You may have noticed in this issue we have several articles pertaining to mining. Perhaps a better way to address that is the need for clean water. Each of us comes from a different walk in life, yet we are here for the same goal. It is that simple. Water is Life The staff of Middle Wisconsin would like to recognize everyone out there that has been in the fight for the long haul. Thank you to each of you for making a difference in the fight against greed and the money that lines the pockets of politicians. “Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat ...

Xiomara Castro, the first woman Honduran President, just banned open pit mining in her country because of it's toxic pollution and the consequent health impacts on wildlife and human life.  This marks a huge turning point in a country long exploited for it's natural resources at the expense of everything Hondurans hold dear – especially clean, safe water.  This remarkable turn around happened when the Honduran people got fed up enough to elect political leaders who actually cared more about them than big, usually foreign, mining corporations.  The quest for natural resources in countries like Honduras relies on friendly political leaders, cheap ...

To protect its own interests, the public must pay attention to the proposal for mining in the town of Easton, near Dells of the Eau Claire County Park. The mining company, Greenlight Metals, Inc., will not protect the public’s interest. Whether the government will do so is far from clear. Greenlight has made a cost-benefit analysis that it has a reasonable chance of making money for its shareholders by mining just east of Wausau. We should have no illusions that, in its analysis, Green Light would alter its money-making plans if the mining would negatively affect the quality of life of local residents or harm the environment, except to the ...

Mining in northern Wisconsin  back in the news. A Canadian company wants to do exploratory drilling for copper and gold deposits in Marathon and Taylor counties. Advocates for mining claim it will be a boost for rural economies and create jobs. Other people dispute these claims. Too often the number of jobs promised don't pan out. The long term environmental damage can cost more than the economic gain. There are many studies that show mining does not improve local economies. There are better ways to create jobs and prosperity for northern Wisconsin. Mining, like any business activity, can temporarily increase employment and thus help the ...

From 2016-2019, I called Wausau and Marathon County my home. One of the highlights of my time in the area was the pristine and stunning scenery of the north woods. The scenery is not the only benefit of the unmatched forests, lakes, rivers, and other natural features of Marathon County. These features are also essential to the health of everybody living there, the lifeline of many long-existing businesses, and truly a gift not to be squandered. This is why I found it disturbing that some company with no ties to Marathon County wants to come in and put all of these things in jeopardy. I won’t begin to pretend I know all the technicalities regarding ...