Letter of the Day (Nov 10): Say 'no' to sand mining, preserve our scenic state

What price will southeastern Minnesota pay for the "new" energy produced by fracking ("Sand mine riches are tough to refuse," Oct. 28)? To this Minnesota resident of Wabasha, the price certainly is too high. At this time, an application from Superior Sand Systems Inc. is under consideration. This project alone would bring 200 trucks daily, each loaded with 25 tons of sand, into a town with a population of about 2,500. The project equals all other daily heavy truck traffic on the Nelson-Wabasha bridge. Another application that would add 150 trucks is potentially coming this way. How long until these ancient and beautiful bluffs are hauled away? The hills cannot be put back as they were. What about the volume of heavy truck traffic on formerly quiet roads in rural areas, and wear and tear to the bridges across the Mississippi? What about small towns being transformed into "company towns" by this giant industry? And where might the political power of this industry affect other regions of Minnesota? Isn't it time to just say "no" to an industry that's mainly going to take away from this region? Isn't it time to say "yes" to preserving this wonderful scenic area along Hwy. 61, the so-called driftless area surrounding Minnesota's Great River Road?VICKY JASKIERSKI, WABASHA, MINN.