Minnesota High Court Upholds County's Ban On Mining Frac Sand

摘要

The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld a county ordinance that prohibits companies from mining for silica sand used in hydraulic fracturing. Ruling in Minnesota Sands LLC v. County of Winona, the justices rejected Minnesota Sands' claim that a county prohibition on industrial mining operations violated the "dormant" Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The decision affirms a 2018 ruling issued by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.