DNR Asks For More Staff To Monitor Frac Sand Air Emissions

Two state lawmakers from western Wisconsin are asking for 10 additional staff members to monitor air quality at frac sand mines.

The Department of Natural Resources says there are now 165 frac sand mines and processing facilities in Wisconsin. In the west-central region, the agency has five staff members keeping track of air emissions from these and all other industrial sources. DNR frac sand expert Tom Woletz says sand mines are considered minor source emitters, which get little attention unless citizens file complaints.

“If there aren’t any complaints against a particular sand mine does that mean they’re not being inspected at all?”

“They may never see a DNR inspector.”

This has led the DNR to ask for more staff to keep up. Its budget request says it could use 10 extra staff to do this, at a minimum they’d need four but ultimately the agency only asked for two more full time positions. But state senators Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) and Jennifer Schilling (D-Oshkosh) say that’s not good enough.

Vinehout says they’re fighting to fully fund the 10 air monitoring positions with a surplus in an environmental management fund. But Vinehout says she’ll push to raise fees on frac sand companies.

“There needs to be a long-term look at the fee structure so that the industry is actually paying for the costs, because right now the recycling fund and those people who are paying the tipping fee with the garbage dumping are actually paying for the oversight of compliance with the sand mines.”

Schilling, who sits on the Joint Finance Committee, will recommend fully funding the 10 air quality staff during a hearing today, but the motion failed. Vinehout says she’ll bring it back up when the state Senate takes up the governor’s budget.