Silica bill with moratorium passes 1st stop Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 4:30 pm, Tuesday, February 26, 2013 (AP) — A state Senate committee approved a one-year moratorium on new silica sand mines on Tuesday as part of a senator's broader effort to increase oversight of the booming industry. The Senate Energy and Environment Committee passed Sen. Matt Schmit's bill over objections from Republicans and industry proponents, who said ... Read More