LESSONS FOR POTENTIAL MINING COMMUNITIES IN WISCONSIN

MEDIA ADVISORY
October 4, 2011 For more information: Al Gedicks (608) 785-6782
Department of Sociology/Archaeology, UWL
agedicks@uwlax.edu


GOLD MINING POLLUTION IN EL SALVADOR:


LESSONS FOR POTENTIAL MINING COMMUNITIES IN WISCONSIN



On Friday, October 14, 2001, a public forum on “Gold Mining Pollution in El Salvador: Lessons for Potential Mining Communities in Wisconsin” will be held at the Sigurd Olson Institute at Northland College at 7:00 pm and at the Bad River Ojibwe Community Center on Saturday, October 15 at 7:00 pm.   Kenia Margarita Ortez, a lawyer and part-time organizer on environmental issues at the Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Parish, will explain the impact of the San Sebastian gold mine on her community and parish efforts to bring safe water to residents. She will emphasize the lessons of irresponsible mining for potential mining communities in Wisconsin. The gold mine that is polluting the land and water in her community is owned by the Commerce Group, a Milwaukee-area multinational corporation. The company is suing the Salvadoran government through a free trade treaty after the government refused to renew the company’s mining permit. A strong environmental movement in El Salvador has got the government to ban unsustainable mining.
Ms. Ortez’s visit is part of a statewide speaking tour. Her visit to Northland College is sponsored by the Native American Studies Program. Her visit to the Bad River Reservation is sponsored by the Bad River Tribe.