Walker & Co. Want To Make Shoreline Pollution Easier

The organization Milwaukee Riverkeeper explains the latest Walker-led special interest attack on Wisconsin waters:

Proposed Changes Benefit Developers at the Expense of Water Quality and Fisheries! 

In 2010, after seven years, countless hearings, and over 50,000 public comments, the WDNR updated the state shoreland zoning rules. These rules set minimum setbacks for development from river and lake shorelines as well as standards for how much of a site can be disturbed and "paved over" to protect water quality. 

The current rules are not perfect, but were created with balanced feedback from diverse stakeholders and included some exceptions for incorporated and historically developed areas, including all of Milwaukee County. These shoreland rules are vital to protecting aesthetic beauty, water quality, and wildlife habitat, as well as our $8-12 Billion water-based tourism industry. WDNR is proposing new rules that will roll back many of these hard-fought water quality protections. 

These proposed changes are a "give away" to real estate developers that will allow for more development with less DNR oversight, and result in poorer water quality for shoreland property owners and citizens who use our waters for swimming, drinking, and fishing.  

The DNR needs to hear from you that they should honor the citizens involved in this seven year rulemaking process and keep our existing shoreland protections. In addition, only 13 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have implemented these rules; the 2010 rules should be given a chance to work before being considered for costly revisions.  

Please send written comments on the importance of the shoreland rules before September 5, 2013 to: Heidi Kennedy, Bureau of Watershed Management, DNRNR115COMMENTS@wisconsin.gov 

 For talking points and more information visit our website.