CIRCLE TOUR LAUNCHED FOR A SULFIDE MINING MORATORIUM
The Wolf Watershed Educational Project (WWEP) is launching a second
speaking tour for the Summer and early Fall 1997. The 1996 Upriver
Speaking Tour went to 22 communities along the Wolf and Wisconsin rivers,
drawing 1100 people, and culminated with a rally at the Crandon Mining Co.
headquarters in Rhinelander, which drew 1000 Wisconsinities against the
proposed Exxon/Rio Algom mine and pipeline.
The 1997 Circle Tour for a Sulfide Mining Moratorium will go around the
heavily populated edge of the state, away from the two rivers, where
sulfide mining is not yet a central concern and many people are undecided
on the issue. The purpose is to educate local people, and enable them to
form groups, educate their own communities, and approach their
representatives with their concerns. Speakers represent environmental,
Native American, sportfishing, and unionist groups.
On Tuesday, July 15, the launching of the speaking tour in Kenosha drew 60
people to hear four speakers: Milwaukee Steelworkers Local 1527 member
Gerry Gunderson of the new Committee of Labor Against Sulfide Pollution
(CLASP), Bob Schmitz of the Wolf River Watershed Alliance in White Lake,
Laura Manthe of the Oneida Environmental Resources Board, and Kira
Henschel of the Mining Impact Coalition in Madison.
The focus in the tour is not just the Exxon mine, but the proposal for a
mining district across Northern Wisconsin. The speaking tour represents
the WWEP alliance of grassroots environmental groups, Native American
nations, sportfishing groups, unionists, and others who support a
moratorium on sulfide mining. WWEP spokesperson Al Gedicks said "We are
building a grassroots statewide movement that will make sulfide mining in
Wisconsin a risky venture for multinational corporations, no matter what
the state or federal governments do." He added that the speaking tour
will not be in a straight line, but will cover 20-30 communities around
Wisconsin. Gedicks added, "We will be popping up around the state where
Exxon and Kennecott least expect us."
For background on the The Wolf Watershed Educational Project, see the page
on the Midwest Treaty Network web site at
http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/wwep.html For links to mining-related web
sites, log on to http://www.earthwins.com
PLANNED DATES
Wednesday, July 16 / 6 p.m. Waukesha
(co-hosted by Waukesha Environmental Action League
(WEAL) Waukesha County Public Library, 321 Wisconsin Ave., Waukesha
Thursday July 17 / 6 p.m. Racine
Racine Public Library, 75 7th Ave., Racine
Tuesday, July 22 / 6:30 p.m. Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc Public Library, 200 South St., Oconomowoc
Wednesday, July 23 / 6 p.m. Hales Corners
Hales Corners Public Library, 5885 S. 116th St., Hales Corners
Tuesday, Aug. 19 / 6:30 p.m. Port Washington
Port Washington Police Dept. Community Room
Many other speaking dates planned in July, August and September
throughout the state
CIRCLE TOUR SPOKESPEOPLE
SOUTHEAST (Milwaukee/Waukesha/Kenosha area)
Linda Sturnot, 414-443-4569/421-9462
Kira Henschel 608-231-9721, goblinfern@aol.com
CLASP spokesperson Gerry Gunderson 414-543-8474
EAST (Sheboygan/Green Bay/Rhinelander area)
George Rock,715-882-4800 (eve/weekend)
Alice McCombs 715-799-5620/524-5998 earthwins@earthwins.com
WEST (Madison/LaCrosse/Eau Claire area)
Al Gedicks, 608-784-4399 gedicks@mail.uwlax.edu
Dave Blouin, 608-233-8455
Debi McNutt/Zoltan Grossman 608-246-2256 mtn@igc.apc.org