Editor:

I have written to Senator Tom Tiffany about my opposition to the recently passed mining bill. I believe he, other Republican legislators and Gov. Walker are “hijacking” our state for questionable short-term gain.

The Penokee Hills are unique and irreplaceable. Their destruction as well as damage to the watershed in the area by mining waste disposal and digging of high-capacity wells to facilitate this mining is something the entire populace of the state should be aware of. No place in the state is really safe from this sort of development under the new bill.

The mining bill was rewritten for the sole enticement of attracting mining, not to protect the people in the area. There is no infrastructure in the Penokees to transport materials for the mine, extraction of ore and finally transporting the final product. This ore would probably end up going all the way to China.

The tax breaks given the company as an enticement to develop a mine would place a burden on residents – no new taxes???

Senator Dale Schultz had the courage to not go along with the party line and voted against the bill as it was proposed.

I would ask that people keep an eye on this issue and express their views to their legislators.

Marie Schultz, Tomahawk