Northwood Alliance is following Gogebic Taconite’s proposed iron mine on the Penokee Range in Ashland and Iron Counties, Wisconsin.  Here is some information and links.

 

http://www.northwoodalliance.org/GogebicTaconite/IronCountyIron.jpg

The Ironwood Iron Formation in Iron County (first phase of the project)

 

Most of the leased area is private land owned by RGGS Land and Minerals, Ltd. (Houston, Texas), LaPointe Mining Co. (Minnesota), Penokee Iron Company, or Marengo Development Company, Ltd.  They have kept all or most of their lands open to the public through Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law.  The Cline Group (Florida) owns the lease to the mineral rights, and created Gogebic Taconite as a development-stage iron ore mining company.

 

Documents:

·        Assembly Bill 426: Proposed new iron mining legislation.

·        Wisconsin Legislative Council Memo on LRB-3520 (Assembly Bill 426).

·        Map of the Ironwood Iron Formation within the 22-mile leased area.

 

Timeline:

·        1/19/2011.  First public meeting on the proposed mine.  Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland, WI.  

·        3/14/2011.  Gogebic Taconite opens office in Hurley, WI. 

·        3/18/2011.  Wisconsin DNR grants Gogebic Taconite a license for exploratory drilling.

·        5/11/2011.  Draft Wisconsin mining legislation LRB-2035 is released.

·        6/22/2011.  Gogebic Taconite says project is on hold until Wisconsin rewrites mining laws. 

·        10/27/2011. Wisconsin Assembly’s Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee holds a public hearing at the Hurley K-12 School.

·        12/8/2011.  Wisconsin State Legislature unveils LRB-3520, a new version of mining reform legislation.

·        12/14/2011.  Public hearing on LRB-3502 at the State Fair Park in Milwaukee, by the Wisconsin Assembly Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee.  Video available from WisconsinEye.

·        1/11/2012.  Public hearing on Assembly Bill 426 in Hurley by the Wisconsin Assembly Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee.  Video available from WisconsinEye.

·        1/24/2012.  Wisconsin Assembly Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee passes Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, then passes Assembly Bill 426.

·        1/26/2012.  Wisconsin Assembly passes Assembly Bill 426.

 

Links:

·        Gogebic Taconite

·        Wisconsin DNR Synopsis of State Metallic Mining Laws

·        Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters

·        Clean Wisconsin

·        Clean Wisconsin Blog (Gogebic Taconite)

·        Common Ground, the newsletter of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

·        Save the Waters Edge

·        NOT MINE

·        The Nature Conservancy Wisconsin: Mining in the Penokee Range

·        Partners in Forestry:  January 2012 Newsletter (Interview with Jack Parker, retired mining engineer).  “The Penokee Superscam” by Jack Parker.

·        Wisconsin State Representative Janet Bewley (74th Assembly District)

·        Wisconsin State Senator Bob Jauch (25th Senate District)

 

News Articles:

·        Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:  Upper Peninsula pits offer perspective on Wisconsin mine proposal (11/5/2011)

·        Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mine Plan Prompts Backlash (12/15/2011)

·        Wall Street Journal: Hearing grows heated over bill to hasten mining approvals (12/14/2011)

·        Wisconsin State Journal:  Mining bill could cost DNR millions, analysis shows (1/8/2012)

·        Ashland Daily Press: Voices heard in north on mining bill … finally (1/12/2012)

·        Wisconsin State Journal:  Mining bill faces difficult battle in Senate (1/29/2012)

 

More information:

·        Mining Interests: Gogebic Taconite and the Cline Group.

 

Last update 2/6/2012