Mining Bill 'Dead', Gogebic Leaves WI

In a vote yesterday, the Senate rejected mining legislation, leading the mining company Gogebic to leave Wisconsin in search for other mining sites.

Opponents of the bill said that it made too many concessions against environmental laws, proponents claimed the bill already had made many concessions in favor of the environment, more changes would have made the mine impossible, and that the creation of 600-700 jobs by the mine outweighed the possible dangers to the environment.

A representative of the mining company had this to say...

"Senate rejection of the mining reforms . . . sends a clear message that Wisconsin will not welcome iron mining. We get the message," said a statement from Bill Williams, president of Gogebic Taconite LLC. "(We are) ending plans to invest in a Wisconsin mine."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/senate-narrowly-rejects-mining-bill-du4fadu-141668193.html

I get the argument on both sides. On one hand we have a recession with millions out of work, some of the worst-off counties in the state being where the mine would have been. On the other, we have to be concerned about the environment...so where is the line drawn? How much can we give on either side?

I guess my one big question is "how will this will effect the recalls?" The big talking point from the left is that Walker's reforms have failed to create jobs. With the democrats of the Senate (and one Republican) effectively closing the door on 6-700 new, ready-made jobs, how will they effectively make the argument that they are looking out for the workers? I get that the environment was the big issue behind denying this and that's very important...but the fact remains that 700 jobs are moving to another state and I think some of the unemployed, especially in the northern parts of the state, will not be happy about that...especially, if the rumors are true and those jobs simply move to michigan.