You are here

This Week’s Market Buzz

Rock Products News
  • Six Wisconsin frac sand companies are under watch by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) because of alleged storm water violations, according to WQOW News 18. The agency said in each case, sediment-laden storm water left the site and reached surface water somewhere else.  The following companies were reportedly put on notice to make changes: Arcadia Sand (Trempealeau Co.), Alpine Sand (Trempealeau Co.), Sierra Frac/Patzner Pit (Trempealeau Co.), Sierra Frac/Suchla Pit (Trempealeau Co.), Superior Silica (Barron Co.) and Great Northern Sand (Barron Co.). The DNR said each company has a temporary plan to control the movement of sediment from their site, but they’re also working on developing a long-term solution.
  • Bluff land along the Wisconsin shores of Lake Pepin will be off limits to silica sand mining because of a new ordinance approved by the Pepin County Board. The ordinance will prohibit frac sand mining operations from setting up shop in a 10-mile stretch of land near Pepin and Stockholm. The stretch of land varies between a half-mile and a mile-and-half wide and follows the perimeter of the lake. Peter Adler, County Board chairman, said that residents backed the ordinance the board passed.
  • According to the Kenyon Leader, after almost two years of debate, the Goodhue, Minn., County Board of Commissioners approved two ordinances to regulate the frac sand mining industry. The new rules in Goodhue County limit mineral extraction facility operation sites to 40 acres of exposed or uncovered ground at any one time; mining operations are limited to the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday; the county is given authority to require air quality monitoring; and mining must be 1,000 ft. from any existing dwelling or platted residential subdivision. The rules also allow the county to add additional conditions to mitigate noise, dust, hours of operation or blasting.

Related posts