Pros And Cons Of Frarc Sand Mining In Trempealeau County

My hometown Appleton, WI is not located in an area of the state that is conducive to frac sand mining. As a result I was forced to select an operation close to my surrogate home, La Crosse, WI. The mine I chose to research is located in Arcadia WI, a city in Trempealeau County, roughly 40 miles north of La Crosse. The site is currently operated by two separate mining companies, Arcadia Sand LLC and Mississippi Sand LLC (Shone, 2014). The dual operation of the frac sand mine appears conventional as many operations in Trempealeau County are structured similarly (Lien, n.d.). However, it should be stated that sources often list a single operator when discussing the mine, either Arcadia Sands or Mississippi Sands. Arcadia Sand took control

That growth was accompanied by a subsequent growth in corruption, health risks, regulation challenges, and corporate influence in state/local legislation. Determining whether the economic gains “outweigh” the accompanying challenges is difficult, and required thorough analysis. I created a list of pros and cons surrounding frac sand mining in order to determine my perception of frac sand mining. Corruption often follows money. The sand mining industry is closely linked to the petrochemical industry. As a result, it has become a lucrative business venture (Taschler, 2015). The earning potential of these mines drives companies and interest groups to persuade local and state official to introduce legislation in their favor (Kennedy, 2013). This purposeful direction of state and local policy is done both legally through lobbying and campaign contributions, and illegally through bribery and influence peddling. The prevalence of this lobbying diminishes the voice of an official’s constituency, and therefor perverts the democratic system. Additionally, the state of Wisconsin has failed to expand mining regulatory agencies in order to meet the needs of the booming industry (Kennedy, 2013). For that reason, any authority citizens have in the regulation of mining operation is not supported with by power necessary to ensure

Many facilities represent “$100 million or $150 million capital investments” (Taschler, 2015). Furthermore, these investments are not short-term endeavors, and should generate consistent tax revenue. Fluctuations in the demand of frac sand are not expected, hopefully ensuring the continued success of the industry in Wisconsin (Taschler, 2015). If the market for frac sand were to diminish abandoned mines would not be an issue, as each mine is required to segregate funds for mine reclamation prior to the approval of its permit (Taschler, 2015). Therefore, there is little risk directly posed to our state’s environment when mines are operated responsibly (Kennedy,