Sand mining issue continues to draw discussion

Winneshiek County supervisors spent one hour on Monday listening to county residents speak about a possible 18-month moratorium on issuing permits for new sand mining operations.

The public hearing comes in the wake of the formation of Winneshiek County Protectors, a group that spokesperson Craig Cutting told supervisors is dedicated to bringing information about the issue to the public and to governmental representatives.

One member of the group, John Beard, said it was important to "have a dialogue" on the issue and learn the lessons Wisconsin counties have learned.  "If we're going to use these resources, let's do it in a way that's not going to damage the resources we already have."

Decorah resident Rob Carbonell spoke in favor of imposing a moratorium, saying it would buy time for supervisors to consider the issue, protect local roads and even allow for a local referendum or state input.

Decorah lawyer Karl Knudson says a 2009 Iowa Supreme Court ruling upheld the use of zoning moratoriums.  He presented supervisors with documents pertaining to such moratoriums.

Olson Explosives representative Kurt Oakes  said the experience of operations in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa have shown that "things can be done in an environmentally safe manner."  Oakes called the mining industry "one of the most-regulated industries in the country" and said he has fishing in trout streams right next to sand mines in Wisconsin and the water quality was still good.

At the end of the meeting, no action was taken, but County Board Chairman John Logsdon noted, "We'll be hearing more about this."