Mining is back on the minds of our elected officials lately. The dust may have settled on the train wreck of a mining bill that failed to pass in the Legislature last spring but there is still plenty of "prospecting" for ways to make the state more welcoming to responsible mining.

This week, the Senate Select Committee on Mining concluded a three-day informational hearing of invited experts from federal and state agencies, tribal interests, mining industry, environmental organizations and labor unions. They heard lengthy testimony about how the current mining law and permitting process works, as well as lots of suggestions for change (some reasonable and some less so).    

If you followed along with the River Alliance as we live tweeted (@riveralliance) from the hearings, you would have seen plenty of references to better timelines, recognizing the unique nature of each mining project and the need for close cooperation between agencies and the mining company. You would have also read about proposals to modify (or eliminate) the mining moratorium and to limit the contested case hearing process.

Next steps are not entirely clear: the bipartisan committee has to digest the testimony and take action. That action can be anything from no action to reforming current mining laws to drafting entirely new ones. November elections may add an interesting twist to the process, too. We'll continue to watch this closely and keep you informed.

Read our statement on mining to see where the River Alliance stands on this contentious issue. 

One of the best river conservation projects in Wisconsin has been happening very quietly over the past several years.  There's now a chance for you to shape what happens next with this project.

The states of Michigan and Wisconsin have acquired lands along the Menominee River, that beauteous boundary river between Cheeseland and the Upper Peninsula.  The final pieces of the puzzle were completed in 2010, when parcels along Pier's Gorge and Quiver Falls were purchased by the two states from WE Energies.

Chances are good both states will manage this land as a semi-wilderness, as there are few roads and the river is difficult to navigate without a canoe or kayak.  The Menominee is a hidden gem, and our hope is it does not stay hidden, but will still be protected for low-impact recreation.

But we should not leave that to chance.  Let the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources know what you think about managing this unique river resource.  They offer an on-line survey for you to make your opinion known.  It can be found at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/lands/masterplanning/MenomineeRiver/  then scroll down to the midpage link and click on Menominee River Public Input Questionnaire.  

Blue-green algae bubbles on the Lower Wisconsin River. photo by Matt Krueger

It all started with a much ballyhooed, but never-realized ABC national news segment on blue-green algae in America's lakes.  Unfortunately the story -- which looked at the algae problem through the eyes of an Ohio man who lost his dog (and he himself was sickened) from the toxic algae, and through the eyes of Lake Petenwell (Wisconsin) restaurant/marina owner Tom Koren, whose business gets hammered by the stinky algae -- never aired. (We learned it was due to scheduling conflicts with more important topics such as teen breast augmentation and celebrity marital discord.)

But dedicated journalists remain committed to the topic and last week the Center for Investigative Reporting published an in-depth look at the algae problem. The article examined large-scale agriculture's role in this water quality crisis and describes the impact it is having on inland lakes around the country.  The article was also picked up in The Atlantic.

Popular environmentally-themed Grist magazine also took a close look at the blue-green algae problem in their article, "Toxic green slime has taken over the lakes of America. Again."

Finally, Resource Media created this slide show of photos with people's stories showing how harmful algae blooms have impacted them, their health and their businesses across the country.

For the Twitterists among us, use #greenslime to participate in the conversation on the causes of algae blooms and what can be done to prevent them.

In the absence of the nationally televised segment River Alliance produced our own short video featuring Tom Koren of the Lure on Lake Petenwell. Click here to watch it now. Who needs ABC news anyway?