Bob Haase’s Another Can of Worms

You Should Be Concerned About Senate Bill 632

We are getting close to the end of this legislative session in Wisconsin and this is the time that some legislators want to ram things through without taking the normal time to debate it or study it.  It is something like the budget bill in that bills that would probably not otherwise get approved are slipped through before most people are aware of the ramifications.  Such is the case with Senate Bill 632.

Senate Bill 632 which was introduced by Senator Tom Tiffany, would take away the right of authority of local municipalities and counties to make regulatory changes that would affect frac sand mining.  If a municipality such as Fond du Lac would find out that the frac sand mining was affecting public health, or creating damage to the environment, they would not be able to do anything about it.   Any frac sand mining company currently operating or operating within the last year would be exempt from any new zoning ordinances or regulatory changes.

Senator Tiffany is also against the WDNR hiring any more people to inspect or monitor frac sand mining.  They have already taken away the right of the DNR to monitor air quality around the frac sand mines.  What are they afraid of?  They don’t want citizens to be aware of any potential health risks.  Airborne silica can cause serious lung damage that is usually irreversible.  I guess he really doesn’t care about people’s health as long as it creates a job.  If they limit the needed staff to inspect and monitor frac sand mining and also take that right away from the municipalities and counties, who is going to be responsible?

I thought it was the responsibility of  our elected representatives to protect the rights and safety of the citizens of Wisconsin, but I guess they are more concerned with big business than people’s lives.  After all the that is where their campaign funding comes from.  At least the Wisconsin Towns Association is trying to protect our rights and they want to take that right away from them. 

Senate Bill 632 attempts to limit the impact of a 2012 Supreme Court ruling that said towns could regulate sand mining operations with their zoning ordinances and their general police powers that govern the health and safety of the people. 

Please voice your concern about Senate Bill 632.  Apathy is one of the biggest problems facing this country in that nobody want to get involved and when people no longer care the problems doesn’t go away it just gets worse.  Sometimes it even moves into your backyard and you wonder how it got there!

Bob Haase is the host of “Outdoors Thursday” heard Thursday mornings at 9:10 a.m. on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ.