File Under: "The Horse Is Already Out Of The Barn"

Although the article is dated August 19, 2013, I think this is pretty old news (like about a month or so) -- or maybe it's just an update to anticipated action by the county. I forget. Whatever. The horse is already out of the barn.

The StarTribune is reporting:

After issuing more frac sand mining permits than any other county in Minnesota or Wisconsin over the past 36 months, Trempealeau County will take a hiatus to consider possible adverse health effects on citizens.

The County Board, applauded by an overflow crowd, Monday night voted overwhelmingly in favor of a moratorium of up to a year on permitting new sand facilities or allowing existing sites to expand.

“I’m very pleased,” said Sally Miller, the board member who authored the resolution. “This is going to slow things down and give us a chance to catch our breath.”

Proponents of the plan had argued it would allow the scenic county that sits across the Mississippi River from Winona, MN, to evaluate whether sand mining has a human cost. Those types of questions have largely gone unanswered as the county has approved 26 companies mining and processing silica sand on a total of 4,733 acres — and counting. County officials say interest in forming new mines remains strong.

Check back in a year.  My hunch is they ran out of workforce. And trucks. And acres.