Props again to Madison-based Midwest Environmental Advocates, (MEA), for adding another important legal challenge to its public protection portfolio - - suing to force the WI DNR to do an environmental assessment of the risks in its approving a second routing through a La Crosse marsh for dangerous rail car oil shipments.
It's an accident waiting to happen in de-regulated, laissez-faire Wisconsin.
The common-sense goal: reducing the likelihood of derailments, fireballs and severe land and water pollution - - as has happened repeatedly in the US and Canada - - as volatile shale oil moves nationwide from North Dakota.
But Walker and his corporate allies in the Legislature have eased the rail line regulatory review process so the DNR green-lighted the expansion with minimal concern.
MEA played a lead role opposing the GTac open-pit iron ore plan now suspended in the Bad River watershed up north and has also forced state regulators to better address pollution risks at frac sand mines and large dairy operations known as CAFO's.
The good news is that MEA is on the job.
The bad news is that a non-profit law firm with donated funds has to do the job which the State Constitution's Public Trust Doctrine and other Wisconsin legacy policies have long-assigned to the DNR.
Now being run with the "chamber-pf-commerce mentality" Scott Walker intentionally put there.
It's an accident waiting to happen in de-regulated, laissez-faire Wisconsin.
The common-sense goal: reducing the likelihood of derailments, fireballs and severe land and water pollution - - as has happened repeatedly in the US and Canada - - as volatile shale oil moves nationwide from North Dakota.
But Walker and his corporate allies in the Legislature have eased the rail line regulatory review process so the DNR green-lighted the expansion with minimal concern.
MEA played a lead role opposing the GTac open-pit iron ore plan now suspended in the Bad River watershed up north and has also forced state regulators to better address pollution risks at frac sand mines and large dairy operations known as CAFO's.
The good news is that MEA is on the job.
The bad news is that a non-profit law firm with donated funds has to do the job which the State Constitution's Public Trust Doctrine and other Wisconsin legacy policies have long-assigned to the DNR.
Now being run with the "chamber-pf-commerce mentality" Scott Walker intentionally put there.
Tommy Thompson eliminated the Office of the Public Intervenor which originally did this job.
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