Massive Citizen Effort To Block Sneak Giveaway Of Wisc. Groundwater

Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is announcing that 39 organizations and more than 4,000 citizens have, on short notice, contacted legislators seeking removal of the groundwater giveaway provision sneaked into the stage budget through a committee amendment without even minimal notice, let alone a hearing.

...Motion #375 was adopted by the Joint Finance Committee into the state budget on Tuesday, May 21st. The amendment prohibits a citizen from challenging an application for a new high capacity well, even if the state has not considered the cumulative environmental impacts of other high capacity wells. 

This amendment will have far-reaching implications for our state, including our multi-billion dollar tourism and outdoor recreation industries. Depleted groundwater levels translate directly to low lake levels, barely-flowing rivers, and dry wetlands. Well-managed groundwater resources are absolutely vital to the fishing, hunting, boating and other recreational activities that are at the heart of Wisconsin's $13 billion tourism industry. 

More about Motion #375 later today...