MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker says he is confident the Republican-controlled Legislature will pass a mining bill next year, but he won't sign anything he believes will hurt the environment.
Walker told The Associated Press in a Monday interview that he believes the June recall election against him made it more difficult for the mining bill to pass this year.
Lawmakers could not reach a compromise on the bill despite pressure from a company looking to open a new iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior.
Walker says he would look at a bill that would do away with the state's 15-year-old "moratorium" on mines that produce polluting acids, but he doesn't want anything that would jeopardize the state's tourism and agriculture industries.
| Approve: | 45.6% |
| Disapprove: | 49.9% |
| Spread: | -4.3% |
| Republican: | 39.0% |
| Democrat: | 41.7% |
| Spread: | +2.7% |
| Right Direction: | 31.6% |
| Wrong Track: | 59.3% |
| Spread: | -27.7% |
| Approve: | 14.4% |
| Disapprove: | 77.6% |
| Spread: | -63.2% |
