Gogebic Taconite may forgo building one massive iron mine in northern Wisconsin in favor of four smaller open pits to circumvent wetlands protected by state and federal law. The mining giant is dealing with pushback from environmentalists, American Indian tribes and local officials, but many residents in Ashland and Iron counties support the $1.5 billion project. Hoping for a boost to the local economy, many now worry the company is considering pulling out of the region. Despite spearheading a lobbying effort that streamlined iron mining regulations, Gogebic's controversial project still faces legal limits to exploration in the extensive wetlands surrounding the mine site. The company has been conducting fieldwork to investigate the four-pit solution.
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