Citizens across Minnesota should applaud Sen. Jeremy Miller for his common-sense approach to the silica-sand mining issue. Because of a vocal minority, the politically easy path for him would have been to join with this minority and ban silica-sand mining, thus killing hundreds of valuable and desperately needed jobs.
Sen. Miller didn't take the easy way out. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work trying to find a smart, common-sense solution that both protects our valuable natural resources — such as trout streams — and allows industry employers the opportunity to create and retain quality jobs.
At the end of the day, thanks to Miller's work, regulations were put in place that will give extra protection to our trout streams while giving local communities the tools they need to deal with this complicated and emotional environmental issue.
Dozens of construction workers who live in our area but are working in other states because that's where they can find employment. They would love to find work here, where they could be close to their families.
Because people like Sen. Miller and Gov. Dayton got together to find solutions, rather than playing politics, my friends and your neighbors might get that opportunity to come back home to work, and to see the Little League games and school concerts they've been missing.
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Clayton Johnson
Spring Grove
