Archive for February 2018
Wisconsin’s Green Fire Testimony to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy – Senate Bill 816
Wisconsin’s Green Fire does not have concerns about 2017 Senate Bill 816 addressing the statewide wetlands mitigation program. However, WGF notes that Assembly Amendment 2 to Assembly Bill 956 passed on February 22, 2018, contains language to clearly exempt a single business, Meteor Timber Company, from wetland permitting requirements.
Read More >New legislation helps controversial sand-mining
In May 2017, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) granted a permit to Meteor Timber in Monroe County to fill 16.25 acres of wetlands, including 13.37 acres of white pine – red maple swamp, a very rare wetland type remaining in Wisconsin. The purpose was to construct a frac sand plant and rail transfer …
Read More >Controversial Wisconsin Wetlands Bill Heads to Governor Walker
Update:
Late Tuesday, the state Senate’s wetland bill vote was cast along party lines, 18 Republicans for and 14 Democrats against. Next step, Gov. Scott Walker’s desk.
https://wigreenfire.org/2019/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wet.mp3
Republican Rep. Jim Steineke of Kaukauna authored the bill making it easier for landowners to fill some wetlands – not high quality systems, he says, but low-grade isolated …
Read More >Problems with removing wetland protections
Wisconsin’s Green Fire analyzed recent amendments to Senate Bill 600 and Assembly Bill 547, the legislative proposals to reduce state oversight of wetlands that are not protected under the federal Clean Water Act. See our analysis and February 11, 2018 press release.
Ephemeral wetland in southeastern Wisconsin. Photo by Eric Epstein.
Wetlands grace …
Read More >Analysis of amendments to Assembly Bill 547/Senate Bill 600
Legislation Description: AB547 and SB600 relate to permitting and mitigation requirements for nonfederal and artificial wetlands. Substitute Amendment 1 to SB600 and the Legislative Reference Bureau description are available at http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/related/amendments/sb600/ssa1_sb600.
Introduction: This paper updates Wisconsin’s Green Fire’s (WGF) December 18, 2017 issue paper and testimony submitted at the joint Senate/Assembly hearing on December …
Read More >WGF Media Statement: Amended wetland bill does not protect Wisconsin’s water and wildlife
Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF), an organization of natural resources professionals, evaluated recent amendments to SB600 and AB547, the legislative proposals to reduce state regulatory oversight of wetlands that are not protected under the federal Clean Water Act. The organization has prepared an issue paper identifying problems with the legislation and offering alternatives.
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