The Wisconsin state Senate passed the controversial mining bill by a one vote margin Wednesday night after a lengthy, contentious debate, setting up a vote in the state Assembly later in the week.
The 17-to-16 vote was on party lines with the exception of state Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, who sided with the minority Democrats against the bill due to lingering concerns that the mine the bill would help create could be detrimental to the environment in northern Wisconsin.
The main debates throughout the day centered on wetland protections, the time period regulatory agencies such as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Army Corps of Engineers would have to complete assessments on a potential mine and the taxes that would be levied against mining companies under the proposed bill.
State Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, who wrote an alternative Democratic version of the mining bill along with state Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, introduced a number of the Democratic amendments. Both senators have been leaders in the opposition to the Republican bill. Each of the amendments Democrats introduced throughout the day were tabled in the same 17-to-16 vote after senators from both sides of the aisle debated their necessity.
The debate, which stretched from 11 a.m. to approximately 9 p.m. Wednesday, rehashed many of the arguments made for and against the bill in past months. Most Republicans support the bill, which is designed to ease the state’s mine permitting process, for the economic revitalization they say northern Wisconsin would experience if mining is reintroduced to the area. However, Democrats have consistently opposed the bill citing loosened environmental regulations, specifically related to wetland and waterway protections.
As the Senate session drew to a close, Democratic legislators, joined by Schultz, stood to give closing statements reinforcing their opposition to the bill. Jauch said the bill should not be considered a victory for anyone.
“Nobody wins tonight,” Jauch said. “The future doesn’t win. The legislature doesn’t win. We can do better.”
But state Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, who authored the bill, defended the legislation, saying the jobs it would help create would overshadow any complaints about a lack of bipartisanship.
“This is the first step in the rebirth of the mining industry,” Tiffany said.
