Stepp's op-ed raises sourcing questions
In light of some of questions and related partisan harrumphing about plagiarism, and attributions, and demands for 100% transparency purity over text in Mary Burke's economic development plan - - and taking into account all the points racked up on Scott Walker's behalf in a close race by his powerful right-wing media distortion machine - - what say you all to this?
Read the text of a DNR report and release about environmental project cleanup successes that I copied below from a DNR website, and then compare it to the text of an op-ed posted this evening under Cathy Stepp's name on the Journal Sentinel editorial pages.
If the DNR submits material similar to what has appeared on its website to the newspaper for publication, shouldn't the newspaper note the first publication or highlight in some way the similarities?
And since the DNR has communication and program and executive office staff, can we fairly infer that the op-ed has some unattributed content written by DNR agency people other than Stepp?
Maybe these sorts of questions and circumstances are not so simple.
Take these paragraphs, for example, from the DNR posting:
You will also note matching references in both the DNR posting and the op-ed to the Public Policy Forum's report on the issue.
So - - below, first, is the text of the DNR website item and then the text of the op-ed.
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The Hank Aaron State Trail runs through the Menomonee Valley. A new study on the valley's redevelopment points out the importance of state partnerships in the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties.
WDNR Photo
Read the text of a DNR report and release about environmental project cleanup successes that I copied below from a DNR website, and then compare it to the text of an op-ed posted this evening under Cathy Stepp's name on the Journal Sentinel editorial pages.
If the DNR submits material similar to what has appeared on its website to the newspaper for publication, shouldn't the newspaper note the first publication or highlight in some way the similarities?
And since the DNR has communication and program and executive office staff, can we fairly infer that the op-ed has some unattributed content written by DNR agency people other than Stepp?
Maybe these sorts of questions and circumstances are not so simple.
Take these paragraphs, for example, from the DNR posting:
Stepp noted the study comes during the 20th anniversary of the passage of the 1994 Land Recycling Act, the state's brownfields law that helped set the table for many of the initiatives and DNR programs currently in play today.
Darsi Foss, program director for the DNR's Remediation and Redevelopment Program, noted that since 2004 the program has helped prepare 19,500 acres for redevelopment and has been instrumental in leveraging public and private dollars toward brownfield projects, including the agency grabbing $11.4 million in federal dollars for cleanups and $2.1 million for environmental assessments.
To help facilitate those redevelopments, the DNR has issued more than 4,000 "comfort" or assurance letters and liability exemptions as part of the tools created in the Land Recycling Law.
"Our state brownfields program is a national model, and we're very proud of that fact," said Foss. "Over the past two decades our staff helped 'bridge the gap' with technical, liability and financial assistance and, in many cases, our involvement has served as the catalyst in getting a project off the ground."
Foss added that since 1994 the state also recovered more than $22 million from responsible parties for cleanups. "We work hard to ensure that responsible parties pay their fair share," said Foss.
Here is wording from Stepp's op-ed:
That's especially true this year, the 20th anniversary of the passage of the 1994 Land Recycling Act. That's our state's brownfields law, which gave us tools to help clean up contaminated, underutilized property and put it back into productive use. Through two decades of DNR partnerships with local public and private parties, we can tally up an impressive list of accomplishments.
Among them, completing cleanups at more than 15,400 properties; helping create and retain jobs, including 3,200 new jobs for the valley; turning tax delinquent properties into economic assets; getting more than 20,000 acres of contaminated property cleaned up and ready for reuse; and recovering more than $22 million from responsible parties for cleanups, making sure everyone pays his or her fair share.In the op-ed, Foss has disappeared, though Foss's data and "fair share" observation, are rolled, without attribution, into Stepp's voice.
You will also note matching references in both the DNR posting and the op-ed to the Public Policy Forum's report on the issue.
So - - below, first, is the text of the DNR website item and then the text of the op-ed.
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Report highlights Menomonee Valley success during 20th anniversary of brownfields law
Weekly News Article Published: September 30, 2014 by the Central Office
MADISON -- The highly successful renewal of Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley is not only a showcase on how to revitalize blighted urban areas, it's also a shining example of the key role the Department of Natural Resources plays in these efforts, a recent report revealed.
The non-partisan Public Policy Forum recently released the study "Redevelopment in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley: What Worked and Why?" with the hope the report will serve as a road map to guide other communities facing similar challenges across the state.
The Hank Aaron State Trail runs through the Menomonee Valley. A new study on the valley's redevelopment points out the importance of state partnerships in the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties.
WDNR Photo
The study points out the importance of state partnerships in the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties, known as "brownfields," and mentions the DNR's role in oversight and approval of cleanup projects as well as the agency's work on the Hank Aaron Trail and the Menomonee River.
"DNR staff members...are viewed as having helped to move Valley projects through necessary brownfields cleanup approval processes in a collaborative and timely fashion," the report stated. "The positive impact of the DNR's increased 'flexibility, cooperation, and willingness to negotiate' ...was a key finding of national research on Wisconsin's brownfields redevelopment efforts."
"The report points out something we've been saying all along - that economic and environmental work can and should go hand in hand," said DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp. "We're thrilled to play a role in these efforts, because it means we're helping create economic opportunities for communities while protecting our world-class natural resources."
Stepp noted the study comes during the 20th anniversary of the passage of the 1994 Land Recycling Act, the state's brownfields law that helped set the table for many of the initiatives and DNR programs currently in play today.
Since 1994, the DNR has helped complete cleanups at more than 15,400 properties. Many of these sites were tax delinquent, financially dragging down counties, cities and towns, but today have become economic assets, helping create or retain jobs. That includes the Menomonee Valley, where the report shows more than 3,200 new jobs were added between 2002-2011.
Darsi Foss, program director for the DNR's Remediation and Redevelopment Program, noted that since 2004 the program has helped prepare 19,500 acres for redevelopment and has been instrumental in leveraging public and private dollars toward brownfield projects, including the agency grabbing $11.4 million in federal dollars for cleanups and $2.1 million for environmental assessments.
To help facilitate those redevelopments, the DNR has issued more than 4,000 "comfort" or assurance letters and liability exemptions as part of the tools created in the Land Recycling Law.
"Our state brownfields program is a national model, and we're very proud of that fact," said Foss. "Over the past two decades our staff helped 'bridge the gap' with technical, liability and financial assistance and, in many cases, our involvement has served as the catalyst in getting a project off the ground."
Foss added that since 1994 the state also recovered more than $22 million from responsible parties for cleanups. "We work hard to ensure that responsible parties pay their fair share," said Foss.
The study lists several key lessons learned through the Valley example that may help guide other communities, including strong intergovernmental cooperation and public-private partnerships, especially for large-scale redevelopments.
The "Redevelopment in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley: What Worked and Why?" (exit DNR) report is available on the Public Policy Forum's website.
To view more information about the DNR's brownfields program, including the "Top 100" success stories, search the DNR website dnr.wi.gov for keyword "brownfield."
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Darsi Foss, Remediation and Redevelopment Program director, 608-267-6713; Andrew Savagian, communications, 608-261-6422
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From the Journal Sentinel:
From the Journal Sentinel:
The DNR's role in reviving the Menomonee Valley
Michael Sears
The Menomonee River and the surrounding Menomonee Valley area is shown in this 2013 file photo.
The nonpartisan Public Policy Forum recently released "Redevelopment in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley: What Worked and Why?" — a showcase on the successful renewal of the valley and a guide for helping other communities in Wisconsin deal with similar urban blight.
We applaud the success of the valley renewal, and we're glad the state Department of Natural Resources has been able to play a key role in turning around an eyesore in the heart of Milwaukee that was, for many years, considered impossible to fix.
I was especially happy to see DNR staff highlighted for all their hard work on many of the valley projects. Viewing the DNR as helpful, flexible, cooperative and willing to work with all the various public and private entities on such an enormous project, as the report stated, is critical for a large-scale enterprise such as the valley renewal to succeed and something I'm most proud of.
The valley is a shining example of the important role the DNR plays in many different projects in your communities, and it emphasizes a key point I've been saying all along: Economic development and environmental protection can go hand in hand.
It means we're having a positive effect, and we're helping create economic opportunities while protecting our world-class natural resources.
That's especially true this year, the 20th anniversary of the passage of the 1994 Land Recycling Act. That's our state's brownfields law, which gave us tools to help clean up contaminated, underutilized property and put it back into productive use. Through two decades of DNR partnerships with local public and private parties, we can tally up an impressive list of accomplishments.
Among them, completing cleanups at more than 15,400 properties; helping create and retain jobs, including 3,200 new jobs for the valley; turning tax delinquent properties into economic assets; getting more than 20,000 acres of contaminated property cleaned up and ready for reuse; and recovering more than $22 million from responsible parties for cleanups, making sure everyone pays his or her fair share.
That's what makes our brownfields program a national model and why we'll continue our efforts to promote economic revitalization and protect our environment. And that's why we'll continue to work with communities on their next revitalization projects — in Kenosha, Racine, Oak Creek and all over the state.
We're also willing to listen to you. It's your DNR. Tell us about your visions for your communities and what you'd like to see these properties become. Together we can make those visions a reality.
Cathy Stepp is secretary of the state Department of Natural Resources.
