A Wabasha citizens group has filed an appeal with the City's Planning Commission seeking to have a conditional use permit for a frac sand loading facility in Wabasha revoked.
                
According to documents filed with the City Planning Commission on December 31st, the 'Friends of Wabasha' are opposing the granting of the permit  to Superior Sand Systems Incorporated last month. The permit allows Superior Sands to construct a loading facility for transferring frac sand from trucks on to Canadian Pacific trains for transport to North Dakota and Texas.
                
The sand would be trucked in from western Wisconsin. The permit allows up to 250 trucks to enter and exit the city each day.

The group claims the permit...among other things...was issued without the Commission assessing traffic impacts and irreparable harm that may ensue. The Commission, according to the appeal, did not conduct an assessment of the impact on tourism the facility would cause, or its impact on nearby St. Elizabeth's Hospital and another business.
                
The group also claims one of the Commission's members has a direct or indirect business relationship with Superior Sands and should have recused himself from voting on the application.