Wednesday, January 23, 2013
12:55 PM
Rep from Army Corps of Engineers testifies, other residents of Northwoods weigh in
Rebecca Graser, a representative for the Army Corps of Engineers, essentially repeated her previous assertion that the corps' timeline can't be dictated by state deadlines.
"We don't have hard time frames to complete those reviews," Graser said. "What is more important than meeting those time frames is to make sure we have good information."
Graser dodged most questions about the corps' role in permitting the GTAC mine specifically, but did say that the extended timeline in the new GOP bill would make it easier for the corps to work with the DNR.
However, she couldn't say whether the bill would make it more or less likely that the corps and the DNR could work together on an Environmental Impact Statement and permitting, saying that it would be dependent on the proposal that would come forward from a permittee.
Graser also said that she did not have oral testimony prepared because there "was some mix up" and she was not invited to testify by the committee.
In addition to Graser, a handful of residents of the area around the mine have testified. They've included a member of the Northwoods Tavern League supporting the mine, a member of local Indian tribes saying they would support a moratorium on mining in the Penokee Range and a group of high school students saying they won't be able to return home after college because there are no opportunities there without something like mining.
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