SWWAP

ON MONDAY: THE VOTING ON THIS HORRIBLE BILL BEGINS. CALL YOUR WI REPS and ask them to vote NO. A new poll shows that public opposition to the provisions of the Open-Pit Mining Bill (SB 1/AB 1) has grown significantly since last year. Wisconsin voters oppose the bill by a 33% margin (62-29). Opposition has increased 20 points since last year with undecideds having shifted into the opposition camp. Those voters who consider themselves “independent” opposed the bill by a 44% margin. Support for the bill among Republicans has also dropped. The poll also tested: Whether mining companies should be allowed to fill wetlands with waste and other materials (Oppose 67-24). Whether the amount of money the DNR can collect from mining companies for permit reviews should be capped (Oppose 78-13). Whether the role of legislators is to bring jobs to the state no matter the cost to the environment or to balance jobs at environmental concerns (Balance 77-18). How concerned voters are that the mining company played a key role in writing the Open-Pit Mining Bill (Concerned 77-20). The only question now is whether legislators will stand with the Wisconsinites they represent or an out-of-state mining company. The poll by Public Policy Polling surveyed 911 Wisconsin voters on February 18th and 19th, exactly one year since a similar poll was conducted. The margin of error is +/-3%.

PrecinctMARY SEIDLLEAH LIPSKAJAMIE STENNERSUSAN BRICEROB J. VanDOMELENJEFF HANNARICHARD J. VanDOMELENWRITE-INT BLUE MOUNDS WD 1523325352037340T CROSS PLAINS WDS 1-320142116926151T PERRY WD 1262914251529110T PRIMROSE WD 1986911750T SPRINGDALE WDS 1-2573527402251313T VERMONT WD 1201171521550V BLUE MOUNDS WD 1393418271630161V MOUNT HOREB WDS 1-41531156710556118592V MOUNT HOREB WDS 5-9177146539967140920

Let The People Decide http://www.wisdc.org/proxy.php?filename=images/Money%20Out%20-%20Voters%20In.jpg Click Above to Go to Petition LInk Money Out, Voters In Wisconsin Coalition asks legislators to let the people decide The 2012 elections were the most expensive in our nation’s history, but citizens through grassroots action are rising up to say no to the big money special interests drowning out the voices of regular people. Already, 11 states and more than 400 communities around the country have gone on record calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and allow limits on election spending by billionaires and corporations. The Money Out, Voters In Wisconsin coalition is focused on getting big money out of our elections and making sure all citizens can express their views in our democracy on a level playing field. We are coming together to call on the Wisconsin Legislature to place an advisory referendum about Citizens United on the ballot for the next statewide election. To support this, we are launching a petition drive to demonstrate the public’s support for this action. On an issue this big, the people of Wisconsin deserve a chance to weigh in.

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Special interests that favor new mining rules hold $610 to $1 contribution advantageJanuary 28, 2013 Madison – Special interests that back loosening mining regulations for a Florida company that wants to dig an open pit iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin have contributed $15.6 million to the Republican-controlled legislature and GOP Governor Scott Walker who are likely to approve mining permit changes in the coming months. The Democracy Campaign review also found the campaign contributions made by mining deregulation interests swamped those of mining deregulation opponents – environmental groups – by a ratio of $610 to $1. Environmental groups which oppose the Republican mining proposal introduced in mid-January contributed only $25,544 to legislators between 2010 and June 2012 and to the governor between 2010 and April 23, 2012. Support for a nearly identical GOP proposal last session to reduce groundwater, wetland, waste rock disposal and other environment laws for iron ore mining and impose deadlines on the state to review mine proposals so companies can get permits faster was led by manufacturing, construction, business, banking, transportation and four other special interests, according to state lobbying records. This array of powerful special interests support mining deregulation because they will benefit from the short- and long-term construction and operation of Gogebic Taconite’s proposed mine in Ashland and Iron counties. Gogebic Taconite is a Wisconsin-based subsidiary of the Cline Group which controls large coal mining operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois and Ohio. Walker, who has campaigned around the state to gin up support for changing rules to attract mining projects, received $11.34 million from 2010 through April 23, 2012 from interests that support mining deregulation (Table 1) including $67,068 from the prospective mine’s owner, Christopher Cline, his employees and other mining industry executives. During the same period, Walker received only $650 from environmental groups. The legislature, which is controlled by Republicans 59-39 in the Assembly and 18-15 in the Senate, received $4.25 million from 2010 through June 30, 2012 from interests that support mining deregulation (Table 2) including nearly $13,000 from Cline, his employees and other mining industry executives. During the same period, legislators received only $24,894 from environmental groups. This mining deregulation bill much like the failed proposal in the last legislative session is generally backed by Republicans who claim it will create hundreds of needed jobs in northern Wisconsin and the rest of the state and opposed by Democratic legislators who claim the job creation benefits are uncertain and that both bills allow iron ore mining practices that will hurt the environment. Republican legislators and two legislative campaign committees used by legislative leaders to milk special interests for campaign cash to use on elections received $3.38 million or 79 percent of the contributions made by mining deregulation interests. Democratic legislators and their two legislative campaign committees received $875,866 or 21 percent of the contributions made by mining deregulation interests. Republican legislators accepted an average $43,878 each from mining deregulation interests compared to an average $16,220 accepted by each Democratic legislator between 2010 and June 2012. Twenty-one legislators and legislative campaign committees used by legislative leaders to milk special interests for campaign cash to use at election time received $50,000 or more in campaign contributions during the two-and-a-half-year period from the special interests that back mining deregulation. Most of the top recipients – 18 – were majority Republican legislators and about a third of them were targeted incumbents or challengers involved in some of the 13 Senate recall races in 2011 and 2012 where candidates spent an estimated $50.7 million (Table 3). Topping the list of those who received campaign cash from interests that back mining deregulation was veteran Republican Senator Alberta Darling of River Hills who accepted $467,293. Darling spent a record $1.23 million during the 2011 recall elections to keep her job. Darling was followed by the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate – one of the four legislative campaign committees Democratic and Republican Senate and Assembly leaders use to rake in special interest cash to spend at election time – which raised $313,413. GOP Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau, who was a recall target in 2012, rounded out the top three raising $262,735. Table 1 Contributions To Republican Governor Scott Walker From Special Interests That Support Mining Deregulation 2010 – April 23, 2012 Special InterestAmountConstruction$3,669,252Banking & Finance$2,556,062Manufacturing & Distributing$2,298,402Business$1,062,517Transportation$752,372Road Builders$583,191Utilities$205,226Taverns & Restaurants$192,483Labor*$20,000TOTAL$11,339,505*Total represents political action committee contributions from the Operating Engineers Local 139, Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association and Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters which supported last session’s mining proposal. Table 2 Contributions To The 2013-14 Legislature From Special Interests That Support Mining Deregulation 2010 – June 2012 Special InterestAmountBanking & Finance$919,341Manufacturing & Distributing$856,910Business$654,997Construction$597,696Transportation$349,882Utilities$294,027Taverns & Restaurants$229,111Road Builders$211,896Labor*$140,989TOTAL$4,254,849*Total represents political action committee contributions from Operating Engineers Local 139, Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association, Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters, Wisconsin Laborers District Council and the Iron Workers District Council which supported last session’s mining proposal. Table 3 Top Legislative Recipients* Of Campaign Contributions From Special Interests That Support Mining Deregulation 2010 – June 2012 Legislator/CommitteeOfficePartyAmountAlberta DarlingS08R$467,293Committee to Elect a Republican SenateSR$313,413Scott FitzgeraldS13R$262,735Republican Assembly Campaign CommitteeAR$178,419Terry MoultonS23R$173,820Sheila HarsdorfS10R$158,580Assembly Democratic Campaign CommitteeAD$158,209State Senate Democratic CommitteeSD$156,894Leah VukmirS05R$111,200Jerry PetrowskiS29R$105,823Howard MarkleinA51R$79,131Robin VosA63R$78,570Tom TiffanyS12R$74,915Sandy PaschA10D$73,103Luther OlsenS14R$71,956Frank LaseeS01R$60,413Tom LarsonA67R$56,380Robert CowlesS02R$53,978John KlenkeA88R$52,609Glenn GrothmanS20R$52,439Travis TranelA49R$51,539*Table represents legislators and committees who received $50,000 or more from special interests.

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The Million Dollar BillJanuary 24, 2013 by Rebecca Kemble Originally Posted on Wisconsin Citizens Media Cooperative Shortly after 9pm last night, Sen. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) abruptly adjourned the one and only public hearing on a controversial mining deregulation bill after being called out as the second largest recipient of campaign donations by groups that lobbied for a similar bill last session. http://wcmcoop.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/dsc06966.jpg?w=200&h=300Sen. Tom Tiffany and Sen. Glenn Grothman, recipients of large campaign donations from mining deregulation advocates. Of the nearly $1 million in campaign donations to 20 Senate and Assembly mining committee members by interests backing mining deregulation, $74,000 went to Sen. Tiffany, according to Victoria McMurray who cited Wisconsin Democracy Campaign finance records. Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) was the biggest recipient, cashing in nearly half a million in campaign contributions, while Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) came in third with $52,000 in donations. Tiffany interrupted McMurray’s testimony, telling her to, “write a letter to the editor” before calling the last person to testify, who had already been informed she was next. As soon as Celeste Lorigan finished speaking, Tiffany brought the gavel down on the hearing declaring it adjourned, despite a prior agreement with Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo) to allow the minority party a closing statement before adjournment. Both Tiffany and co-chair Rep. Mary Williams (R-Medford) were escorted out the the hearing room by State Troopers and Capitol Police officers. The hearing ended much as it began twelve hours earlier: In chaos with a highly visible police presence and the co-chairs struggling to maintain a tight grip on the proceedings. Williams spent nearly five minutes at the beginning of the hearing reciting a litany of rules, restrictions and prohibited behavior that included interpretive dance, singing, pictures and props. The corporate influence and biased nature of the proceedings were evident throughout the day. According to Williams’ rules, the bill’s sponsors would be given 10 minutes to speak, and the Department of Natural Resources would be given 5. Everybody else was supposed to restrict their remarks to 2 minutes, with time allowed for committee members to ask a maximum of two questions. But it was no surprise when the CEO, Chief Engineer and lobbyist for Gogebic Taconite – the company that is proposing to blast a 1,000 foot deep open pit mine 21 miles long and half a mile across at the headwaters of the Bad River near the shores of Lake Superior – took up nearly an hour of the committee’s time. GTac was also allowed to show pictures and graphs – something others were prohibited from doing. Several hundreds of people had traveled to Madison – many from the extreme northwest part of the state – in order to have their say on the bill, but fewer than 60 got the chance. Advocates for the bill were given pride of place at the beginning of the day. For the final three hours only those opposed to the legislation remained, and there were hundreds still in the queue. Even though this was the only hearing on the bill, two organizations that are major stakeholders in mining permitting processes in Wisconsin were not formally invited to testify. They had to sign up and wait for their two minutes just like everybody else. When her turn came, Rebecca Grasser of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said, “I don’t know if there was some mix up, but we weren’t invited to testify.” The Army Corps has a large amount of authority in Wisconsin regarding the regulation of discharges into wetlands and navigable waters that are considered “waters of the United States.” They are on record as saying that the scope of deregulation in this bill would likely require the Army Corps to require a parallel permitting process for a mining company, instead of a collaborative one with the Wisconsin DNR. http://wcmcoop.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/shirl.jpg?w=610Shirl LaBarre registering Recall Jauch campaign at the GAB March 25, 2012. Photo by Whitney Steffen Also not invited was the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, the member organization of the 11 Ojibwe tribes that have natural resource management rights based on treaties that govern the entire northern third of the state. By executive order, Wisconsin state agencies are required to consult with tribes on any matters that would affect their rights in ceded territories. But there has been no consultation with them regarding the bill, even though the proposed mine would be located in ceded territory and near the border of the Bad River reservation. The Koch Brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity, whose Wisconsin state director is an ex-Chief of Staff for one of the bill’s co-sponsors, Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford), organized buses to bring mining supporters in from Milwaukee and the Fox Cities area. Many of them filled out slips registering for the bill, but only a few testified. Other Republican political operatives masquerading as ordinary citizens were also given privileged spots in the testifying lineup. Most notable was Shirl LaBarre, who said, “I’m just here as a wife and a mom and a third generation plumbing family.” What she neglected to mention was that the owner of GTac, coal billionaire Chris Cline, organized $7,000 in contributions for her failed 2010 campaign for Assembly. She also did not disclose her leadership role in a failed attempt to recall Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) who has opposed mining deregulation. Rep. Mark Honadel (R-Oak Creek), one of the three co-sponsors of the bill also received direct campaign donations from Cline and his associates in 2010. Other testifiers in favor of the bill were lobbyists for the Operating Engineers Union, United Sportsmen of Wisconsin, and the National Rifle Association whose lobbyist said that GTac had approached the NRA two years ago with plans to turn the reclaimed mine site into a long-range shooting facility. At the conclusion of the hearing, Rep. Clark requested Sen. Tiffany to reconvene so that he could make a statement on behalf of the minority party, as previously agreed to. When Tiffany refused, Clark was reduced to shouting above the din: “Clearly, this hearing was insufficient. Please consider scheduling another hearing in northern Wisconsin.” http://wcmcoop.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/million-dollar-bill.jpg?w=300&h=134

Hundreds of people from across the state came to the Capitol yesterday to have a say in the mining debate. The League of Women Voters submitted this statement in opposition to the proposed mining legislation. Here is an interesting account of the abrupt ending of the 12-hour hearing. See Clean Wisconsin's mining fact sheet for details about Assembly Bill 1/Senate Bill 1. Senators Cullen and Schultz have introduced an alternative mining bill, based on more than 20 hours of testimony taken last fall from mining experts, state and federal regulators, and environmental advocates. Senator Cullen has announced he intends to hold a listening session soon in Ashland County, near the site of the proposed mine. The League has not taken a position on the alternative proposal. The bipartisan Wisconsin Transportation Finance and Policy Commission this week released its final report: Keep Wisconsin Moving: Smart Investments, Measurable Results. According to the Wisconsin Budget Project blog, revenue for the state Transportation Fund would be boosted by about $6.8 billion over the next ten years if lawmakers would enact the recommendations in the report. The Commission recommends using the additional revenue to increase spending by about $479 million per year, including $36.3 million for public transit. The League will support the allocation for public transit and other parts of the report, with details forthcoming. Click here to see the full report.

Dear SWWAP, http://www.alfranken.com/page/-/email/franken_1301_overturn-cu_email.pngYou don’t need me to tell you how much damage Citizens United has caused in the three years since the decision came down. You just need to turn on a TV. Corporate-backed special interests own the airwaves come election time -- and, all too often, they own our elections, too. We could mark the three-year anniversary of Citizens United by crying in our grape soda. Or we could mark it by fighting back. A group of Senators -- including Sherrod Brown, Mark Begich, Jon Tester, Max Baucus & Tom Udall -- and I are teaming up to make a new push to undo the disastrous effects of Citizens United. Want in? Just click here and sign our petition. Make no mistake: Progressives can still win big fights, even three years after Citizens United. But the longer we let this decision stand, the harder it’s going to be. The more influence these corporate special interests have over our elections, the more influence they’ll have over our government -- and the harder it will be for us to enact reform. It’s a vicious cycle. And that’s why now is such an important moment for action. Three years of Citizens United is enough -- please sign our petition and help us restore our democracy! There’s nothing nice to say about Citizens United. And there’s nothing to celebrate on its anniversary. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something to mark the occasion. Let’s commit to undoing the effects of Citizens United -- and let’s restore our democracy. Thanks, Al

Martin Luther King, Jr's rich legacy of seeking justice through non-violence speaks to our values at Move to Amend. http://movetoamend.nationbuilder.com/assets/mailings/17/MLK-FM-Meme2.jpgWe can only speculate how our collective destiny may have been altered had King not been assassinated. Would he be railing against the corporate corruption of our country? From his April 4, 1967 "Beyond Vietnam" speech: “When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered." It is hard to imagine that King would not have joined the broad forces opposing the imbalance of power in our government and economic systems. It is ironic that on this day in which we celebrate King’s life, we also observe the third anniversary of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. Beyond invalidating years of campaign finance law, it is important to understand that Citizens United was just the latest of many egregious decisions expanding personhood rights to corporations. While this anniversary reminds us that the threat to our democracy is very real, our job is to raise the level of understanding among our friends, networks and in our communities with the message that overturningCitizens United alone will not fix the problem of corporate control. The necessary resolution is the Move to Amend constitutional amendment to get corporations out of control of our government and legal system, and money out of our politics. In the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, please spread the word about Move to Amend with your friends -- via email, Facebook, Twitter -- please ask them to sign our organizing petition and get involved with the fight to amend the US Constitution and to build a movement for real democracy that will put people in charge. Use this link to spread the word: http://movetoamend.nationbuilder.com/petition! In solidarity, Ashley Sanders, Ben Manski, Daniel Lee, Egberto Willies, Jerome Scott, Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, Laura Bonham, George Friday, Nancy Price Move to Amend National Leadership Team PS -- If your friends will need some convincing, you can also share the link to our article published on Common Dreams yesterday -- check it out here: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/01/20-5. And please "like" and "share" it to social media to help bump up the article's popularity on the Common Dreams website so even more people are exposed to Move to Amend. Thank you! MOVE TO AMEND PO Box 610, Eureka CA 95502 | (707) 269-0984 | www.MoveToAmend.org We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights.

ACTION ALERT: On Wed. January 23, 9 AM - 9 PM there will be a hearing in Madison about the "new" mining bill. This bill is as awful as the old one according to Conservation Voters. PLEASE COME to the hearing if at all possible to testify against it. If you can't make it, please do two things: Tell as many other people of this as you can, and ask them to either come to the hearing, or send an email to BOTH Sen Lehman AND Sen Tiffany registering your vote against it. Lehmen will make sure it gets into the record, but Tiffany is the official one receiving the information for the committee.Please...if you care about the State at all, please take the time to send the email. A mine in the Penokee HIlls would be disaster for the entire region. It would not bring jobs of any sizable proportion and instead do severe damage to the watershed from which the entire area draws our water. It will economically ruin us. In order to stop this, we need every single person to participate. Please, write an email saying NO to the "new" mining bill. Sen.Tiffany@legis.wi.gov Sen.Lehman@legis.wisconsin.gov

Top Ten Reasons to KILL THE BILL AB426—on Mining http://wcmcoop.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/beforeafter.jpg?w=610Before and after a mine 1. AB426 violates Anishinaabe Treaty Rights that require the state of Wisconsin to consult with the tribes on issues that affect their land. The EPA confirms their right to regulate water and air quality on ceded land that affects their reservation. Bad River Tribe has stated the mine will destroy their wild rice, pollute their air and poison their fish. 2. AB426 was written by members of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Commission, and designed for the sole benefit of GTAC mining. All but one of the Republican members of the Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee are ALEC members. 3. AB426 silences the voice of the public by removing contested case hearings and limits public hearings to one as opposed to three in current law. 4. AB426 allows mining corporations to dump toxic mine waste into sensitive wetlands and floodplains and contaminate the groundwater of neighboring properties. 5. AB426 would allow GTAC to use as much as 41 million gallons of water each day, more than the daily water use of the entire city of Madison. 6. AB426 violates the historic Great Lakes Compact by allowing groundwater pumping that will cause environmental harm. 7. AB426 would allow the Gogebic Taconite mine to produce massive amounts of waste that would be placed directly into waterways, and relaxes the information a company must give to DNR for their mining plans. 8. AB426 eliminates accountability and scientific decisions for permitting a mine and requires DNR to issue a permit for a mine’s water withdrawals even if a company can’t protect the public, waterfront owners and the environment from damage, as long as the DNR determines that the public benefits of a mine “exceed any injury to public rights.” 9. AB426 will allow GTAC to destroy wild rice beds, pollute fish with mercury poisoning, and permanently destroy miles of world-class trout streams that can never be replaced. 10. AB426 changes definitions in the current mining moratorium to make sure that law would not apply to mining even if sulfide-containing materials are found. Call your legislator and tell them, Kill the Bill! Sources: Clean Wisconsin, AB426 & Bad River Tribe From: http://wcmcoop.com/2012/01/15/top-ten-reasons-to-kill-the-bill-ab426-on-mining/

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Us0CvZHU-Kg/UPRGVUeVWNI/AAAAAAAABRQ/6usjE24IK-0/s1600/WDC+logo.jpgThe business of radio broadcasting has become a largely unsustainable model; newspapers and news magazines struggle to find ways, in the digital age, to stay alive. TV news operations – local, national, over-the-airwaves, and cable – have been steadily downsized for the past five years. Local TV news operations in Wisconsin and a handful of other states which had highly contested political races in the past election cycle (Tammy vs. Tommy, etc.) got a huge infusion of cash that may have forestalled further downsizing by a year or two. At a time when we need more investigative journalism than ever before to keep track of the vast sums of anonymous cash that fuel increasingly negative and insulting political ad campaigns, it’s disappearing. In large part, investigative journalism has been supplanted by bloggers - some more well-intentioned than others, others blatantly partisan - and well-financed sources of deliberate disinformation. That’s why it’s so disappointing that the Midwest's largest funder of independent, non-partisan examination of politics and political spending, the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation, has abruptly pulled the plug on its funding for the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign after 16 years of continued support. This is a huge blow to the budget of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, one that’s going to be very challenging to the continued operations of our state’s premier organization, in its mission of delivering unbiased political analysis and political fundraising accountability. That’s why this blind-side from the Joyce Foundation sucks so much. Essentially every news organization in the state has relied on the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to provide untainted information. Now, when we need this kind of information the most, with dwindling resources in every newsroom in the state, its existence is threatened. As the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Mike McCabe, has said, “Somebody needs to follow the money in Wisconsin politics. Somebody needs to show how all that money contaminates public policymaking. Somebody needs to expose corruption, blow the whistle on wrongdoing, and fight to keep government as clean, open, and honest as possible.” Increasingly, that job has been done by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, filling in the huge staffing gaps that exist in newsrooms in our state. Hence, the title of this post, “No Good Deed” – and, its modern suffix, “goes unpunished”. I encourage you to join my wife and me in donating whatever you can to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. It’s as easy as logging onto theirwebsite. I’ve never understood why so many people on the right think organizations like the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union, to name only two, are “left-leaning” organizations. They’re not. They exist to help protect the constitutional rights of every American, and to fulfill the Jeffersonian demand for a well-informed citizenry. Every citizen, regardless of political bent, should support organizations like these. I have never, since I started this blog in 2009, asked my readers to contribute to anything.I’m asking now.It’s that important.Posted by Tim Morrissey , http://timmorrissey.blogspot.com/2013/01/no-good-deed.html

Ask any Capitol watcher what tops the agenda for the 2013-2014 legislative session, and it doesn't take long for mining to come up. A mining bill is coming any day nowand is expected to be acted on early in the session. The question is whether the bill has any hope of actually producing a mine. Discussion of mining legislation centers around a proposed iron ore mine in the Penokee-Gogebic Range in the northern part of the state. The project has more than its share of doubters. Experts question its economic feasibility, pointing out that the ore is relatively low-grade not to mention deeply buried and hard to reach, quite possibly making the mine cost prohibitive. Then there is the fact that the proposed mine's location is upstream from tribal land and would have a considerable environmental impact on the headwaters of the Bad River watershed. No state law can make the Army Corps of Engineers ignore its obligation to follow federal environmental protection laws during its review and approval process. Nor can any state law make the Bad River Band of Chippewa Indians surrender their treaty rights and their federally delegated authority to protect the watershed. So this mining project seems doomed, either because it doesn't make economic sense or because of federal regulators or because of an inevitable tribal lawsuit. Looks like state legislators are in a huge rush to pass legislation greasing the skids for mining that contains no grease. Looks like a fool's mission on the surface. But something tells me there is much more to this than meets the eye. There are at least three reasons state politicians might be eager to pass a mining bill that is exceedingly unlikely to result in the mine they claim they want and Wisconsin needs. Reason #1: It's not iron ore lawmakers are interested in mining. Mining interests started making campaign contributions in Wisconsin in the summer of 2010. There is a lot more where that came from. Earlier this year, the day after telling reporters there was a way to breathe life back into the Penokee-Gogebic mining project, Governor Scott Walker embarked on a very successful mining expedition to the faraway hometown of the man behind the mine. Reason #2: What they really are looking to dig up is a way to divert attention and deflect criticism. By one measure after another, Wisconsin is lagging badly in job creation. For all their promises to jumpstart the economy, state officials still have a dead battery on their hands. Those in charge know they stand to get blamed and they need cover. What to do? Pass a bill promising an economic boom and when it produces exactly what is to be realistically expected, which is nothing, throw up your hands in mock frustration and shift the blame for the state's woeful job-creation record to the feds and the tribes and the environmentalists and every last legislator who votes against the bill. Reason #3: They don't want this mine, they want something else even more controversial. Pro-mining legislators let the industry write the legislation and showed no interest whatsoever in the input of tribal officials or the Army Corps of Engineers. That's curious since mining in the Penokee-Gogebic Range has huge environmental implications for the Bad River watershed, so this project necessarily gets caught up in the messy business of treaty rights and tribal sovereignty. And blowing off the Army Corps only stands to lengthen a review and approval process that business interests and their legislative supporters say they want to shorten. Makes no sense if you actually want this particular iron ore mine to happen. Starts making sense if Penokee-Gogebic is a trojan horse concealing the true motives for shortcircuiting the state permitting process and rewriting Wisconsin's environmental protection laws. All this legislative maneuvering for a project that has all the makings of a lost cause serves a purpose if what you are really trying to do is lay the groundwork for another form of mining that is even more environmentally sensitive than iron ore mining or some other kind of politically explosive land use that would best not be publicly acknowledged until after ground has been broken . . . nowhere near any reservation, of course, so as to avoid countless trips to federal court. images/MI_mine.jpg

Key Note Speakers Mike McCabe Executive Director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Lisa Graves Executive Director of Center for Media and Democracy 18 Breakout Sessions Saturday February 16, 2013 Registration 8:30 to 9:20 Suggested Donation $12 Donation (Includes Lunch) Wisconsin Heights High 10173 State Hwy 14 Mazomanie, WI wisconsingrassroots.net Nate: (608) 220-0139

New lawmakers were sworn in earlier this week with a lot of talk of bipartisanship. We'll see how that translates into action. Mining. One thing that does not bode well is that Senators Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) have not been assigned by their party leaderships to the mining committee. The two senators led a Select Committee in 2012 to study the issues and devise mining legislation that “provides the certainty the industry asked for while also protecting our environment, especially our water,” according to Sen. Cullen, quoted in The Capital Times. The League of Women Voters believes mining policy should not weaken environmental protection, and it must provide ample opportunities for citizen input and, when needed, legal remedy. State budget. Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig says that of all the budget decisions Governor Walker is likely to make this year, “none will have a bigger impact than whether Wisconsin accepts over $12 billion in federal health care reform money over the next decade to fill the holes in BadgerCare.” Read Kraig's column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Last fall John Keckhaver, who leads a public policy consulting firm in Madison, spoke to the League’s legislative committee about how to follow the state budget. He noted the budget is a “nearly continuous process.” Last year the Governor sent instructions to state agencies, and the agencies submitted their requests. In February the Governor will release the executive budget, which will be introduced as legislation. It will have analysis and hearings before having a vote in each house. Here are ways to follow the budget process: Visit the Legislative Fiscal Bureau website for official documents and nonpartisan summaries Subscribe to Keckhaver’s budget alerts on his website Subscribe to the Wisconsin Budget Project blog Call your legislator’s office with specific questions. Find the League on Facebook!

New lawmakers were sworn in earlier this week with a lot of talk of bipartisanship. We'll see how that translates into action. Mining. One thing that does not bode well is that Senators Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) and Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) have not been assigned by their party leaderships to the mining committee. The two senators led a Select Committee in 2012 to study the issues and devise mining legislation that “provides the certainty the industry asked for while also protecting our environment, especially our water,” according to Sen. Cullen, quoted in The Capital Times. The League of Women Voters believes mining policy should not weaken environmental protection, and it must provide ample opportunities for citizen input and, when needed, legal remedy. State budget. Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig says that of all the budget decisions Governor Walker is likely to make this year, “none will have a bigger impact than whether Wisconsin accepts over $12 billion in federal health care reform money over the next decade to fill the holes in BadgerCare.” Read Kraig's column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Last fall John Keckhaver, who leads a public policy consulting firm in Madison, spoke to the League’s legislative committee about how to follow the state budget. He noted the budget is a “nearly continuous process.” Last year the Governor sent instructions to state agencies, and the agencies submitted their requests. In February the Governor will release the executive budget, which will be introduced as legislation. It will have analysis and hearings before having a vote in each house. Here are ways to follow the budget process: Visit the Legislative Fiscal Bureau website for official documents and nonpartisan summaries Subscribe to Keckhaver’s budget alerts on his website Subscribe to the Wisconsin Budget Project blog Call your legislator’s office with specific questions. Find the League on Facebook!

images/MI_mine.jpgWisconsin faces a number of threats to our water, air, and culture from mining. WNPJ played a pivotal role in defeating an attempt to rewrite the state's mining law last spring to facilitate a massive open-pit iron mine. But legislators from both parties are working to draft a compromise mining bill that could significantly reduce current environmental protections and allow new mining that wouldn't otherwise take place. Republicans want to simply re-introduce AB426, the previous failed bill. Gogebic Taconite, the mining company owned by coal magnate Chris Cline, which pushed for the first bill, has said that if the law changes they would again pursue their proposed 22-mile-long Penokee Mine. The mine would be near the headwaters of the Tyler Forks and Bad Rivers, upstream of the Bad River Ojibwe Reservation and the Kakagon Sloughs, the largest and ecologically richest wetlands complex on Lake Superior. Mining companies are also interested in sulfide deposits in Oneida County, along the Michigan border, and near Wausau. These projects recently suffered setbacks, but Wisconsin's unique mining moratorium law, which has kept out dangerous sulfide mining since 1998, is being targeted by the mining industry for repeal in the upcoming mining bill. In western and central Wisconsin Frac Sand mining is turning much of our rural countryside into quarry pits, contaminating the air with silica dust and pumping out massive amounts of groundwater, to provide a product necessary for the dangerous fossil fuel extraction process called hydrofracking. A petition by ten citizens, supported by over 80 medical professionals, asking the DNR to regulate silica dust from sand operations as a hazardous air pollutant was recently rejected by the agency, despite silica dust being a known to cause lung cancer and silicosis. While some communities have passed moratoriums on new sand mining, the number of mines more than doubled between the summers of 2011 and 2012, from 41 to 87. Mining companies and their supporters claim that mining is good for economic development, but real-world data on mining economies paints a different picture. In addition to perpetual environmental problems, mining damages the cultural lifeways and livelihoods of indigenous people. In Wisconsin, Native American tribes were instrumental in fighting off sulfide mining in Wisconsin and passing the state's landmark mining moratorium law in 1998. They have taken an out-front position against the proposed Penokee Mine. Follow the links below for more information on mining in the state. Sign the petition to protect the mining moratorium law and stop new destructive legislation

Area ResourcesBlue Mounds Food Pantry - In June, 2010 we opened a permanent Food Pantry at 11010 Blackhawk Drive in the Blue Mounds Industrial park. Pantry hours are Thursdays from 9 to 11am and 4 to 6pm. There are no residence restrictions and patrons can visit weekly. Mt. Horeb Food Pantry - The Mount Horeb Area Food Pantry is designed to provide food and other household items to individuals/families who live in the Mount Horeb Area School District and whom are experiencing temporary struggles in obtaining basic necessities due to illness, unemployment, underemployment or other crisis. The Mount Horeb Area Food Pantry is Located at: 102 East Lincoln StreetMount Horeb, Wisconsin. Mt. Horeb Clothes Closet - Assistance with communities clothing needs. Located at 102 E, Lincoln St. in Mt. Horeb. Hours are 10 am - noon on the 2nd & 4th Saturdays, and 5-7 pm on the 3rd Thursday. Contact Rayne Arneson at 437-5902. Senior Outreach - 107 N. Grove St., Mount Horeb, WI 53572, Phone: 608-437-6902, Fax: 608-437-3190 Email: swdaneoutreach@mounthorebwi.info - ALL SENIORS ARE WELCOME! Southwest Dane Outreach/Nutriion - Located at 107 N. Grove Street in Mt. Horeb. Concact Lynn Forshaug at (608) 437-6902 Bargain Nook - Donations for a cause. The dollars generated by your generous donations of merchandise support the mission of Hodan Center, Inc. in two ways. First, by providing work opportunities for people with disabilities at our Bargain Nook stores. And, secondly, by generating revenues that are used to provide life enriching opportunities in and through Hodan Center's many service programs. Other Community Organizations Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society - The purposes and activities of the Mount Horeb Area Historical Society are to preserve, advance and disseminate knowledge of the history, art and culture of Southwestern Dane County. Contact the Society @ 138 E. Main St.Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 (608) 437-6486. The Society Museum on South Second Street , has a exhibit on Fighting Bob La Follette. mthorebhistory@mhtc.net Many Other local organizations can by accessed by going to this web page.

Position on Mining Legislation The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network opposes any new mining legislation that weakens environmental protections or reduces opportunities for citizen comment or legal redress. Current mining law balances the needs of mining companies against the public interest in clean air and water. It recognizes that mining inevitably leads to pollution and destruction of natural areas, yet offers reasonable environmental protection if the DNR is vigilant, and has sufficient staff, time, and information. Any compromise of these elements would constitute a give-away of our natural heritage and our civic legacy. Adopted by LWV Ashland-Bayfield Counties board of directors August 15, 2011; recommended by LWVWI Education Network Legislative Committee August 16, 2011; adopted by LWVWI Education Network board of directors August 19, 2011.

Position on Mining Legislation The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network opposes any new mining legislation that weakens environmental protections or reduces opportunities for citizen comment or legal redress. Current mining law balances the needs of mining companies against the public interest in clean air and water. It recognizes that mining inevitably leads to pollution and destruction of natural areas, yet offers reasonable environmental protection if the DNR is vigilant, and has sufficient staff, time, and information. Any compromise of these elements would constitute a give-away of our natural heritage and our civic legacy. Adopted by LWV Ashland-Bayfield Counties board of directors August 15, 2011; recommended by LWVWI Education Network Legislative Committee August 16, 2011; adopted by LWVWI Education Network board of directors August 19, 2011.

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/28ea86dd7c46f5cfdcf3e4a00/files/LWVEN_logo_from_website.GIF What a year for voters in Wisconsin! Six statewide elections in ten months, a bitter mining debate and several new laws which threaten democracy in our state. Yet the people were up to the challenge. Wisconsinites voted in record numbers, spoke out at public hearings, wrote to their representatives, and challenged laws that violated our constitution. Thank you for being part of the action!Despite restrictive new laws, local Leagues across the state registered thousands of voters. Leagues conducted public forums to educate voters and wrote letters to lawmakers and newspapers, calling out attempts to weaken our democracy. The League won a key court victory in March, resulting in a permanent injunction on the unconstitutional Wisconsin voter ID law. The case is currently in Appeals Court and is likely headed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2013. Next year is shaping up to bring more challenges! Lawmakers are already talking about taking away same-day registration, politicizing the Government Accountability Board, and instituting a new photo ID law. They are already drafting legislation to make it harder for people to vote – before addressing the need for jobs! With your help, the League of Women Voters will continue to fight voter suppression in Wisconsin. The League will advocate in 2013 for positive reforms to modernize voter registration and reduce the influence of special interest money in our elections. We will fight to protect our natural resources, as well as citizen input, in our state's mining laws. We will work for a state budget that stewards tax dollars wisely and protects our most vulnerable citizens. The League needs your support to continue to be a vibrant and visible advocate for good government in Wisconsin. Please make a tax-deductible contribution today. Here are three ways to do it: 1. Designate your gift for the Voter ID Lawsuit. There is still a matching gift challenge until the end of the year! 2. Support the League’s ongoing advocacy and education with a gift to where it’s needed most. 3. Become a sustaining advocate. Setting up a monthly contribution is easy, convenient and secure. Thank you so much for your all you have done this year to make democracy work in Wisconsin. Our work is cut out for us in 2013, and we can’t do it without you. Sincerely, Melanie Melanie G. Ramey President P.S. You can support both the state League and your local League by checking the“Birthday Club” box when you contribute! Find the League on Facebook! Copyright © 2012 League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email either as a League member or because you requested to be added to the list. Our mailing address is: 612 W. Main St, Suite 200 Madison, WI 53703

Wisconsin Grassroots Network is almost 5 years old, originating as the Dane Grassroots Network. We network more than 70 Grassroots groups across Wisconsin, expecting to increase that number. We provide support, training and strategy sessions statewide to promote progressive values and candidates. We host annual progressive events such as the Annual Wisconsin Grassroots Festival at Wisconsin Heights H.S. in Mazomanie, WI. We are an important part of the 'feet on the ground' in every contest for justice and good policies in Wisconsin; supporting great candidates, helping groups get started and continue to grow across Wisconsin. We welcome questions and contact from you if you wish more information. Please use the comment box below to reach us. Please JOIN our efforts to connect the many grassroots folks in Wisconsin by registering with us. We charge no membership, we offer the advantages of collaboration and cooperation between groups and individuals interested in preserving the progressive idea in Wisconsin! By joining, a group or an individual can post events, blog on our site, and keep informed about the grassroots movement all across Wisconsin. Come along with us and together we will be the Heartbeat of the Progressive movement in Wisconsin! You will find a news feed, Twitter, and Facebook contact! We welcome you!

Wisconsin Environmental laws to be XXX (Examined, Explored and Explained) “Wisconsin's water and wild places” sounds like the makings of a new theme park, but the topics are anything but child's play to Sierra Club's local chapter director Shahla M.Werner, Ph.D. She will present an update on new laws affecting water, air and wild places in Wisconsin and will also address likely environment-related bills to be tossed about inWisconsin lawmakers' next session. The talk will be held on Mon. Jan. 14, 7 PM at the Mount Horeb Community Center on 107 N. Grove St. Mount Horeb. Southwest Wisconsin Area Progressives (SWWAP), a local democracy-in-action group serving the Mount Horeb area since 2004, is sponsoring the event. For further info contact Sierra Club, John Muir Chapter at 608-256-0565, or check SWWAP.org. The public is invited to attend.

Southwest Wisconsin Area Progressives (SWWAP) WISCONSIN SIERRA CLUB DIRECTOR TO SPEAK IN MOUNT HOREB JAN. 14 Wisconsin Environmental laws to be XXX (Examined, Explored and Explained) “Wisconsin's water and wild places” sounds like the makings of a new theme park, but the topics are anything but child's play to Sierra Club's local chapter director Shahla M.Werner, Ph.D. She will present an update on new laws affecting water, air and wild places in Wisconsin and will also address likely environment-related bills to be tossed about inWisconsin lawmakers' next session. The talk will be held on Mon. Jan. 14, 7 PM at the Mount Horeb Community Center on 107 N. Grove St. Mount Horeb. Southwest Wisconsin Area Progressives (SWWAP), a local democracy-in-action group serving the Mount Horeb area since 2004, is sponsoring the event. For further info contact Sierra Club, John Muir Chapter at 608-256-0565, or check SWWAP.org. The public is invited to attend.