Sand Mining Backgrounder

Here's local coverage of other sand mines in our area.

The best coverage of the issue in Monroe County is in the June 16th edition of the County Line (www.thecountyline.net/edition). Editor Karen Parker covers in detail the operations in four different locations in northern Monroe County. For Town of Greenfield residents, the most pertinent covers the Valley Junction sand mine (pictured on this site’s home page), just ten miles away from Tunnel City. Sand mining, which extracts sands that companies can use to fracture rock and extract natural gas and oil, has become a veritable gold rush in this era of soaring fuel prices.At the same time, it's a highly controversial practice. 

In addition, here's other coverage of the issue. 

Minneapolis Star Tribune, 6/20/11, reports “a contentious land rush” from Black River Falls to Red Wing and down the Mississippi for open-pit silica sand mining to support “fracking.” Concerns are silica dust (“causes a number of lung diseases, including cancer”), water use (processing at one mine requires 600,000 gallons/day, “although much of it will be recycled on site”), trucking and blasting. Mines are “largely unregulated” and WI has no health standards for silica dust. Describes a failed attempt to block a sand mine in Chippewa Falls and a current effort in Red Wing. Reported by Josephine Marcotty, 612-673 7394 
http://www.startribune.com/local/123670439.html

“NineNews” 6/16/11, says Unimin, “now known by the name of its parent company, Sibelco, faces three criminal charges that it illegally removed construction sand from its mineral sands mines” on Stradbroke Island, Australia. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8261970/qld-sand-miner-tries-to-stop-prosecution

The Chippewa Enquirer, 6/29/11, reports that a land-rights dispute over a silica sand mine has been appealed to the state Supreme Court. Landowners in the town of Cooks Valley are disputing a local ordinance regulating sand mines. Refers to related case in town of Howard.
http://chippewa.com/news/local/article_42d8fc0e-a264-11e0-bd32-001cc4c002e0.html

Further coverage of the Cooks Valley case from the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram notes:
“Sand mining sites are popping up across Chippewa County:
-Preferred Sand has a permit to mine 225 acres in the town of Cooks Valley.
-Chippewa Sand Company has a permit for a 176-acre site in the town of Cooks Valley.
-EOG Resources has a permit for a 185-acre site in the town of Howard.
-Superior Silica Sands has a 135-acre site in the town of Auburn.
-Larry Boese has a 28-acre site in the town of Auburn.” http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5262472/court-ruling-means-continued-sand-mining-in-chippewa-county

Winona Daily News, 6/30/11, reports on sand mines in Trempeleau County; notes that per permit application for one mine, “about 180 trucks will drive to and from the mine each day.” Quotes Kevin Lien, director, county Department of Land Management: “I foresee a lot of degradation of our public road system. I see traffic conflicts and I see a depletion of our natural resources.” Mine would be operated for 20 years; conditions include “installing monitors to detect silica dust—a known carcinogen.”  At dispute is Lien’s request that the miner “install a clarifier system to prevent groundwater contamination. The committee opted to require the company to include four ponds lined with two feet of clay, which Lien said are at risk of leaking.” Company apparently is contesting this requirement.
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/article_ce28825e-a2d0-11e0-b24d-001cc4c03286.html

Superior Telegram, 6/30/11, reports on sand mining concerns in Wood and Pepin counties. “Since much of Wood County is unzoned, non-metallic mining companies need only file a land reclamation permit. The permit is basically a pledge from the company to return the land to its pre-mining condition after they’re finished. Without zoning, other issues like noise, dust and damage to roads cannot be regulated.” 
http://www.superiortelegram.com/event/article/id/55258/group/homepage/

Red Wing Republican Eagle, 6/23/11, reports on efforts to impose a mining moratorium by “Citizens Against Frac Sand Mining, a group of hundreds of concerned citizens who have signed petitions and held meetings in hopes of educating the public and ultimately preventing a silica sand mine from being established in Hay Creek Township.” Says concerns include “ruining the area's natural beauty and geography, residents developing diseases from breathing in silica dust, water quality being affected and roads being destroyed by trucks hauling extracted sand.” "We need to proceed cautiously on this very important issue. We do not want to be the next Chippewa Falls," citizen Lorrie Sonnek said,
http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/74924/

Background

Phildelphia Inquirer, 6/26/11, explains use of sand in fracking, says an alternative is being devised. “Such is the nationwide frenzy to drill for oil and natural gas in unconventional rock formations like shale that demand for proppant has gone bonkers. A typical Marcellus well now consumes 5 million pounds of sand, enough to fill 25 railcars. It all comes from Midwestern sand mines.”
http://articles.philly.com/2011-06-26/business/29705314_1_marcellus-shale-natural-gas-sand

New York Times article, 6/26/11, reports doubts about the practice of fracking. “…the gas may not be as easy and cheap to extract from shale formations deep underground as the companies are saying, according to hundreds of industry e-mails and internal documents and an analysis of data from thousands of wells.” 
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/us/26gas.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp


Unimin Corp., of New Canaan, Conn., in 2009 announced a sand mine expansion in Arkansas; described itself as “North America's largest supplier of downhole fracturing and gravel packing sands. The Company's frac sand expansion in Arkansas is the latest in a series of investments at its plants in Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Minnesota to help secure the nation's energy independence.” Jeff Hunt, Corporate Customer Services, 203-243-9004, FracInquiries@unimin.com.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/04/29/idUS189670+29-Apr-2009+PRN20090429