MADISON (WKOW) -- The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters released a television commercial recently that is a direct response to the mining bill put forth by Assembly Republicans last fall.
It alleges that the bill would allow mining companies to contaminate Wisconsin's groundwater with chemicals like arsenic and lead, which could in turn end up in our drinking water.
WLCV President Kerry Schumann calls the bill the worst piece of anti-environmental legislation in Wisconsin history.
"For me, as someone who's a parent, I obviously have a lot of concern about what I'm giving my daughter," Schumann told 27 News.
Republican Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) said its a concern being voiced by more than just a few environmentalists.
"I have seen polling in the past that Wisconsinites are open to mining, but feel very strongly about the environmental protections we have in our state law," said Sen. Schultz.
That's why Schultz opposes the Assembly bill, effectively killing its chances in the Senate, where he is the deciding vote.
Tuesday, Schultz and Democratic Sen. Robert Jauch introduced a substitute bill.
"I only hope that people take a look at the concepts in the bill and will recognize that we drew from a wide variety of voices," said Sen. Schultz.
The bill maintains Wisconsin's current environmental laws concerning mining.
But it also asks for a $5 million up front payment from any company looking to mine in Wisconsin and provides that all of the state revenue generated by the mine goes directly to the communities near the mine.
"I think they're may be some areas for compromise, but unfortunately I don't see those within the legislation that's coming out of the Senate," said Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale).
Assembly Republicans say even if Gogebic Taconite goes for the new bill, other mining companies will avoid Wisconsin because there are too many new requirements.
"At the end of the day we can have legislation, but if we don't end up attracting mining into the state, we really haven't accomplished what we need to," said Rep. Stone.
And there are no guarantees Gogebic Taconite will go for this bill.
Bill Williams, President of Gogebic Taconite, told 27 News late Tuesday afternoon that all of that up front money is very concerning to him, but said he had yet to read the entire bill.
Williams said if a compromise can't be reached in this session, he's not sure the company can afford to keep a presence in Wisconsin another year without making a profit.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- Displeased with the mining bill put forth by Assembly Republicans, Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) and Sen. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar) announced the main ideas behind their substitute bill Tuesday morning.
It requires that any mining company wanting to do business in Wisconsin would have to guarantee $5 million in up front payments to the state, to cover the cost of property taxes from the local communities affected by the mine.
It also guarantees that 100 percent of state revenue generated by the mine would also go to those local communities.
The bill also restores current environmental laws regarding mining, which were stripped out by the Assembly version.
Republican Assembly leaders have already come out against the bill, saying it would assure that no mining companies will do business in Wisconsin in the future.
Capitol Bureau Chief Greg Neumann will have live reports on this story on 27 News at 5 and 6.
