Kathleen Cummings, a Waukesha City Alderwoman who voted to approve the city's pending application for a Lake Michigan diversion, said at a Friday legislative candidates' forum that the water being sought will ensure that Waukesha, and the county surrounding it, are "open for business."
Her remarks begin at the 16:03 mark on this video.
Cummings is also a Waukesha County Supervisor and a candidate for the Legislature, where, if elected she said she will continue to push the application's approval.
As a veteran official who said she studied the issues over a long period of time, Cummings should know that Scott Walker's meme is not among the exceptions in the Great Lakes Compact guiding what are intended to be rare, last-resort diversions of water.
Under the Compact's 2008 protocols and law, Waukesha's is the first application seeking a water diversion outside of the boundaries of the Great Lakes, thus represents a key precedent being closely watched in the US and Canada.
Waukesha's application is already raising questions because it seeks more water than Waukesha is currently using as the city's overall demand within its borders is falling: validating that the diversion application is really an economic tool to help Waukesha and the area's development further undermines its credibility.
Right now, the application is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR; no hearings have been held or fundamental environmental impact statement written, the project's price tag has more than doubled from its initial $78 million, and a court-imposed 2017 deadline for the city to produce a new water supply is in jeopardy of being violated.
Her remarks begin at the 16:03 mark on this video.
Cummings is also a Waukesha County Supervisor and a candidate for the Legislature, where, if elected she said she will continue to push the application's approval.
As a veteran official who said she studied the issues over a long period of time, Cummings should know that Scott Walker's meme is not among the exceptions in the Great Lakes Compact guiding what are intended to be rare, last-resort diversions of water.
Under the Compact's 2008 protocols and law, Waukesha's is the first application seeking a water diversion outside of the boundaries of the Great Lakes, thus represents a key precedent being closely watched in the US and Canada.
Waukesha's application is already raising questions because it seeks more water than Waukesha is currently using as the city's overall demand within its borders is falling: validating that the diversion application is really an economic tool to help Waukesha and the area's development further undermines its credibility.
Right now, the application is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR; no hearings have been held or fundamental environmental impact statement written, the project's price tag has more than doubled from its initial $78 million, and a court-imposed 2017 deadline for the city to produce a new water supply is in jeopardy of being violated.
"Waukesha County needs water" (Lake Michigan water)
ReplyDeleteGee, I thought the application was about public health concerns and the supposed lack of supply due to the deep aquifer declining 6-9 feet per year.
I was wrong.
Do all the candidates in this primary know that Waukesha has submitted the application and they have no further input?
The application is based on whether, or not, the application complies with the Great Lakes Compact.
Providing Lake Michigan water for the financial benefit of Waukesha County is not a qualifying criteria.
Is Cummings really an Alderwoman and County Supervisor in Waukesha? She should know all this.