say about that case. >> Reporting from Madison.
I'm Zach Schulze for "Here& Now".
>> On the current Supreme Court. Former Chief Justice
Annette Ziegler announced this week she will not seek
reelection, opening another seat on the High Court for
the spring election of 2027. Last week, we reported on
exploratory mining happening again in northern
Wisconsin. The company, Greenlight Metals is
looking for gold and copper and other minerals in
Taylor County. After the repeal in 2017 of
Wisconsin's old mining law, Wisconsin's prove it. First
law, otherwise known as the mining moratorium, was
passed in 1997 and required mining companies to
demonstrate where anyone had safely operated a
metallic sulfide mine for at least ten years, and
also where a mine had been safely closed for ten years.
The mining company and environmental groups
disagree on whether that standard could be proven if
it was still in place today. In 2017, Republicans in the
legislature, led by then state Senator Tom Tiffany,
eliminated those provisions as part of our continuing
series examining the biggest issues in the race
for governor "Here& Now". Senior political reporter
Zac Schultz asked the candidates about mining.
>> Roughly Greenlight Metals the Wisconsin
chapter of the Sierra Club. And the friends of the
yellow River are well aware. Control of the legislature
and governor's office could flip this fall, meaning the
regulations governing mining in Wisconsin could
be up for debate. We asked the leading candidates for
governor what they thought about mining in Wisconsin,
and if they would seek to change the current
regulations. >> You know, I think that
we've seen decades of us ignoring people's rights
when it comes to some of that land, whether it's our
tribal nations in the state and also ignoring the
economic, I'm sorry, the environmental impact on
some of our areas. Natural resources in Wisconsin are
the basis of our economy. We have to protect them,
while at the same time we have to use them
responsibly. We have to make sure that our mining
laws are in tune with current mindset around how
we protect people's rights in in the land and
protecting the environment with making sure that we
keep using the resources in a responsible way.
>> There has to be community buy in and
community input for people who have made their homes
in a, in an area, you know, 20, 30 years passed down
generation to generation. I think that folks should
have some input on what happens in their backyard.
And all I'm saying is have the conversation. That's
the important part. When we have those those times
where we're mining may come up and in a part of the
state. Yeah, well, talk to the community. Like let's
talk it out because the only thing that happens is
more resentment. If that conversation doesn't happen.
>> I am staunchly opposed to the type of mining as
well as drilling. When it comes to line five. I have
been vocal about my opposition there. I think
the dangers that this is presenting to communities
who have already seen services be cut, their
schools, you know, closing. I think that having this
type of, you know, this type of harmful. These
types of harmful groups coming in to impact local
environments and the quality of life. It's, it's
really unfortunate. And I think it's very important
that we look at how to hold these corporations
accountable. >> What I think we need to
do is to make sure we have a really good environmental
assessment for permitting for those mines, and to
make sure that we are talking with the local
communities. If tribal nations are involved, we
are having those open conversations with them and
making sure that we're not having the environmental
impact that would be negative for Wisconsin.
>> I think one of the most important things that we
have in Wisconsin, a differentiator that we have
in Wisconsin versus other places around the country,
is the natural beauty, the ability that we have to go
out and enjoy Wisconsin. And that's not a partizan
issue. That's not an ideological issue. That's a
a vision that we share for the state. And so as we
think about anything that would do any potential harm
to the state of Wisconsin, I think we need to be very
cautious about that. I think there are issues
around economic development that I think we need to try
to find that right balance. And if it's time to revisit
that issue or it's time to have that conversation, I'd
be all for it. >> I thought we did a good
job of writing the last mining bill for two reasons.
One is we made sure that we had the toughest mining law
in the United States so that we are going to
protect the environment. We also provided for local
control. I think it's really important for locals
to be able to have input in regards to these projects.
But this is something I mean, we've got a long,
great history. I mean, we have a miner on our flag,
right? And we have a long, proud history of mining
here in in Wisconsin. >> Well, it's about working
with the local municipalities, working
stakeholders that are on the ground and making sure
that the work group that we can put together are giving
us the best information possible to make the best
decisions. That's going to have a huge impact that can
have a huge impact on the environment, as well as a
new industry here in the state of Wisconsin. And so
you have to take that on a case by case basis and
really working with all the stakeholders to make sure
that we're making the best decision possible.
>> I think the current law has worked well for us. I
want to see mining companies prove first
before they open up a hillside and pollute our
water, that they're going to be able to extract
things in a safe way that is consistent with our
natural resources management and our