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Run off to Platteville on Feb 25 or Ashland on Mar 8
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Still time to testify on proposed revisions to polluted runoff rules.
Over the past month, the Department of Natural Resources has taken testimony on proposed changes to the state regulations controlling polluted runoff at hearings across the state. Two hearings remain, one coming up Thursday Feb 25 at 1p.m. at UW-Platteville, and the other recently added by the department on Mar. 8 in Ashland.
The proposals, which Wisconsin Association of Lakes supports, would revise the runoff rules passed in 2002 to reduce water runoff from urban areas, construction sites and farms and update two grant programs that help pay for those controls. The rules are Natural Resources Chapters 151, 153 and 155 of the Wis. Administrative Code.
The Feb 25 hearing begins at 1pm with a 1-hour informational session followed by formal testimony. It is to be held in the University North Room of the Pioneer Student Center at UW-Platteville.
The recently added March 8 hearing will follow the same format as the other hearings. A time and location is still to be determined.
If you cannot make the hearing but wish to comment, written comments may be submitted until March 12, 2010 via U.S. Mail to Carol Holden, DNR-WT/3, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921. You can also e-mail comments to carol.holden@wisconsin.gov.
Watch for more information on the rules revision in the upcoming issue of The Lake Connection.
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Legislation Anticipation
Proposal to amend groundwater may be released soon - but what will it say?
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As of the time of writing, we are still waiting for the release of the proposal to amend Wisconsin's Groundwater Protection Law. Wisconsin Association of Lakes Policy Director Toni Herkert reports that legislation may come as soon as this week, and we will let you know when it is released.
As chronicled in the last issue of the Lake Connection, a "working group" of seven legistlators have been reviewing the 2004 Groundwater Protection Law. A propsal to update the law will soon be released by Senator Mark Miller and Representative Spencer Black. This law provided much needed regulation
of groundwater withdrawals, but only water bodies designated as "outstanding and exceptional resource waters and trout streams" were provided with protection from overpumping of the groundwater that feeds them.
The concern
of Wisconsin Association of Lakes is that the new proposal, while likely making some necessary and positive changes to the law, will fail to fully make the connection that ALL lakes, rivers, and wetlands in the state deserve protection from low water levels and degradation of quality due to overpumping of groundwater. You can help by contacting your legislators (and the legislators on the Working Group) to let them know you want the groundwater law to make "the lake connection."
Find more information about the Groundwater Working Group at
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| Down by the Bay |
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Register now for the Wisconsin Lakes Convention, March 30-April 1, in Green Bay
Looking for deals and incentives these days? The 2010 Wisconsin Lakes Convention will be the perfect educational venue to find the answers to all your lake related questions, participate in hands on workshops, and network with experts in the field all in one place for one low price.
Speaking of low price, the cost for this event has not gone up in three years! That's right, register before the Early Bird Deadline of March 8, 2010 for only $165.
The convention will offer 15 workshops and over 80 sessions themed around shorelands and shallows (among other lake issues). To see what will be offered, check out the Convention web page, courtesy of our partners at UW-Extension Lakes. In addition to registering, you'll be able find out lots of info about what's going on at the convention, and even read about the Photo Contest, which also has a deadline of March 8 (to go direct to the photo contest page, click here.
Sponsorships and exhibitor opportunities
Are you a lake oriented business owner that could benefit from exhibiting at the convention, or interested in sponsoring the Lake Stewardship Awards? If so, we've got opportunities, and you can find about them here, or by contacting Barb St. John at the office at bstjohn@wisconsinlakes.org or call her at 608.661.4313.
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| Will the veto be overridden? |
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Assembly to consider whether to override Gov. Doyle's veto of bill to restore NRB appointment of DNR Secretary
On Tuesday, Feb. 23, the Wisconsin Assembly will consider whether to override Governor Doyle's veto of AB138, which would restore appointment of the DNR Secretary to the seven member Natural Resources Board. The Governor has held the appointment power since the Thompson adminsitration, and though Gov. Doyle originally supported the legislation, he vetoed it when it reached his desk last fall.
Supporters of the bill argue taking the appointment out of the hands of the governor will reduce the influence of politics on the agency and allow for better long-term management of the state's resources. Opponents argue a governor-appointed secretary keeps the agency politically accountable.
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Interested in more lake news and supporting statewide lake work?
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All of our advocacy, public policy, and legislative work is funded by membership dues and donations. We rely on your generosity to keep our advocacy and policy work alive.
If you are receiving this message as a forward, please consider joining or donating to Wisconsin Association of Lakes. Your contributions make our work possible.
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