomas Gauthier, Hayward, WI
Tom Galazen, farm business owner, Town of Bayfield, WI
Tom Neale, Spirit Township, Price County, WI
Tom Podlesny, Town of Gurney, Iron Co, WI
Tom Robson, Portage, WI
Tom Worley, Madison, WI
Tracy Chipman, writer, Town of Washburn, WI
V. J. Link, tax-paying Wisconsinite, Madison, WI
Victoria Hinzman, Green Bay, WI
Waring R. Fincke, Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of Washington County, WI
Warren Anderson, Washburn, WI
Wayne Toske, Mukwonago, WI
William Cadotte, Bayfield, WI
Yvonne Cloud, Brooklyn Park, MN