Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood Township — Expressing concern about the loss of local control, the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees agreed Monday to send Gov. Rick Snyder a letter in opposition to a proposed law changing the way small copper mines are regulated.
Supervisor Steve Boyd initially brought up concerns about the loss of local control in SB 129 — which changes the way smaller, native copper mines are regulated — saying that while the the most recent version of the bill allows for water quality monitoring; it prevents municipalities from regulating things such as hours of operation, truck routes and distance from neighboring homes.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, who introduced the bill currently headed to Snyder’s desk for signature, told the Daily Globe it was introduced as the current regulations were intended for large-scale projects.
“(The current law) was really designed around a major operation that is really changing the landscape around it,” he said, around the time of the bill’s passage in the Senate in March, comparing the mines to a gravel pit.
Casperson argued these requirements are too strict and deter investment in the smaller developments, as they can’t generate enough profit to make the investment worthwhile.
On Monday, Trustee Kevin Lyons brought up Casperson’s gravel pit analogy; saying he was worried the law would allow companies to skirt the township’s regulations regarding pits.
“My personal reservation about this whole bill is it sounds like a very small operation and they say they are going to be taking out copper. My concern looking at this was it seems very much like it’s almost like a gravel pit. What is to prevent somebody from coming in and saying, ‘Oh, I’m looking for copper?’ They go through and do all this crushing and blasting, saying, ‘Oh jeez, there’s not enough copper here. But I have all this gravel sitting here. Why can’t I take that and dispose of it and try to recoup some of my money.’” Lyons said. “I have a lot of reservations about this bill, I don’t have a lot of trust in the direction it’s headed.”
Casperon told the Daily Globe in March he wasn’t concerned the bill would lay the groundwork for rolling back gravel regulations as those had already been unsuccessfully challenged in court.
He also said it was better to address issues with individual operations as they arise, rather than prematurely over-regulate the potential mines.
The proposed legislation would apply to mines generating between 10,000 and 75,000 tons of waste rock per year, which information from Casperson’s office said translated to an acre of rock piled between four and 27 feet high.
Lyons also took issue with the 75,000 ton ceiling, saying that could translate to as many as 17 trucks hauling out of an operation each day for six months straight.
Lyons said he wanted the letter to express to Snyder that the township has fought hard to reassert local control on behalf of residents over operations such as gravel pits, and the board was concerned the bill would undo that effort.
“When local control is gone, it’s gone. We’ll never get it back,” Lyons said.
The board authorized Lyons and Boyd to write the letter conveying the concerns to the governor.
In other action:
—The board passed Resolution 2017-11, formalizing previously approved sewer rate increases that will appear in the June bill. The increases, mandated by the state as part of a grant the township received to update its system, will increase the flat rate from $21.85 to $22.15, and the commodity rate determined by actual usage will increase 10 cents from $7.20 to $7.30 per 1,000 gallons used.
This translates to an increase of roughly 50 to 60 cents per user each month, according to information presented at a previous meeting, with the actual rates varied depending on usage.
—The board also authorized Boyd to sign a contract with the Gogebic County Road Commission for the township’s road repair projects this construction season. According to information presented to the board, the township’s 60 percent share of the projects will cost a total of $166,946. The work will include several projects that were delayed last year, as well as new projects — including resurfacing a portion of Section 12 road.
—The board also approved a $133 sewer credit for a Lake Road residence, due to a leaky toilet, in keeping with township policy.
—Clerk Mary Segalin reported flowers can be placed on graves at the township’s Sunset Acres Cemetery starting Sunday.
—It was also reported the township cleanup day is from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. According to information at the meeting; electronics, hazardous waste and tires aren’t being accepted.
