WI DNR takes 'sue us' to murkier new depth
Some years ago I was at a meeting with several environmental organizations' leaders who recounted the resistance to routine pollution enforcement at Scott Walker's "chamber of commerce mentality" Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
One person at the meeting brought up an enforcement request of the agency which its staffers had instantly and peremptorily turned aside with the DNR's reflexive "go-ahead-and-sue-us" stance - - an anecdote echoed in this 2014 blog posting:
...shamefully forcing citizens to spend their own money unnecessarily litigating the DNR's game-playing over the release of public records:
One person at the meeting brought up an enforcement request of the agency which its staffers had instantly and peremptorily turned aside with the DNR's reflexive "go-ahead-and-sue-us" stance - - an anecdote echoed in this 2014 blog posting:
Since the DNR let human waste spreading violations go with simple slaps on the wrist, is there any real surprise that the agency tolerates widespread - - no pun intended - - aerial manure spreading at big farming operations?
Bigger and bigger dairy operations mean a lot more of that unhealthy stuff is in the air, downwind, in your lungs, and working its way into the ground and surface waters which you drink, cook with, swim in and fish.
And basically, the DNR tells neighbors who complain, 'go ahead and sue us,' as if everyone had deep pockets with which to do the agency's work.
Where is the agency's concern as the state's natural resources regulator for the public interest, health and safety?Now the DNR has figured out a new way to evade its public health and safety responsibilities...
...shamefully forcing citizens to spend their own money unnecessarily litigating the DNR's game-playing over the release of public records:
Public interest firm sues DNR over delays on records requests
2 comments:
The term is "bureaucratic warfare."
It's a phase capitalism's going through.
The phase ends when the environment dies or,
in the alternative, when meaningless
bs agencies are dissolved and all stewards of the earth reunite with our common sense, each other and power-with-Nature.
Walker has marginalized this agency nearly out of existence. A DNR warden that I know bows his head in disgust when asked about the agency. It's much like the DOC.....no dissent nor concerns are allowed to be expressed. All comments come from a spokesperson for the agency and are sanitized so as not to reflect any controversy. Like many wardens he is doing his job the best he can but they have no input as to policy and all are walking on eggs hoping to reach retirement age so that they can leave the agency. I don't know if they are Civil Service employees but if they are watch the purge once Walker signs the bill. New DNR staff will be Walker supporters and the agency will do even less enforcement. DNR now stands for "DOES NOT REGULATE."
Post a Comment