Potential for Mining in Taylor County
The potential location for the Taylor County Mine (Green Light Wisconsin) is along the Yellow River in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The Yellow River enters into the Chippewa River at a location in Chippewa County near Kamp Kenwood (Wisconsin Farmer’s Union).
It appears there is not an organized group in Taylor County concerned about this mine. If there was a spill or breach at this mine, no doubt it would flow into the Yellow River. Sludge and heavy metals could then flow downstream into Lake Wissota which is part of the Chippewa River system.
This is a metallic mine……copper, gold, silver, and other minerals are identified in that location. Damages to Lake Wissota and the watershed could be significant given the potential environmental destruction, and impacts economically given all the investment made on the lake’s vast shorelines for residential development and tourism opportunity. Please take a look at the link/article noted below. A project like this one typically takes a long time for approval, but some early work was done in the ’90’s and then again in 2012.
How many people in the County are aware of this potential threat? How many are Lake Wissota Residents? How important is a clean pollutant free Chippewa River and Lake Wissota to the economy? Tourism? Government?
Check on this link for further information:
Be sure to share this information with others located in your area and including stakeholders interested in the environment and conservation, legislators, and other governmental officials in the towns, municipalities, and county where you live.
Anything you can do helps.
Write to the Taylor County Board https://co.taylor.wi.us/directory/county-board/
Write to the Miller Dam Lake Association: http://millerdamlakeassoc.com/
715.668.5407
Send a letter to the editor at the Star News, their local paper. www.centralwinews.com
*Authors unknown