The snow and cold weather did not dampen the spirits of union, environmental and sport-fishing groups, who joined Indian tribes and Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, to rally for lawmakers’ support in passing two bills that would ban the use of cyanide in Wisconsin and close environmental loopholes.
SB 160, the cyanide prohibition bill, and SB 271, the “no special treatment” bill, passed the state Senate last November. The bills have been sitting in the Assembly Environmental Committee since then.
“This is a rally to support two bills that are being held up in the Assembly that would ban the use of cyanide in all Wisconsin mines,” said George Rock, an organizer of the Wolf Watershed Educational Project.
According to Rock, these bills received overwhelming support in the state. More than 65 percent of residents in northeastern Wisconsin support the bill, and 60 percent statewide support it, he said.
At the rally, members of the Sokaogon Indian tribe stood outside the Capitol doors and conducted a drum ceremony. Other protesters held signs that read, “Vital waters aren’t for sale.”
Cardboard tombstones decorated the area around the rally, each one printed with facts of wildlife lost due to cyanide.
One read, “1995, Golconda Creek, 40,000 gallons of cyanide killed the fish in Jefferson City, Montana.”
Wisconsin Campaign to Ban Cyanide in Mining gathered more than 16,000 signatures from state residents supporting both the ban of cyanide and the two bills and presented them to Black Monday.
Herb Buettner, spokesman for Trout Unlimited, said it is important to preserve natural resources.
“Use but do not abuse our resources so that they can be passed on to future generations to come,” Buettner said.
Other members of sport-fishing groups said when the November elections come, they will remember how legislators voted on these bills.
Several mining companies have sought after Crandon Mine, located in northeastern Wisconsin, since 1975, when zinc and copper deposits were discovered.
Black said passing the legislation is important to prevent pollution from foreign mining companies.
“Foreign mining companies want to come here, make hundreds of millions of dollars at the expense of our natural resources and leave,” Black said. “It is so important that we pass strong legislation to protect our rivers, lakes and streams of this state because the foreign mining companies do not care about the future.”
Dave Blouin, Mining Committee head chairman, said scientific evidence has not been able to prove that cyanide can be used safely in mining, and that the area can be restored without having negative effects on the ecosystem.
In order for these bills to pass, a majority vote is needed next Tuesday, March 12, in the Assembly. Gov. McCallum must sign the legislation before it becomes law.
