WHAT A WEDNESDAY! Wednesday, December 14 proved to be an eventful day for natural resource legislation, as two big bills took strides forward that would, in our opinion, significantly weaken protection of lakes and water resources in Wisconsin. Default Permitting Bill First, the Senate and Assembly Natural Resources Committees both voted to move the Default (or Presumptive Permitting) Bill onto the full houses of the legislature, albeit with some significant changes to the better from the original version. Each committee passed nearly identical amendments to the bill, which did remove a number of provisions Wisconsin Lakes found egregious, including several changes that would have allowed removal or fill of large amounts of lakebed. Because of the overwhelmingly negative comments on the bill at the public hearing in October, along with your calls, e-mails and letters to legislators and the lobbying efforts of Wisconsin Lakes and others, legislators were convinced to make many of the changes we called for – we all spoke for lakes, and our voices were heard! Unfortunately, despite the amendments AB421 & SB326 still contain enough bad policy for the state that we cannot support them. Especially troublesome, the bills establish default approval of permits if DNR doesn’t act on an application within 30 days. While working towards consistent time frames for permit actions is reasonable, better methods can be found than jeopardizing natural resources simply because a deadline is missed. And moreover, we have never seen any demonstrable proof of need for any of the regulatory changes made by this legislation. To read Wisconsin Lakes’ position statement on the amended Default Permitting bill, click here. Assembly Mining Bill Wisconsin Lakes opposes this bill on many grounds, believing its relaxation of protections puts at risk the lakes, rivers, wetlands and other natural resources in the area of a mine. The bill eliminates most opportunities for the public to advocate against the mine, creates another framework of “default” permitting, and arguably makes it difficult for a mining permit to be denied, even in some cases where it would be known that harm would come to the natural resources in the area of the mine. To read Wisconsin Lakes’ position statement on the Assembly Mining Bill, click here. The bill would heavily impact wetlands in the mine area. Our friends at the Wisconsin Wetlands Association testified on the bill at the public hearing. To read their published testimony, click here. HAPPY HOLIDAYS & BEST WISHES FOR 2012 FROM WISCONSIN LAKES! There is no doubt 2012 was a tumultuous year for lakes all over the state. But all in all, they're better because of you! Whether you worked on your local lake to combat invasive species or deal with polluted runoff, contacted your legislators and local elected officials to voice your mind on a piece of lake-related policy, attended the Lakes Convention or local workshops and lake fairs, or contributed to the cause with a tax deductible donation to Wisconsin Lakes, you are the voices and the bodies protecting the lakes of Wisconsin that are so much a part of our culture and lives. Wisconsin Lakes will be here in 2012 to educate and inform you (and occasionally advocate a point or two). We hope you continue your hard work, and know that together we can make 2012 an even better year for the lakes of Wisconsin. (By the way, you can still give to Wisconsin Lakes - Just click the donate or join buttons above! Thanks!) Expanded Lakes In Action Citizen Advocacy Training Scheduled For Southeast Wisconsin Saturday, January 21, 2012 ~ 8:30-3:15 The Delavan Club Clubhouse 1510 Delavan Club Blvd, North Delavan WI $15 per person, lunch included – space is limited! Register online or call Wisconsin Lakes at 608.661.4313 Wishing you could improve your influence on legislators, county supervisors or local officials on matters of importance to you? Wanting to get your message out, be it on polluted runoff, shoreland zoning, invasive species, or a threat to lakes in general? Then our newly expanded and improved “Lakes In Action” Citizen Advocacy Training is for you! Guided by Wisconsin Lakes policy, communications and education staff, over the course of the day you’ll learn to formulate an issue and craft it into a compelling message, through informative presentations, large group discussions with other participants, and small group work sessions. You’ll leave with a better understanding of the of the lawmaking and administrative rule process, as well as learn how to influence public policy, help determine how government and agency decisions impact lakes and property, and ensure your voice is heard. 2012 promises to be a crucial year in lake policy in Wisconsin. Make sure you’re prepared to get your message out! Who Are Wisconsin's Champion Lake Stewards? Do you know a person or group who is doing amazing things for lakes in Wisconsin? Nominate them for the Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards, to be presented at the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention in April. The Lake Stewardship Awards celebrate the outstanding volunteer and professional efforts made to protect and improve our lakes. Nominations are accepted in five different categories: Citizen, Organized Group, Public Service, Youth and Business. New nominees, plus those from the previous two years will be considered for selection by a committee of representatives from Wisconsin Lakes, DNR and UW-Extension Lakes Program. Nominations are due February 10, 2012. For more information and to find out how to nominate a deserving lake steward, visit the Wisconsin Lake Stewardship Awards webpage, or call 608.661.4313. Lake News & Notes Exhibiting your business or organization at the Convention. The Convention is also a great opportunity for lake oriented businesses to exhibit their products and services to potential customers. Lake organizations and non-profits also can benefit from a display table to show off their work. For information on how your business can be an exhibitor at the 2012 Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention, click here. For information on how your lake organization or other non-profit can exhibit, click here. Friends of Central Sands files suit to stop CAFO. Earlier this month, Friends of Central Sands, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting natural resource stewardship in Wisconsin’s Central Sands region, filed a lawsuit along with a request for a Contested Case Hearing relating to the recent approval of a number a permits applied for by Richfield Dairy, a proposed “concentrated animal feeding operation” or “CAFO” in Grant County. The group fears the farm could lower local lake levels and pollute the areas groundwater. For more information, go to www.stoptherichfieldcafo.org or learn more about the group at www.friendsofcs.org. Wisconsin Lakes provided organizational assistance to the group, but is not a participant in the lawsuit, and has not taken a position on the case itself. Registration open for Wisconsin Wetlands Convention. If April is too far in the future to satisfy your convention cravings, consider attending the Wisconsin Wetlands Association’s Annual Conference in Lake Geneva, February 22-23. The Conference will discuss the latest in wetland science, management, restoration, and protection around the theme Urban Wetlands. For more information and to register, go to http://wisconsinwetlands.org/2012conference.htm. Lake Stories. If someone asked you to tell them your "lake story," what would you say? As we continue to build the lake community in Wisconsin and give our lakes a voice, we’re inviting each of you to share the story that makes you one of us. It could be a childhood memory, a history of a special place, a lake project for which you are proud, or really anything that connects you to lakes. We’ll select some of them to be published in an upcoming edition of the Lake Connection and possibly post others on our website. Submit your story to mengleson@wisconsinlakes.org, or send a hard copy to our office at 4513 Vernon Blvd, Ste 101, Madison WI 53718. Maximum 250 words, please, so we can publish as many as possible, and get them to us by December 31, 2011. Lakes peak our imaginations and stir our hearts – now let them guide your words – tell us your lake story. Facebook & Twitter. For even more up-to-date information from your favorite statewide organization dedicated solely to the protection and preservation of Wisconsin's lakes, follow us on Facebook and Twitter! You can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WisconsinLakes or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@wislakes. |
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