UTILIZATION OF STATE GEOLOGIC SURVEY DATA FOR COMMUNITY INTERESTS IN FRAC SAND MINING IN MONROE COUNTY, WISCONSIN

Extensive deposits of marine and aeolian sand of frac quality in Cambrian and Ordovician sandstones found in the Upper Mississippi River Valley are a growing economic interest in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. The economic viability of frac sand operations is largely controlled by the quality and extent of the deposit, the amount of overburden, and transportation costs. Community concerns over health and safety and potential environmental and infrastructure damage have led to moratoriums and delays of permits for frac sand operations in some Wisconsin municipalities and counties. The growing demand for frac sand in domestic and international petroleum production has made accurate geological data essential for communities to enact effective policies regarding frac sand enterprises.

This nascent industry has relatively few regulations regarding the siting of non-metallic mines; however potential affects to the quality of life as well as financial costs to the community must be addressed in site permitting to avoid disputes between mine operators and residents. This project extrapolated the extents of the Wonewoc and Jordan sandstone formations in Monroe County using a DEM and wiscLITH, a database of well logs detailing lithology and stratigraphy compiled by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. Publicly available census, land use, and transportation data in conjunction with the county’s adopted comprehensive plan, were used to evaluate community interests of potential locations for frac sand operations.