|
From: Greg Gaut
Everyone concerned about what frac sand mining, processing, and shipping will do to Winona should attend the public hearing which the City Council will hold on Tuesday, January 22, at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall.
On March 13, 2012, the council approved a one-year moratorium on new or expanded frac sand operations. During this period, city staff were to study what regulations were necessary "to protect the public's health, safety and welfare" in light of a massive expansion of frac sand operations within the city. The report is now available on the city's website. There are many problems with the report. Here are a few of them: It does much too little to address citizens' concerns about air quality and sand truck traffic. It proposes that sand processing operations can be allowed as close as 200 feet from homes. It shows no concern about how Winona's transformation into a frac sand hub will impact our growing educational institutions, our thriving cultural festivals, our historic downtown, or tourism.
Check out the report, call or e-mail the mayor and council members with your questions and concerns, and attend the public hearing on Tuesday.
|
