Senate committee votes for frac sand moratorium

The Senate frac sand bill led by state Sen. Matt Schmit of Red Wing sailed through its first committee test.

February 27, 2013 at 4:13PM

Frac sand expansion would be halted in Minnesota until March 1, 2014, under a proposed statewide moratorium added to a bill Tuesday that would intensify and unify state regulation of the growing industry.

The amended frac sand bill was passed by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee by an 8-4 vote.

Under the bill, which was sent to the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee, the moratorium would temporarily halt any permitting of new frac sand facilities, coinciding a comprehensive, statewide environmental impact study of the industry.

Click here for the Star Tribune Hot Dish item on the hearing.

about the writer

about the writer

Tony Kennedy

Reporter

Tony Kennedy is an outdoors writer covering Minnesota news about fishing, hunting, wildlife, conservation, BWCA, natural resource management, public land, forests and water.

See Moreicon

More from Minnesota Star Tribune

See More
card image
Provided/Sahan Journal

Family members and a lawyer say they have been blocked from access to the bedside of Bonfilia Sanchez Dominguez, while her husband was detained and shipped to Texas within 24 hours.

card image