Mining bill may get another look by state Senate

MADISON (AP) -- Senate Republicans aren't giving up on a bill that would jumpstart a giant iron mine in northwestern Wisconsin.

Gogebic Taconite wants to open a huge iron mine just south of Lake Superior. GOP legislators developed a bill that would streamline the state's mine permitting process for the company, but the measure failed in the Senate last week when Sen. Dale Schultz broke with his fellow Republicans and opposed the measure.

The legislative session ends on Thursday, but the Senate's judiciary committee plans to meet on Monday at the Capitol to discuss the legislation anyway. The agenda states the committee will "discuss plans for future action" on the bill and won't take any public comments.

A message left at the office of the committee's chairman, Sen. Rich Zipperer, wasn't immediately returned.