MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republicans in the state Senate say they're working toward a compromise on a bill that would jumpstart an iron mine in far northwestern Wisconsin.
Assembly Republicans passed a bill last month that requires a permitting decision within a year of filing an application and eliminates contested case hearings. A Senate mining committee released a different bill on Monday, but Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald rejected it and wants to move the Assembly measure instead.
But Republicans hold only a one-vote majority in the Senate and Sen. Dale Schultz, a moderate Republican who sat on the mining committee, has said he won't vote for the Assembly measure.
Schultz is preparing his own bill for release next week. Fitzgerald's spokesman says Senate Republicans will review it and discuss what to do next.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
