Frac Sand Mining

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of removing natural gas deposits from deep undergound by fracturing layers of shale and pumping toxic fluids through the layers to bring the gas to the surface. The process requires a special type of sand with rounded grains--so-called silica sand or frac sand--that is abundant in Wisconsin. After being mined, the sand gets exported to fracking sites, where it is mixed with large volumes of water and dangerous chemicals and pumped underground to hold open fissures in the bedrock. The process has been implicated with groundwater contamination and public health risks. It isn't known by the public exactly what chemicals are pumped into the water table because the courts have so far sided with energy companies claiming that their recipies are proprietary. However, drinking water near fracking sites has been shown to contain benzene and methane--in some cases, to the extent that residents of fracking areas can light their tap water on fire. Wisconsin's Save the Hills Alliance is concerned that the demand for frac sand will be nearly limitless and could convert "many thousands of acres of Wisconsin hills, farmland, and woods... to open pit mines." The map at left shows the locations of current and planned mines across the state as of summer, 2011.

What You Can Do

Eau Claire County has passed a six month moratorium on frac sand mining, and Buffalo and Wood Counties are each considering one. Some municipalities have also passed temporary moratoriums. If you live in one of the "yellow" counties at left--or even if you don't--contact county and municipal officials and write letters to the editor to tell them to institute similar measures and extend the moratoriums indefinitely.

Sources:

"Frac Sand Mining in Wisconsin." Save the Hills Alliance.

Sharon Karon. "What Is Fracking." Chippewa Herald. July 30, 2011.

Sandra Steingraber. "The Whole Fracking Enchilada." Orion Magazine. September/October 2010.

"Water Contamination from Shale Gas Drilling." Parker Weichman Alonso LLP. 

Rich Kremer. "Parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota Put Frac Sand Mining On Hold." Wisconsin Public Radio. November 28, 2011.