Should Winneshiek County charge "road impact fees" if frac sand mining starts?

Winneshiek County supervisors continue to study how to regulate mining operations in the county.  On Monday they heard from Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, whose county has just passed frac sand mining regulations.

Ridenour's presentation largely discussed the impact heavy trucks can have on road conditions.  He said traffic to and from some industrial mining operations consists of "hundred, if not thousands, of trucks a day."  Ridenour says such "consistent daily traffic...impacts the service life and codition of roads."

One possible way for counties to deal with those costs, said Ridenour, is to levy "impact fee" charges to help pay for road maintenance.  Such agreements are signed by a mining company and a local government.  They typically charge 15 cents to 23 centers per ton per loaded mile traveled on local roads.

Ridenour explained the calculations needed to determine the "equivalent single axle load" impact from large trucks--a way of determining the impact very heavy truck loads are having.  Concluded Ridenour, "trucks are doing the damage to your pavement, not the cars."