SEMEP

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We are a tax exempt, non-profit environmental advocacy organization working to protect Southeastern Minnesota's people, natural assets and environment; while promoting sustainable economic development. We hope that your visit will be informative.

SEMEP NEWS and EVENTS

Silica Mining in Southeastern Minnesota

Southeastern Minnesotans for Environmental Protection (SEMEP) is concerned about the sudden proliferation of silica mining operations in Fillmore County. Within the past few weeks, two property owners submitted applications to the Fillmore County zoning administrator for permits to conduct large scale silica or frac sand mining operations in Holt and Pilot Mound townships.

SEMEP has been urging the Fillmore County Board of Commissioners to adopt a one-year moratorium on silica sand mining operations. A moratorium would allow Fillmore County the opportunity to identify and study the consequences of silica sand mining operations on neighboring residents and farmers. The Fillmore County Board of Commissioners approved a one-year moratorium on silica sand mining in the county. A county committee will now study solutions for amending the county zoning ordinance to better regulate and restrict the siting and operation of sand mines. On the very same day, the neighboring Houston County Board of Commissioners also approved a one-year moratorium on silica sand mining.

Regional opponents of silica sand mining in Winona, Houston and Fillmore counties have launched a website to discuss many of the problems with silica sand mining. Visit this very informative Sand Point Times at www.sandpointtimes.com to get the latest regional information on mining.

Goodhue, Wabasha and Winona counties have recent adopted moratoria on silica sand mining operations. Local governments throughout southeastern Minnesota are concerned that the sudden sprouting of silica mining operations might have adverse impacts that cannot be stopped. The operators of these frac sand pits are not from this area. They are mining companies from Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma. They have no identification with or loyalty toward the neighboring residents and farmers of these frac sand pits. They are simply interested in extracting the silica sand and transporting it to destinations far away from us.

Neighboring residents and farmers are concerned about (i) contamination of local water tables and aquifers, (ii) excessive consumption of water from local water tables and aquifers, (iii) heavy truck traffic, (iv) damage to roads from heavy equipment, (v) hazardous air emissions from silica dust, (vi) adverse impact on livestock, (vii) reduced farming due to increased incompatible industrial activity, (viii) impact on karst and sinkhole areas, and (ix) damage to tourism, real estate values and recreational activities due to increased industrialization in the area.

These outside-of-the-area mining operators do not care about how much of our water they use or what the area looks like once they are finished with us. They only care about extracting our silica sand at the lowest possible cost to them and as fast as they can. Since silica mining is new to us, our county zoning ordinance does not provide strong standards for water consumption, water contamination or land reclamation. Our local government needs time to develop adequate standards to provide operating mandates for these outside-of-the-area mining operators.

The Fillmore County Comprehensive Plan does not even provide for silica mining. We must reconcile this new use with our comprehensive plan. The land use policies section of the Comprehensive Plan declares that county government should "approach making land use decisions with caution, by taking into account the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan."

For additional information on these projects, click on our SEMEP Projects page. SEMEP will report on our progress to determine if these projects have a potential adverse environmental impact upon the communities and natural assets in which they are proposed.