Taylor County Mining
Kyle Noonan, Administrator

The purpose of the Metallic Mining Committee is to protect the human health, safety and general welfare in Taylor County as they may be impacted by mineral resource exploration, prospecting and mining and provide for Taylor County’s long-term social and economic interests, including the public interest in the orderly development and production of mineral resources within the County in an environmentally sensitive manner as consistent with applicable law.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall consist of five county supervisors appointed by the County Board and certain ex-officio non-voting members including the Zoning Administrator, County Conservationist, Highway Commissioner, University of Wisconsin Extension, Community Resource and Economic Development Agent and such other ex-officio members from affected municipalities and tribal governments substantially affected by potential or actual mining as the Metallic Mining Committee deems appropriate. The membership of the Metallic Mining Committee on the date of the adoption of Section 2.08(24), Taylor County Code, shall continue in force until the end of their respective terms, at which time the County Board shall either reappoint or make new appointment of such members.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall serve as Taylor County’s decision maker on and be responsible for taking appropriate action to determine whether and how to regulate mineral resource related activities within Taylor County, regardless of ownership, to avoid or mitigate the likely impacts of mineral resource exploration, prospecting and mining upon the health, safety and general welfare of Taylor County residents and transients.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall serve as and carry out the powers and duties of the Local Impact Committee for Taylor County as provided by Section 293.33, Wisconsin State Statutes, and shall have all the powers and duties of such a committee in addition to any other powers and duties prescribed or authorized by Section 2.08(24), Taylor County Code.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall have the following powers and duties and such other duties as are delegated to it by the County Board from time to time:

1. Analyze implications of exploration, prospecting and mining and investigate the possible impacts that exploration, prospecting and mining would have on the County and its residents and transients;
2. Act to protect the public health, safety and welfare and promote the public interests consistent with Section 2.08(24), Taylor County Code;
3. Set a Taylor County policy for mineral exploration, prospecting and mining and their related activities and impacts;
4. Draft and recommend regulations, zoning ordinances and other ordinances to be adopted by the Taylor County Board to achieve the purposes and carry out the duties of the Metallic Mining Committee;
5. Develop a plan of action to address mining-induced growth problems;
6. Recommend priorities for local actions proposed by the Metallic Mining Committee.
7. Enter into contracts for professional services as necessary to address the needs and carry out its duties of the Metallic Mining Committee consistent with Section 2.08(24), Taylor County Code, and within the Metallic Mining Committee’s budget;
8. Anticipate the need for and prepare the County Board to authorize mineral exploration, prospecting or mining activities on County-owned lands;
9. Facilitate communications between the Metallic Mining Committee and mineral activity operators and applicants;
10. Review, comment, and act on proposed reclamation plans;
11. Formulate recommendations and requests to the investment and local impact fund board regarding distribution of funds under Section 70.395(2)(g), Wisconsin State Statutes;
12. Formulate recommendations to the County Board on how to utilize, distribute or invest funds received by the Metallic Mining Committee from the County or the investment and local impact fund board under Sections 70.395 (2)(g) and 70.395(2)(d), (fm) and (g), Wisconsin State Statutes;
13. Negotiate local agreements under Section 293.41(3), Wisconsin State Statutes, for approval by the County Board after public hearing;
14. Formulate recommendations to the County Board regarding formation and membership of a joint committee under Section 293.33(2), Wisconsin State Statutes;
15. Formulate recommendations to the County Board regarding requests for funds to operate the Metallic Mining Committee under Section 293.33(4), Wisconsin State Statutes.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall be the lead committee and primary decision maker on all aspects of County regulation that affect mineral exploration, prospecting and mining. The Metallic Mining Committee shall make reasonable efforts to coordinate its work on mineral exploration, prospecting and mining with the committees on Zoning, Land Conservation and Economic Development and other committees and entities as the County Board or the Metallic Mining Committee may deem relevant. The Metallic Mining Committee’s work shall not relieve any other committee of its responsibilities in their primary areas of jurisdiction, which shall continue unabated. However, all other committees shall, in undertaking their work, defer to the recommendations of the Metallic Mining Committee such that the written plans, strategies, objectives and recommendations of the Metallic Mining Committee are not adversely impacted by any other committee. If the Metallic Mining Committee cannot resolve an issue with other affected committee, the matter shall be resolved by the full County Board.

The Metallic Mining Committee shall provide periodic status reports to the County Board regarding the Metallic Mining Committee’s objective, work initiatives and work products, as requested by the County Board or as deemed appropriate by the Metallic Mining Committee. An annual report to the County Board shall include a written summary of the then current exploration, prospecting and mining issues and the Metallic Mining Committee’s accomplishments during the preceding twelve months and objectives, action plan and timetable for goal attainment during the upcoming twelve months.