Monday, June 21, 2010

DNR Explains Delays Reviewing Waukesha's Lake Michigan Diversion Application

Remember that the Wisconsin DNR has a website devoted to the Waukesha diversion application review process.


The website announces the delay, citing problems with the application.

Lead DNR water administrator Bruce Baker told me by email today that the agency was also suspending its work to create a document outlining the scope of that review. This is the so-called 'scoping' document, and is essential to the review process.

"It is on hold," said Baker, of the scoping process.

Basically, without an application in hand, let alone the filing fee, there's nothing to scope.

4 comments:

Anon Jim said...

Speaking of delays, did MMSD ever explain why they dumped sewage last week when the supposed "Deep Tunnel" was only 40% full?

Curious how you never seem to have any outrage over that pollution of Lake Michigan James.

James Rowen said...

A poor segue way for you.

I know that before the Deep Tunnel there was an average of something like 60 overflows a year, and now the number annually is 3 or 4. And I know that MMSD is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to add capacity, and to recreate wetlands and other sos-called "greenseams" to cut down on the stormwater surge that causes overflows.

People at MMSD are not sitting on the sidelines sniping.

Anon Jim said...

Due to the latest extension being recently completed, the Deep Tunnel now has a total capacity of 521 million gallons.

Last week it was far from full, yet the MMSD still dumped over 23 million gallons of sewage into the waterways?

Doesn't that sound like gross incompetence to you?

James Rowen said...

Tell you what: Call MMSD and ask. You will probably be told that there is a judgement made that is based on forecasts and other factors.

But go ahead and ask.