Legislation that could impact the future of frac sand mining was the subject of a hearing Monday at the Capitol. A bill from Republican state Senator Tom Tiffany would bar local governments from imposing new mine zoning ordinances that would be more restrictive than their current ordinances.
“I understand people trying to protect their local municipalities, but there also has to be that balance struck,” Tiffaney said. “There were a couple of instances where ordinances were being proposed that would have shut down sand mines.”
Tiffany said that got his attention, and his bill is meant to ensure local governments don’t regulate sand mines out of business.
Democratic state Senator Kathleen Vinehout warned that state the Department of Natural Resources is not staffed to adequately oversee the large numbers of new frac sand mines being developed in Wisconsin.
The bill would also protect mines from any new local ordinances or license requirements, if they’re operating within one year before those changes are put in place. The Assembly and Senate mining committee held a day long joint public hearing on the bill Monday.
