U of I could help area counties with further study on effects of frac-sand mining

by Lissa Blake

Allamakee County could get some help from the University of Iowa to study the health and economic impacts of frac-sand mining on the region.
At the Monday, May 6 meeting of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors, Lyle Otte, representing the Winneshiek County Protectors (the Winneshiek County version of the Allamakee County Protectors, a group which recently formed to monitor frac-sand mining in Allamakee County), said his group had been in contact with two departments at the University of Iowa regarding two separate studies.
The first, a request for a public health-impact study, was sent to the university’s occupational and environmental health department. The second, requesting an economic impact study, was sent to the college’s school of urban and regional planning.
Otte said last week he heard from Dr. David Osterberg of the U of I’s occupational and environmental health department. “He said yes, they were interested. He just wasn’t sure about the timing yet,” Otte told the Winneshiek County Board.
Otte said Osterberg seemed interested in doing a study in Winneshiek County, but would, perhaps be able to study Allamakee and Clayton counties as well.
Otte said he suggested the university study the Pattison mine in Clayton County where “significant mining” is going on.
Winn. Co. Supervisor Dennis Karlsbroten asked Otte if the research group would be willing to cross state lines to conduct the study (in Wisconsin or Minnesota).
“Probably not, but I don’t know. I’ll ask him,” said Otte. During Otte’s presentation, there was a brief discussion about the status of the moratorium in Allamakee County. “This is a regional issue,” said Otte.

ECONOMIC IMPACT
In addition, Otte said the economic-impact study would likely wait until the next academic year (starting in the fall), as the department is currently “booked up.”
“He said they’re interested for 2014,” said Otte.
WCP member Dick Janson added he believes the Allamakee County Protectors would also be interested in similar studies. “Their (U of I’s) call for proposals will be sometime this summer. I imagine we would want to be timely and get it in,” said Janson.
“We urge them to take a look at Clayton County. Perhaps what they found in their research could determine what the impact would be on Allamakee and Winneshiek counties,” he added.
Ric Zarwell, president of the Allamakee County Protectors, said his group will be glad to be part of such a study. “We’re hoping to be included in that work, and when I first saw e-mails on this, I replied with an e-mail that said I applaud what Winneshiek County is doing. We would definitely like to participate in this study and will do whatever we can to facilitate it,” he said.
For more information about Allamakee County Protectors, visit allamakeecountyprotectors.com.