Potawatomi Media Campaign to Push Mining Bills
Published by MAC on 2002-01-24
Potawatomi Media Campaign to Push Mining Bills
24th January 2002
Madison, WI (USA) : The Forest County Potawatomi Community announced today they are using a quarter-million dollar media campaign to boost support for two mining bills that are awaiting action in the State Assembly.
"We know that the public supports these bills - we want the public to send that message to the State Assembly," Forest County Potawatomi CommunityAttorney General Jeff Crawford said at a press conference at the state Capitol this morning.
The television, radio, and billboard campaign will support Senate Bill 160, to ban the use of cyanide in mining, and Senate Bill 271, that would subject hazardous mining waste to Wisconsin's hazardous waste law. Joining the Potawatomi Attorney General at the press conference were the co-authors of SB 271: Senator David Hansen (D-Green Bay), Representative Terri McCormick (R-Appleton) and Representative Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay).
Crawford said the Forest County Potawatomi Community has long been concerned about the proposed mine near Crandon, Wisconsin because it is upwind from the lands of the Forest County Potawatomi and because of its location at the headwaters of the Wolf River. Crawford explained that the Wolf River is important because it flows south to the Lake Poygan and Butte des Mort and from there it flows into the Fox River, Lake Winnebago and Green Bay.
Recently the Potawatomi have become more concerned as they have learned Wisconsin mining laws are not as strong is commonly believed, Crawford said. Crawford noted that, in statewide poll taken last summer, more than 90% supported the concept of SB 271 and those polled supported a ban on cyanide in mining by a 3 to 1 margin.
The Potawatomi campaign includes radio, television, and billboards that will target voters in the Green Bay, Madison, Wausau, and Rhinelander media markets. "We are confident that if these bills receive the support necessary to get them to the floor of the Assembly, that they will have the votes necessary for passage," Crawford said.
Bill McClenahan
Martin Schreiber & Associates
bill@martinschreiber.com
(001) 608 / 259-1212 Ext. 4
(001) 414 / 405-1051 cellular