Last night, March 7, 2002, Assembly Rep. Spencer Black attempted a "pulling motion" on their bills to ban cyanide in mining, and end special treatment for the mining industry. Pulling motions are attempts to bypass committees that have blocked legislation (as the Assembly Environment Committee has done with both bills), and bring the bills directly to the floor on a majority vote. They are essentially "votes to have a vote," are are politically unpopular because they weaken the power of committee chairs.

* The motion to pull the cyanide bill from the Committee to the floor failed by a vote of 42 yes-56 no. All Republicans present (except Hundertmark) voted no, as did Democrats Gronemus and Plale. Rep. McCormick was absent from the vote.

* The motion to pull the "no special treatment" bill from the Committee to the floor failed by a vote of 40 yes-59 no. All Republicans voted no, as did Democrats Gronemus, Plale, and Riley.

Remember: at least eight Republicans had either signed onto the "no special treatment" bill, or supported a Committee vote to bring it to the floor (including Krawczyk, Montgomery, Underheim, Bies, Petrowski, Hahn, Lippert and others). It was clear that if the bill had passed Rep. Kedzie's Committee, it would have passed on the floor. But Kedzie never called a Committee vote, and the same Republicans did not vote for the pulling motion. This is not to say these Republicans would not continue to support our mining bills moving through regular channels. It is still vital to thank them for their support for "no special treatment."

.

What now? Kedzie could still conceivably hold a Committee vote. Black could also bring up another pulling motion next week, which is the last week of the session, and get a majority vote. Mining reform could also become part of a special session. Because the budget is fast becoming the main legislative priority, it is very unclear what will happen.

In any case, it is important to keep the pressure on. Tom Clark interviewed Dave Blouin this morning on the cyanide bill, and many people are becoming aware of the issue this week. Please call Speaker Scott Jensen toll-free at 1-888-529-0032 and your own Rep. at 1-800-387-0548 to encourage an immediate committee vote on both mining bills.

The Assembly has adjourned the regular session and will only meet in special session Thursday to work on budget issues. This means that the mining bills are basically dead for this session. There remains a very small, outside chance of getting them dealt with during the special session, but it is very unlikely that even if one or more comes up that they would be voted on.

We gave it a great run and made a lot of progress. Remember that the Moratorium Law fight stretched over two sessions as well. This movement has always been much more than a legislative effort; it has also been an educational campaign. We are still working on many different fronts. See the letter to Governor McCallum below.

Dave Blouin
Mining Impact Coalition
burroak15@aol.com

FREE .pdf Acrobat Reader

Governor Scott McCallum
115 East, State Capitol
Madison WI 53702

Dear Governor McCallum:

During your State of the State address, you stated:

"We accomplished much under this dome last year, primarily by putting political differences aside and working together for the common good. Let me take a moment to highlight a few of these accomplishments:"

"I was pleased to have been able to bring together key legislators, the business community, sportsmen, sportswomen and environmental groups to craft a consensus and pass a law to protect our wetlands and our environment. It is the first of its kind in the nation."

We are writing to ask that you meet with Assembly leaders as soon as possible to encourage passage of two bills that are needed to protect Wisconsin's environment from unsafe mining practices.

Your efforts to bring together legislative leaders and lead bi-partisan efforts to pass the wetlands protection bill and the prescription drug benefit program are appreciated and we hope that you might use the same effort to help pass the mining reform laws.

Senate Bill 160 would ban the use of cyanide in Wisconsin mining. An Australian company, BHP Billiton, wants to truck up to 20 tons of cyanide per month to the proposed Crandon mine at the headwaters of the Wolf River. Less toxic alternatives to cyanide are being used in Canada to process the same metals that will be processed in Crandon. Those same alternatives should be used here.

We must not allow a foreign company to jeopardize the pristine habitats and water of Northern Wisconsin with huge amounts of cyanide and its wastes. The risks from on-site spills, trucking accidents and intentional targeting of hazardous materials demand that we ban the use of such massive amounts of this unneeded poison. We must insist that the company use newer and safer technology.

Just as importantly, we must close current loopholes in our mining laws.

AB 547 and SB 271 would eliminate loopholes in mining laws and require that mines meet environmental standards that are at least as strict as other industries. The bills would eliminate the current exemption for mining waste from our hazardous waste laws. If mining waste tests as hazardous, it must be treated and disposed of like any other hazardous waste under the bills. Both bills would also eliminate another loophole to ensure that the mine can meet state groundwater standards before being granted a permit.

Mining often takes place in the most pristine environments in our state.

But metallic mining accounts for more than half the toxic releases in the country, according to the EPA. And the owner of the proposed Crandon mine has a history of environmental problems, including the 1997 collapse of its mining waste facility in Arizona, a disaster that led to the release of more than 300,000 cubic yards of mining waste into Pinto Creek. Imagine that type of disaster occurring at the headwaters of the Wolf River.

That's why we must ensure that our mining laws are as tough as possible.

Wisconsin must demand that the mining company use state of the art technology. We cannot afford to take unneeded risks that we may regret for generations to come.

Neither bill kills mining in Wisconsin. There are alternatives to cyanide. And technologies are available to better protect our water - such as double liners in waste facilities - not the single liner proposed by BHP Billiton. Inexcusably, the Australian company has been unwilling to use these better alternatives. As a result, the governor and the Legislature must pass these bills to protect our environment.

Both bills have passed the Senate. Both bills have the overwhelming support of Wisconsin citizens. Both bills will pass the Assembly if scheduled for a vote. But we need your leadership to help convince Assembly leaders to schedule these bills for a vote.

We appreciate your leadership in protecting Wisconsin's wetlands. We ask you to continue that fight and to protect the wetlands, the lakes, the rivers and the groundwater of Northern Wisconsin. Please urge the Assembly to vote on these bills before the regular session ends next week. For follow up, please contact Caryl Terrell 608-256-0565.

Sincerely,

March 4, 2002
Contacts: Dave Blouin, 608-233-8455, burroak15@aol.com
George Rock, 715-882-4800, riverrocks@dwave.net

Madison: Organizers with the Wisconsin Campaign to Ban Cyanide in Mining today delivered petitions in support of Senate Bill 160 to Assembly Lawmakers. The petitions were signed by more than 16,000 state residents. The organizers urged members of the Assembly Environment Committee to schedule votes on SB 160 (To Ban Cyanide in Mining) and SB 271, (To End Special Treatment for the Mining Industry).

Both SB 160 and SB 271 were passed by the state Senate in November 2001 by 19-14 bipartisan votes and now await votes by the Assembly Environment Committee and full Assembly. Last Thursday, Republican Representatives Judy Krawczyk, Terri McCormick, and Gregg Underheim called for a vote by the Environment Committee on AB 547 (The Assembly version of SB 271). The two mining bills were the focus of a statewide television and radio ad campaign.

A statewide rally and citizen lobby day in support of the mining bills will take place on Tuesday, March 5 at 12 noon at the King St. entrance of the Capitol. Speakers will be from sportfishing and environmental groups, Native American tribes, unions and students groups. A drum group will open the rally, and UW-Stevens Point students will lead a round of "environmental cheerleading." Also at the same time, there will (coincidentally) be a display in the Capitol Rotunda on hazardous materials, and HazMat trucks will be parked across the street from the rally. A different rally will be at the same time at the State St. entrance.

"More than 16,000 state residents are strongly in favor of the ban on cyanide in mining." said George Rock, an organizer of the Wolf Watershed Educational Project from White Lake, WI. "The people have spoken and we are more determined than ever to see that SB 160 is voted on by the Committee and full Assembly before this session ends."

Rock stated that In addition to those who signed petitions, 10 county governments, 28 local governments, 4 tribes, and 60 statewide sportfishing groups, regional labor councils, and environmental groups have passed resolutions supporting a ban on cyanide in all Wisconsin mines.

The groups include the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, Fox Valley Area Labor Council, Trout Unlimited, Wisconsin Council of Senior Citizens, Walleyes for Tomorrow, and the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. Statewide polling by Chamberlain Research found that those polled backed the ban on cyanide in mining by a 58-percent majority. (65 percent in northeastern Wisconsin near the proposed Crandon mine site). And 90 percent of those polled said that mining should be held to the same groundwater and hazardous waste standards as other state industries.

"The statewide bipartisan support for mining law reform and a ban on cyanide has never been stronger; these bills should be voted on immediately. " said Dave Blouin, Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter. "State residents will be watching carefully to see how their representatives vote on these bills." Blouin stated that supporters expect the cyanide ban and other mining issues to grow in importance this year for three reasons: the high-profile advertising campaign for the cyanide ban, the Governor's race, and the expected release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Crandon mine.

Rock said that state residents should contact their representatives by using a toll free number (1-800-387-0548) and urge that both SB 160 and SB 271 be voted on immediately by the Assembly Environment Committee. He added that citizens oppose any amendments that weaken the bills, for example by exempting any particular Wisconsin mines from the cyanide ban. The proposed Crandon mine alone would use up to 200 tons of cyanide a year to process ore, Rock said.

SB-160 backers focus on the dangers of cyanide transportation to mines, use of cyanide in ore processing, and cyanide storage at mine sites. Rock observed, "We already have enough concerns about the safety and security of hazardous material shipments. We should not be adding up to 200 tons a year of cyanide on our icy Wisconsin roads." Rock noted that the Crandon mine area has no HazMat emergency response team. He also pointed to recent news reports about the lack of security checks of HazMat drivers, and two terrorist plots to use cyanide against U.S. targets in Europe (articles at http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/security.html ).

The Capitol Rally and Citizens' Lobby Day for the two mining bills went very well today, March 5, 2002. About 100 people attended the weekday rally, from all around the state. The rally was at the same time as a nearby "concealed weapons" rally, and a hazardous materials display. Our rally was covered by Madison Channel 3 and Wausau Channel 9. The Wisconsin State Journal, Capital Times, and WPR had covered the Monday's press conference.

The Mole Lake Drum opened with a drum song. George Rock of the Wolf Watershed Educational project emceed, and Dave Blouin of the Mining Impact Coalition explained the status of SB-160 (to ban cyanide in mining) and SB-271 (to end special treatment for the mining industry), still stuck in the Assembly Environment Committee. Caryl Terrell of the Sierra Club read a letter from the four Democratic gubernatorial candidates favoring the two bills (below), indicating that mining will be an issue in the upcoming election (the Libertarian and Green candidates have also been critical of the Crandon mine). Rep. Spencer Black, who sponsored the Assembly version of the cyanide bill, spoke of plans to force an Assembly floor vote on both bills, no matter what happens in the Committee. We still do not know when the votes will be on the Assembly floor, but a number of Assembly Republicans have signed letters in favor of bringing SB-271 to a vote. Stay tuned to the website http://www.treatyland.com and the Hotline 800-445-8615.

Each of the constituencies involved in the mining alliance was represented. Ken Fish spoke as director of the Menominee Treaty Rights and Mining Impacts Office. Herb Buettner, president of Wolf River Trout Unlimited, and Todd Hansen of Wisconsin Trout and the Wisconsin Stewardship Network reprsented sportfishers. For labor, Gary Kandziora of United Steelworkers of America Local 1114 in Milwaukee (the P&H Harnsichfeger local) spoke about unsuccessful company efforts to influence workers for the mine, and Gerry Gunderson and Bob Schmitz of the Committee of Labor Against Sulfide Pollution (CLASP) spoke of all the labor councils that have passed resolutions for a cyanide ban in mining. Students from UW-Stevens Point did a round of environmental cheerleading, and performed a beautiful skit about protecting the Wolf River from greed. Other studnets attended from UW-LaCrosse, Beloit College, UW-Madison, and elesewhere.

The rally closed with a prayer from Robert Van Zile, from Mole Lake, and a Drum Song. Then everyone went into the Capitol and donned orange "Cyanide" t-shirts to lobby legislators. Throughout the day, it became clear just how heavy an impact our movement has had on the Legislature. A number of Reps. said that they received more calls about mining than any other issue; thousands of calls have gone in to the Capitol on this issue. A number of Republicans and Democrats indicated they would vote with us if a bill was brought to the Assembly floor for a vote, and it was clear that some Republicans were not happy with their leadership's direction on the issue. At least a few have been looking at our websites for information.

But Assembly Environment Committee Chairman Neal Kedzie (who has gotten so many calls that his staff has stopped directly answering phones) made it clear he is not interested in advancing the bills. We still have a few days to add to this immense pressure. Please call Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen toll-free at 888-529-0032 to encourage an immediate committee vote on both mining bills.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out!

Underheim Joins Authors McCormick, Krawczyk in Making Plea for Prompt Committee Action

Madison. An Assembly bill that will both protect the surrounding environment and allow for safe and effective mining is in line to receive a vote in the Environment Committee after a group of Fox River Valley Assembly Representatives formally requested action this week.

"We decided the most expeditious way to move this bill forward is to send a written request to the committee chairman, asking that he schedule it for a vote," said Underheim. "Our spring floor session is winding down and it's imperative we allow the full Assembly to vote on this important piece of bipartisan environmental legislation."

As written, 2001 Assembly Bill (AB) 547 requires all mining waste to be treated the same as other waste is. The mining waste would be subjected to chemical testing with a disposal facility designed and constructed based on the amount of waste generated. The DNR would also be barred from granting any exemptions or modifications to the new mining waste rules.

"Wisconsin's current mining laws won't adequately protect the water and the land surrounding new mines, like the one proposed in Crandon," said Representative Terri McCormick (R-Grand Chute), the bills author. "AB547 isn't meant to halt all mining operations in Wisconsin, it will just force mining companies to adhere to the same environmental standards other industries must."

Many of the chemicals used in mining would be considered hazardous, and the bill would characterize the waste generated by these chemicals as hazardous. Currently, mining facilities enjoy an exemption from the state's groundwater quality standards that other companies don't. AB 547 eliminates those exemptions.

"Understandably, bills that revise the state's mining rules and codes are controversial in nature, but if we want to ensure future mines don't harm the environment, we need to get this bill a committee vote and then push it to become law," said Representative Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay), the Assembly's lead co-author.

Just last week, the Assembly's Environment Committee held a lengthy public hearing on the bipartisan bill, with favorable testimony being offered by people from various regions and professions as well as legislators from both parties.

LETTER FROM ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
NEAL KEDZIE:

January 3, 2002

Dear Representatives Pocan, Bock, Miller, and Lehman, Thank you for your letter to me regarding Senate Bill 271, relating to environmental regulation of mining and Senate Bill 160, relating to prohibiting the use of cyanide in metallic mining. I appreciate your collective interest in seeing these bills move forward.

The Environment Committee, as of this date, has not scheduled any public hearings on either bill. Since introduction, I have met with both supporters and opponents of the bills as well as agency officials. I continue to actively research the issue to better educate myself as I review my options for a public hearing, either on the bill or for information only.

I am aware of the slight (19-14) bipartisan votes both bills recieved in the state Senate. However, as you know, the obligations and duties of the state Assembly are not contingent on the actions of the Senate.

Again, I appreciate your interest and respect your comments on SB-271 and SB-160 and will continue to remain open to requests made by any member of the Environment Committee.

"The message is inescapable. The recent train derailment near the Wolf River shows the great risk from transporting cyanide in Northern Wisconsin," Chairman Gus Frank of the Forest County Potawatomi Community said today.

"Twenty-five rail cars of iron ore went off the tracks in Forest County two weeks ago. I’m told that the accident occurred within a quarter-mile from where the tracks cross the headwaters of the Wolf River at Pine Lake," Chairman Frank said about the January 9 accident.

"This derailment is a chilling reminder that accidents happen, including in the Northwoods," he said. "A transportation accident could just as easily happen with a truckload or a railroad car of cyanide headed to the proposed mine near Crandon." He called on state Assembly leaders to pass a bill -- already passed by the Senate -- that would ban the use of cyanide in mining.

Nicolet Minerals Company, a subsidiary of BHP Billiton, has proposed using up to 200 tons per year of cyanide per year to process ore at the proposed mine south of Crandon. The proposed mine is located in an area of wetlands, streams and lakes that feed the Wolf River.

"There will be no comfort in saying, 'We told you so,' if a tragedy occurs and our waters are poisoned," the chairman said. "It's time to realize that any short- term economic benefits are not worth the risks to our environment from accidents in transporting, using or disposing of the cyanide."

The chairman stressed that the owners of the proposed mine do not need to use the cyanide. "They don’t need to bring this deadly poison to the Wolf River. There are safer alternatives being used to process this type of ore in Canadian mines. But since the company won’t voluntarily agree not to use cyanide, the Legislature should ban it for mining."

Senate Bill 160 has passed the Senate but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing by the Assembly Environment Committee.

Madison, Wisconsin, USA, November 6, 2001--
The Wisconsin State Senate today approved two mining-related environmental bills by votes of 19-14. They are Senate Bill 160 to ban cyanide use in all Wisconsin mines, and Senate Bill 271 to have "No Special Treatment" for the mining industry. The bills now go to the State Assembly for consideration.

The vote on SB-160, the bill to ban cyanide in all Wisconsin mines passed the State Senate by a 19-14 vote. The vote was essentially along party lines, with the Democratic majority voting for the bill and the Republican minority voting against. The exceptions were Sen. Roger Breske (D-Eland) voting against, and Senators Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) and Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) voting for.

Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) led the fight against the bill, calling its supporters "Luddites." He introduced an amendment that would have limited the ban to heap-leach mining operations, thereby exempting BHP Billiton's proposed Crandon zinc-copper mine (which would use up to 200 tons of cyanide a year in a froth flotation process). The amendment failed on a 18-15 vote. Sen. Breske and Sen. Ellis voted for the amendment, and Sen. Cowles voted against it.

In votes very similar to those cast for SB 160 (Cyanide ban for mining), Senate Bill 271 ("No Special Treatment" for Mining) also passed the State Senate this afternoon. It would bring up state groundwater and hazardous waste standards to the level of other industries, and end environmental exemptions for metallic mines.

The vote on the bill was also 19-14, with Republican Senators Rob Cowles and Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) joining the Democrats. Democratic Sen. Breske continued his efforts on behalf of BHP Billiton's Nicolet Minerals Co. and voted against SB 271. Go to http://folio.legis.state.wi.us/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=93775&infobase=bills01.nfo&softpage=Browse_Frame_Pg and then type in the word mining to find the text of each bill passed and the amendment approved for SB 271.

"Huge mining industry loopholes were filled yesterday by the Senate," said Dave Blouin, Sierra Club spokesperson. We are pleased with the votes on both bills and especially want to thank the Republican Senators who didn't buy the industry's misleading rhetoric and voted with their Democrat colleagues in favor of the bills."

In the last three weeks, there have been three major cyanide spills: two mine waste dumps full of toxic cyanide spilled in Ghana and a tanker truck in China spilled 11 tons of sodium cyanide into a river. "These recent major cyanide spills illustrate why the cyanide ban in mining is necessary." said Zoltan Grossman, Wolf Watershed Educational Project. "It is not worth the risk of a spill to transport sodium cyanide across northern Wisconsin or to dump this toxic chemical into mine wastes that are loosely regulated."

Blouin stated, "The Senate voted for this bill based on facts. The fact is that only a very small percentage of U.S. zinc or copper mines use cyanide, because they use alternatives to cyanide. The fact is that the Crandon mine would use up to 10 times as much cyanide than any other state industry has used in recent years. The fact is that no cyanide is currently being used in our Northwoods, where a spill could be catastrophic to fishing and tourism. The fact is that most cyanide disasters in mining have happened not during ore processing, but in the shipping of cyanide and poorly regulated dumping of cyanide into mine waste dumps."

"The state budget can't be balanced with environmentally destructive mining proposals that threaten our existing tourism industry. The reality is that mining developments are halted, not started during tough times. Exxon walked away from the Crandon proposal in 1986 for this very reason." Grossman stated. "You need only look at other boom and bust economies caused by mining, such as in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Appalachia in the eastern US, and many communities out west." Along with the recession, the global metals glut and an industrial turn away from metals has caused steep drops in zinc and copper prices.

The Senate vote for the ban on cyanide in mining is a victory for the huge grassroots movement that is supporting the bill. Over 15,000 ctitzens have signed a petition supporting a ban on cyanide in all mines. The cyanide ban in mining has been supported by resolutions from 90 organizations including: nine Co. governments, two dozen local governments, and four tribal governments, as well over 50 sportfishing groups, union locals, labor councils, and environmental organizations. They include the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Walleyes for Tomorrow, Wisconsin Council of Senior Citizens, Trout Unlimited, and the Fox Valley Area Labor Council. A complete list is available at http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html#wi-counties .

For background on the cyanide bill, see http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html. There are links to other pages on cyanide, including the recent cyanide disasters involving mines in China and Ghana. For more on the Crandon mine proposal, see http://www.treatyland.com

Thanks again to everyone who pitched in to pass SB 160 and SB 271. Both bills will now go to the State Assembly, which has a Republican majority; though some Republican representatives have supported them. Wisconsin citizens should contact Assembly Environment Committee Chair Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn),to allow the bill on cyanide in mining and the bill on "No Special Treatment" for mining companies to move forward to a vote. Call toll-free 888-534-0043 or e-mail Rep.Kedzie@legis.state.wi.us, AND write him at the State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702.

Dave Blouin, coordinator
Mining Impact Coalition of WI
PO Box 55372
Madison, WI 53705-9172
608-233-8455

Wisconsin Campaign to Ban Cyanide in Mining
c/o Midwest Treaty Network
PO Box 14382
Madison WI 53714 USA
Web http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html
E-mail mtn@igc.org
Hotline 800-445-8615 Tel/fax 608-246-2256

Madison, WI: The Forest County Potawatomi Community announced today they are using a quarter-million dollar media campaign to boost support for two mining bills that are awaiting action in the State Assembly.

"We know that the public supports these bills - we want the public to send that message to the State Assembly," Forest County Potawatomi Community Attorney General Jeff Crawford said at a press conference at the state Capitol this morning.

The television, radio, and billboard campaign will support Senate Bill 160, to ban the use of cyanide in mining, and Senate Bill 271, that would subject hazardous mining waste to Wisconsin's hazardous waste law. Joining the Potawatomi Attorney General at the press conference were the co-authors of SB 271: Senator David Hansen (D-Green Bay), Representative Terri McCormick (R-Appleton) and Representative Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay).

Crawford said the Forest County Potawatomi Community has long been concerned about the proposed mine near Crandon, Wisconsin because it is upwind from the lands of the Forest County Potawatomi and because of its location at the headwaters of the Wolf River. Crawford explained that the Wolf River is important because it flows south to the Lake Poygan and Butte des Mort and from there it flows into the Fox River, Lake Winnebago and Green Bay.

Recently the Potawatomi have become more concerned as they have learned Wisconsin mining laws are not as strong is commonly believed, Crawford said. Crawford noted that, in statewide poll taken last summer, more than 90% supported the concept of SB 271 and those polled supported a ban on cyanide in mining by a 3 to 1 margin.

The Potawatomi campaign includes radio, television, and billboards that will target voters in the Green Bay, Madison, Wausau, and Rhinelander media markets. "We are confident that if these bills receive the support necessary to get them to the floor of the Assembly, that they will have the votes necessary for passage," Crawford said.

Two Potawatomi mining TV ads can be found at www.nonbox.com/fcp.
Seeing the ads require QuickTime. It can be downloaded from QuickTime .
Downloading QuickTime was about a 4-minute process using a T-1 connection. The ads take a minute to download after you click on them, also.

Bill McClenahan
Martin Schreiber & Associates
bill@martinschreiber.com
608 / 259-1212 Ext. 4, 414 / 405-1051 cellular

Last night, March 7, 2002, Assembly Rep. Spencer Black attempted a "pulling motion" on their bills to ban cyanide in mining, and end special treatment for the mining industry. Pulling motions are attempts to bypass committees that have blocked legislation (as the Assembly Environment Committee has done with both bills), and bring the bills directly to the floor on a majority vote. They are essentially "votes to have a vote," are are politically unpopular because they weaken the power of committee chairs.

* The motion to pull the cyanide bill from the Committee to the floor failed by a vote of 42 yes-56 no. All Republicans present (except Hundertmark) voted no, as did Democrats Gronemus and Plale. Rep. McCormick was absent from the vote.

* The motion to pull the "no special treatment" bill from the Committee to the floor failed by a vote of 40 yes-59 no. All Republicans voted no, as did Democrats Gronemus, Plale, and Riley.

Remember: at least eight Republicans had either signed onto the "no special treatment" bill, or supported a Committee vote to bring it to the floor (including Krawczyk, Montgomery, Underheim, Bies, Petrowski, Hahn, Lippert and others). It was clear that if the bill had passed Rep. Kedzie's Committee, it would have passed on the floor. But Kedzie never called a Committee vote, and the same Republicans did not vote for the pulling motion. This is not to say these Republicans would not continue to support our mining bills moving through regular channels. It is still vital to thank them for their support for "no special treatment."

.

What now? Kedzie could still conceivably hold a Committee vote. Black could also bring up another pulling motion next week, which is the last week of the session, and get a majority vote. Mining reform could also become part of a special session. Because the budget is fast becoming the main legislative priority, it is very unclear what will happen.

In any case, it is important to keep the pressure on. Tom Clark interviewed Dave Blouin this morning on the cyanide bill, and many people are becoming aware of the issue this week. Please call Speaker Scott Jensen toll-free at 1-888-529-0032 and your own Rep. at 1-800-387-0548 to encourage an immediate committee vote on both mining bills.