Last-minute changes to the state budget would strip local governments in Wisconsin of the right to regulate quarries, reports La Crosse Tribune.
Some fear the proposals could be expanded to take away town and county control over the frac sand mines that dot the western part of the state.
The legislature’s budget-writing committee last week approved a package of changes to the spending plan. In addition to stipulations on transportation funding and policy issues, the 18-page memo includes five pages of language devoted to the regulation of quarries that supply sand and gravel for construction.
Among other things, it prohibits counties and municipalities from regulating blasting, hours of operation, and noise, air and water quality. It would also limit the reach of local zoning laws.
The amendment included frac sand mining until two days before the Joint Finance Committee approved it by a 12-4 party line vote Tuesday, according to the Wisconsin Counties Association, which lobbied to narrow the prohibitions to aggregate mining.
“This bill is significantly more palatable now that frac sand is out of this,” said Kyle Christianson, director of government affairs for the counties association.
Christianson said WCA supports uniform statewide air and water quality regulations but believes counties should retain the ability to regulate other aspects of operation. He said his group would strongly oppose any use of a line-item veto on the language, which was agreed to by WCA and the Wisconsin Towns Association.
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, which represents cities and villages, was not included in negotiations and opposes the effort to limit local control.
