Controversy over company turning wetlands into frac-sand mines in Wisconsin

Law says it’s OK as long as wetlands are replaced, but doing so is nearly impossible.

Wetlands are at the core of the debate over a couple of proposed frac-sand mining facilities in Jackson and Monroe counties.

Meteor Timber, the largest private landowner in Wisconsin, has two frac-sand mining projects in that area and says they’re valued at $65 million and would create 100 jobs. 

State law requires avoiding disturbing wetlands when possible but Meteor Timber says, for whatever reason, it can’t build its new facility anywhere else.

A large portion of the area has been called pristine forested wetlands by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

And, if the mine takes over those 16.6 acres, it would be, by far, the most land taken for frac-sand mining since the state started issuing permits to the industry eight years ago.  

There’s a solution to the destruction to the wetlands, however. State law, now, allows companies to take areas like that, as long as they’re replaced by restoring or creating new wetlands.

Just a few problems with that solution, however. 

Creating or restoring wetlands, isn’t easy. It may be nearly impossible, in fact, according to Sarah Geers, an attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates.

“A history of trying to mitigate wetland losses by creating and restoring wetlands has been marked by faliure across the board,” Geers said. “Creating, restoring wetlands is very difficut, especially if you’re trying to create wetlands from areas that were previously, totally dry.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also has filed comments with the Corps of Engineers, asking Meteor to provide more details on how the company would try to avoid wetlands, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Also, one advantage for the company with state regulators is a change in Wisconsin wetlands law in 2012 that allows a developer to limit a search for alternative sites if a project shows “demonstrable public economic benefits.” The change was backed by business groups but opposed by environmentalists.

“Meteor Timber is sensitive to wetland impacts and has worked to find better alternatives,” Christopher Mathis, managing director of real estate told the Sentinel. “This is the only commercially viable site for the project and our proposal is a win-win for the environment and the state.”