How to Contact State Officials

The Legislative Hotline can tell you your Assembly Representative. Just call 1-800-362-9472 toll free.

Or, go to the Legislature's web site to find out your representative, along with phone numbers, email and mail addresses and biographies. Just choose "Who are my legislators?" at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/.

The mailing address for Assembly Representatives whose last names start with A through L is: PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708.

The mailing address for Assembly Representatives whose last names start with A through L is: PO Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708.

The e-mail addresses is: Rep.(insert last name)@legis.state.wi.us

The attached list of phone numbers and Capitol addresses can be found at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/assembly/aod.pdf.

Governor Scott McCallum can be reached at 608/266-1212 or wisgov@gov.state.wi.us or at 115 East

Senate Bill 271 and Senate Bill 160 have both passed the Senate. They must have an Assembly hearing, a vote in committee and a vote by the full Assembly by March 14. The governor's signature is also required for a bill to become law. Please call or write your Assembly representative and the governor today. Urge them to schedule the bills and to vote for them.

The Assembly authors of SB 271 (the bill to end special treatment for mining) are Representatives Terri McCormick (R-Appleton) and Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay). Other Fox Valley/Green Bay Assembly Representatives who are cosponsoring (supporting) the bill include Representatives Lee Meyerhofer (D-Kaukauna), Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay), Gregg Underheim (R-Oshkosh) and John Ryba (D-Green Bay). Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) was the bill's Senate author.

Area cosponsors of SB 160 (the bill to ban the use of cyanide in mining) include Rep. Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay), Sen. Jim Baumgart (D- Sheboygan) and Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay). Senator Mike Ellis (R- Neenah) was among the Senators who voted for the bill.

Background on Senate Bill 160 – Ban on Cyanide In WI Mines - and Senate Bill 271 - No Special Treatment for Mining

Senate Bill 160 would ban the use of cyanide in Wisconsin mining. Cyanide is a highly toxic, environmentally dangerous chemical used to process ores at mines. Nicolet Minerals Company (NMC), a subsidiary of the Australian/U.K. company BHP Billiton, wants to use millions of pounds of cyanide at its proposed Crandon mine, near the headwaters of the Wolf River – despite the fact that alternatives to cyanide are being used at similar mines. Most U.S. copper and zinc mines do not use cyanide for ore processing.

Because mining wastes are not subject to hazardous waste laws, NMC plans to landfill waste cyanide in its mine waste dump and underground in the abandoned mine. This plan places drinking water and streams and rivers such as the Wolf River at risk.

Extremely small amounts of cyanide are deadly to fish. The federal standard for aquatic life is 5 parts per billion. NMC's waste tailings pond will contain cyanide at nearly 500 times higher than the standard. NMC's parent company has suffered mine waste spills as recently as 2000. A mine waste spill into Wisconsin streams and rivers could be catastrophic to fish and other wildlife.

Shipping cyanide to the proposed Crandon mine or other mines could lead to accidents. NMC proposes to ship between 7 and 20 tons of cyanide to the mine each month. Research has found at least 23 transportation-related spills of cyanide in the U.S. in the ten years ending in 1997.

NMC's parent company BHP has a terrible environmental track record at mines it operated in Nevada and Arizona. Over a four-year time span through the end of 2000, BHP spilled cyanide twice and caused a major mine waste spill in 1997 that covered three quarters of a mile of Pinto Creek in Arizona and cost more than $30 million to clean up. In that same time span, BHP caused at least 28 additional spills of hazardous materials. BHP's track record is important because its subsidiary, Nicolet Minerals, has never operated a mine before.

Senate Bill 160 has tremendous public support. Last spring, the Conservation Congress voted 10-1 against cyanide use in mining. More than 95 Local governments, Counties, Tribes, Labor Unions, Environmental, and Conservation groups such as Trout Unlimited, Walleyes For Tomorrow, and the Brown County Conservation Alliance have passed resolutions in support of SB 160.

Senate Bill 271 would end special treatment for mining in our state laws. Mining should not be allowed to pollute more than similar industries or activities. For instance, mining waste sites should be subject to the same groundwater standards as landfills or hazardous waste facilities. Mining should be required to meet environmental standards that are at least as strict as other activities.

Mining wastes are not currently subject to hazardous waste laws – even if the wastes contain deadly cyanide and other toxic chemicals. SB 271 would make mine wastes subject to hazardous waste laws. SB 271 would also prevent DNR from issuing permits for mines if modeling shows that a mine would pollute beyond enforcement standards.

Senate Bill 271 also has tremendous public support. 90% of Wisconsin adults believe mining should be held to the same groundwater and hazardous waste standards as other industries, according to a statewide poll of 600 Wisconsin residents conducted in June 2001 by Chamberlain Research.

For background on the cyanide bill, see http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html For more on the Crandon mine proposal, see http://www.treatyland.com     Hotline for updates: 800-445-8615