Black Hawk Mining Article: Walker Considers To Revise Mining Bill If It Means More Jobs In Wisconsin

Online, January 9, 2013 (Newswire.com) - http://promotion.blackhawk-mining.com/2013/01/07/walker-considers-to-revise-mining-bill-if-it-means-more-jobs-in-wisconsin/

He would be willing to consider tweaks to last year's stalled mining bill, as long as the new measure results in actual mining jobs in Wisconsin, says Gov. Scott Walker last Wednesday. Walker also added that the goal of a new bill should be to create jobs. Any changes unrelated to that end would be unproductive. He told reporters after addressing employees at Phoenix Products Company Inc., a Milwaukee Company that makes heavy-duty lights for mining equipment, "We're going to look to make a series of reasonable changes and improvements if warranted as long as they ultimately lead to a mine in the state of Wisconsin."

Walker was bordered by a number of Republican state lawmakers. Earlier in the day, Speaker-elect Robin Vos and Majority Leader Scott Suder, who were also flanked Walker, released a statement saying the first bill the will introduce this session will reform Wisconsin's mining laws. Vos said, "I'm hopeful all the interested parties can come together to protect our environment and make mining reform happen."

After moderate Republican Sen. Dale Schultz blocked a bill that had cleared the GOP- controlled Assembly, the Legislature couldn't reach agreement on a mining proposal. Republicans worked last year to help Gogebic Taconite open a huge iron mine near Lake Superior. To make it easier to open an iron ore mine in Penokee Hills Ashland in northwestern Wisconsin, Gogebic Taconite of Hurley had been lobbying for the bill. According to Walker, he thought the Assembly bill would be a good starting point for creating a new bill.

The Republican governor said that the company was prepared to invest $1.5 billion and that the mine would create thousands of jobs. The mining would create about 700 jobs at the mine itself and an additional 2,100 in related jobs. But the company would need http://promotion.blackhawk-mining.com/ scam prevention assurances that regulations would remain consistent, he added that in return. This would create jobs but would also create disadvantages. And they must not forget, scam prevention.

One of the fears is the destruction of the environment. Environmentalists were alarmed that the mine would devastate one of the state's most pristine regions near Lake Superior. Although they have called for strict guidelines that would ensure the quality of air, water and soil in the area, they could still use some alternative prevention. In relation with this, a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes to craft a new version of the bill that Schultz and Democratic opponents could support.

Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca said he wanted to make sure that any new mining bill has bipartisan support. People could start going back to work, but he said the bill needs to broad enough to ensure proper environmental protections as well. "We need to make sure the bill creates mining jobs and also protects our natural resources, as well as our tourism and agricultural economies that are so vital to Wisconsin," he said in a statement. We just sure hope that they can also find ways of scam prevention and other ways on how to deal with the disadvantages of mining.