Bill > SB623

This bill creates a new requirement for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue permits for mining sulfide ore bodies, which are mineral deposits containing metals mixed with sulfide minerals. Specifically, the bill prohibits DNR from issuing a mining permit for a sulfide ore body until the department can verify two key conditions: first, that a mining operation in a similar geological sulfide ore body located in the United States or Canada has successfully operated for at least 10 years without causing groundwater or surface water pollution through acid drainage or heavy metal release; and second, that a mining operation in a similar sulfide ore body has been closed for at least 10 years without causing such pollution. This requirement applies to all permit applications, regardless of when they were submitted, and is designed to ensure environmental protection by requiring proof of long-term mining safety before allowing new sulfide ore body mining operations. The bill amends existing statutes related to mining permits to incorporate this new condition, effectively creating a moratorium on sulfide ore body mining permits until the specified environmental safety conditions are met.

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https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb623