Last week’s announcement about a possible change in Gogebic Taconite’s mining plans has prompted another group to call for state action.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Foundation and the Wisconsin Wetlands Foundation are calling for the portion of the mine that’s in Ashland County and also Iron County to be immediately re-opened to hunting, fishing, and public access.
The proposed mining site has had a limit prohibiting people from getting too close to workers and machines. With survey work suspended for the rest of the year, the two groups are calling for access to be restored.
There is also a tax benefit for the actual property owners. Much of the mining site’s acreage is part of the state’s managed forest program, which gives owners a tax break for allowing public recreational use, and many of those tax credits were put in jeopardy with site restrictions in place.
Larry Lee, WSAU