Canadian National Railway Advancing Timeline On Rail Upgrades To Accommodate Bigger Rail Sand Cars; Winona County, MN, Approves New Sand Mine -- First After Moratorium Ended

Updates

August 30, 2013:  Minnesota County approves another sand mine over local activist environmental objections; still requires state approval.
 

Original Post

Two stories here:

First story: A reader tells me Winona County, Minnesota, approved a new sand mine this past week. [Just after posting that note, a reader sent me the link. Thank you.] News8000 is reporting:

Winona County commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of allowing the first frac sand mine in the county.

The initial application for the 20-acre mine in Saratoga Township was denied after the county imposed a moratorium on frac sand mining in 2012. A second application was submitted after the moratorium expired.

The county commissioners approved a permit that includes 37 conditions such as air quality requirements, road use restrictions, and times of operation.

Second story/link sent by same reader. The LaCrosseTribune is reporting:

Canadian National Railway is fast-tracking a $33 million rail upgrade near Whitehall to accommodate the booming frac sand industry.

The railroad had planned to improve its lines in the area over the next four years but is shortening its timeline to quickly allow for more sand to travel its tracks.

Frac sand mining has exploded in Wisconsin since 2010, when the state had just a handful of permitted mines. There are now more than 100, and western Wisconsin has been ground zero for the boom.

The new lines would allow for heavier loads — a single car could haul up to 286,000 pounds of frac sand, said Mark Hallman, CNI’s director of communications and public affairs.

EOG is now using 10 million pounds of sand for a single long lateral frack: 10 million/286,000 lbs = 34 new larger cars.

Flashback, March 11, 2012: 

Just last month, dozens of Winona residents took to the street near the heart of downtown, waving protest signs in front of a 50,000-ton pile of sand they derisively call Mount Frac. "Short-term profit, long-term problems,'' read one placard.