The state Assembly may soon discuss new regulations on Wisconsin’s mining industry.
State Rep. Brett Hulsey, D-Madison, announced Tuesday he will circulate the Responsible Mining Act for co-sponsors, a bill aimed at reimbursing Wisconsin’s towns for the environmental and structural impacts of frac sand mining.
The legislation would charge companies $1 per ton of frac sand produced, granting the revenue to the Department of Natural Resources to compensate municipalities for damage to local roads and wetlands, according to a press release.
Hulsey said frac sand mining is “tearing up our roads [and] polluting our air and water in the communities where it’s happening.”
Mining companies use frac sand to prop open stone cracks and increase the flow of oil or natural gas. Hulsey said he is worried about sustainability as the industry expands in Wisconsin.
“Sand strip mining is really growing quickly,” Hulsey said. “We’re the Saudi Arabia of frac sand. Our sand is the highest quality in the country, so it’s really been growing fast.”
The bill would also create 10 staff positions within the state’s Department of Natural Resources to oversee the changes.
