MADISON — Clean Wisconsin’s government relations director, Amber Meyer Smith, released the following statement today after the Assembly Jobs, Economy and Small Business Committee passed Assembly Bill 426, the Assembly Mining Bill, with a party-line vote:

“The Assembly Mining Bill rolls back commonsense environmental protections, silences the voice of the public, and eliminates accountability for mining corporations. The Committee’s attempt to improve the bill with a substitute amendment today is like trying to fix a broken leg with a Band-Aid. This bill clearly puts the interests of out-of-state mining corporations ahead of the health and safety of Wisconsin residents, and should be rejected by our legislators when it comes up for a vote before the full Assembly on Thursday.”