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 urges the Fillmore County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners to adopt a moratorium on silica mining operations. A moratorium will allow Fillmore County the opportunity to identify and study the consequences of silica mining operations on neighboring residents and farmers.

Goodhue and Wabasha counties have recent adopted moratoria on silica mining operations. Winona and Olmsted county governments are discussing the impact of silica mining. 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 and transporting the sand 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.

A Fillmore County moratorium allows our local government to join with neighboring counties to study the impact of silica mining before we are inundated with it. We can share resources for investigating silica mining. 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."

We urge our local government to listen to its residents and farmers. Don't allow outside mining operators to damage our area. Assess the impact before you allow them to mine. Again, SEMEP urges the Fillmore County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners to adopt a moratorium on silica mining operations. We all live downstream!

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.