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A bill to create a committee to develop safe, sustainable mining has been approved by the Michigan House.
House Bill 4227 was introduced in February by State Representative Sara Cambensy, a Democrat from Marquette.
The Committee on Michigan’s Mining Future would be responsible for making advisory legislative and policy recommendations to strengthen and develop sustainable mining practices in Michigan while protecting the environment.
“Today my bill to create a committee on Michigan’s mining future had near-unanimous support on the House floor. Work on this bill began in 2015 when it was announced that the Empire Mine would be idled. Elected officials, labor and industry leaders in Marquette County knew we needed to take a long-term look at the future of mining in our state, and come up with legislative policies to help alleviate the bust and boom cycles in the industry. The bill will now move onto the Senate, where we expect to see similar support. With the approval of the administration, I’m confident there’s a clear path forward in passing the bill. I’m excited to get this done for my district.”
The committee would be comprised of 15 members with governor-appointed representatives from various mining operations, local governments, environmental non-profit organizations, Native American tribes and the United Steelworker’s Union. The committee would also include officials from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
The bill passed the House with a vote of 107-1 and now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
