Moratorium on frac sand mining in Winneshiek County extended until next October

Winneshiek County's 18-month moratorium on the issuance of permits for frac sand mining is now a 28-month moratorium.

County supervisors have extended the moratorium another 10 months--to October 15th of 2015--because several studies being done about the impacts of frac sand mining will not be finished by the end of the year.

County Auditor Ben Steines says the county's zoning ordinance update will continue, with completion by the end of the year, but those portions of the ordinance pertaining to mining will be updated later.