Scrapped Frac Sand Mine Means Less Cash For Western Wisconsin Town

A rural city in Trempealeau County says it will have to delay infrastructure projects because a frac sand mining company, which promised up to $150,000 in payments per year, is leaving town.

The city of Independence spent a year working to annex a proposed frac sand mine that was more than a mile from its borders. In return, Texas-based Superior Silica Sands promised to pay the city 15 cents for every ton of sand it produced, which would have amounted to as much as $150,000 per year. But earlier this month, Superior Silica Sands announced it was terminating its plans.

Independence Mayor Robert Baecker said the loss of potential revenue hurts.

“We as a council are just trying to keep our city going, and one of the avenues we had was the sand mines coming along,” he said. “We could do some things in the city and not put the burden of the cost on the taxpayers.”

Baecker said the city was planning to replace side streets and water mains with the extra money, but now that will have to wait.