This afternoon, the Gogebic Taconite Republican written mining bill was up for vote in the WI Senate. The measure failed, thanks in part to the tireless work of all the recall volunteers who were able to reduce the Republican lead in the state senate to 17-16.
Without the success of the recalls, this bill and God knows what else would already have been rammed down our throats. But now is not the time to sit back and rest on our victory. They will try again, and they are sensing more and more every day that their time is numbered. Like a beast cornered, they will lash out more desperately than ever. Trade groups were at the capital in force today, trying to convince any Democrats they could find to switch sides and vote in favor of the bill. Gogebic Taconite president Bill Williams was even on hand to threaten lobby for support:
But passage of the bill remains uncertain because State Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, who holds the key vote says he will not vote for the GOP bill because it limits public lawsuits challenging a mining permit and relaxes environmental protections. Republicans hold only a 17-16 majority in the Senate.
Williams was at the Capitol Tuesday and attended a noontime rally of union workers who gathered to support the mine bill and later walked through the building lobbying legislators for the bill's passage.
Williams said Gogebic supports the GOP bill that was approved by the state Legislature's Joint Finance Committee Monday. The company, he said, had hoped to see the public legal challenges, called contested case hearings, eliminated. The bill that will be voted on in the Senate today includes a limited version of the legal challenge.
"I wouldn't say we're happy with it," Williams said. "But at the same time, we could live with it."
Gogebic halted planning work on the mine last year and said it wouldn't move forward with studies — work he said will cost the company more than $20 million — until the state eases mine permitting regulations.
"Current law is not conducive at all to mining in this state," Williams said. "You're in the business to make money. You'll have trouble getting an investor to come into the state without an end date on permitting."
If his company doesn't think it can survive the scrutiny of public challenge, I don't want his company in my state. On Wisconsin!