MEDIA

This is where we will publish as much of the media and press coverage that we can. There has been some information dispersed to the public about the changes in legislation, Badger Minerals, their proposed project, the exploratory drilling and the legality of it all, especially when it comes to Badger Minerals using MFL otherwise known as The Managed Forest Law land that is owned by Heartwood Forestry. You can find the information about MFL and the way the land is intended on being used here.

The timeline of these sites start in 2017. This is when Scott Walker and Tom Tiffany decided that they were going to rewrite the legislation, get rid of the “prove it first” methodology and instead open up the State to all forms of mining. They opened the door to pollution, highly toxic sulfide waste, the likes of which nobody wants.

Walker plans to sign “Mining For America” Bill in November 2017. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20171108105404

Walker signs Mining For America Bill in Rhinelander in December 2017. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20171210140258

County officials learn at a seminar called “Mining 101” in Minocqua in January 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20180124181805

As mining ordinance is reviewed by Oneida County, A look at the Town of Lynne site in April 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20180426180310

Public hearing in Oneida County in regards to ordinance, turns into an attack on mining on June 13th. 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20180606223058

New rules on the books-Oneida County board approves overhaul of metallic mining ordinance on June 19th. 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20180619182722

Mining education to begin in Oneida County in August 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20180828185138

Oneida County residents tour town of Lynne site in October 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20181014234347

Lac du Flambeau Tribe issues resolution opposing Oneida County mining ahead of Tuesday’s referendum on November 2nd. 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20181102183245

Board chair: Lynne mine “Off The Table” after convincing referendum vote on Tuesday November 7th. 2018. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20181107184118

WIDNR License’s Oneida County mineral drilling exploration; forthcoming ordinance could increase environmental protections in January 2020. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20200212185913

Sokaogon Chippewa community members, allies march in opposition of Wolf River drilling project in March 2020. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20200308232229

Protesters march in opposition to town of Schoepke Exploratory Drilling site in June 2020. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20200601174838

Town of Monico residents express their concerns about the lack of communication and legality of Badger Minerals Exploratory Drilling Site on June 16th. 2020. https://www.wxpr.org/post/oneida-county-drilling-site-neighbors-claim-lack-communication-legality

Town of Monico residents speak out after not being informed about Badger Minerals Exploratory Drilling Project, adjacent to their land on 06/16/2020. http://waow.com/2020/06/16/wolf-river-drilling-local-residents-and-politicians-speak-out/

Schoepke exploratory drilling blindsides nearby landowner’s on 06/16/2020. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20200616200038

Local candidates share opinion on Oneida County exploratory drilling on 06/23/2020. https://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20200623183939

Badger Minerals Exploratory Drilling is nearly complete on June 24th. 2020. https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/06/24/corporation-plans-to-bring-back-sulfide-mining-to-northwoods-whether-its-safe-or-not/

Badger Minerals license expired for the exploratory drilling on 06/30/2020. However, They are not done yet. https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/07/01/it-could-be-a-decade-before-mining-returns-to-the-northwoods-residents-are-still-worried/

We would like to thank all of the people involved in helping us have our story heard. The reporters we spoke to are Ben Meyer at WXPR, Dan Hagen at WJFW, Tom Lally at WAOW and Jonathan Sodowski at Up North News. Without you, your staff and your Stations we would have never been able to reach out to so many people! Thank you all so much!

So, as of the time of this post on July 3rd. 2020 Badger Minerals license has expired. They are supposedly cleaning up their sites and performing some sort of reclamation of the land. The pictures below are how the land looked on June, 29th. 2020. We wonder how many residents in our great state that enjoy our clean waterways would want this type of project in their neighborhood? We wonder who is accountable for our land valuation now? Who wants to have an Open Pit Copper Sulfide Mine near their precious property? We wonder, now that Oneida County has opened the door to mining, is the town of Lynne site next?

We all need to reach out and contact the WIDNR, Our Legislators, Our State Representative’s, Our County Board Supervisors, anyone and everyone to ensure that the WIDNR does not renew Badger Minerals License. They need to hold public hearings and involve the public just like they did with the town of Lynne project. The town of Schoepke project never had that. The WIDNR approved all of their permits without any public input at all!