Kohler golf course opponents want answers from DNR Sec. Stepp

Readers of this blog know that there is a plan by the Kohler Co. to convert into a high-end golf course a water, dune and woodland-rich nature preserve bisected by the Black River near Sheboygan along Lake Michigan - - 
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- - and that one of the issues raised by opponents is the review of the plan by the Scott Walker-directed 'chamber of commerce mentality' Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources without requiring the company to submit a formal permit application.

The plan even includes turning over for golf course operations at least four acres of land in the adjoining Kohler Andrae State Park - - a request likely to find a friendly reception at the DNR where, as we speak, thousands of acres of state land under DNR ownership - - public land, your land - - is being offered for sale.

While other big corporate operations like water-hogging, manure-and-pollution producing big feedlots and heavily-polluting frac sand mines are given kid-gloves' permit reviews and continuing 'oversight.

Just today, Wisconsin organizations are seeking federal intervention over health hazards posed by frac sand mining, made worse in Wisconsin by the DNR's inaction:

Groups ask EPA to object to DNR approval of frac sand permit

Mining operation air pollution permit approved without Clean Air Act compliance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2016

CONTACT:         Sarah Geers, Midwest Environmental Advocates Staff Attorney, sgeers@midwestadvocates.org (608) 251-5047 x 5

Stacy Harbaugh, Midwest Environmental Advocates Communications Director, sharbaugh@midwestadvocates.org, (608) 466-6321

Bill Davis, Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter Director, bill.davis@sierraclub.org, (608) 256-0565

Lynette D. LeGarde, Ho-Chunk Nation Legislature Chief Communications Officer, Lynette.LeGarde@ho-chunk.com, (715) 284-9343 Ext. 1160

MADISON, WI – On behalf of the Ho-Chunk Nation and the Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter, Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a petition this week with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requesting formal objection by the federal agency to an air pollution permit approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The grassroots organization Friends of the Black River Forest, one of several groups around the state which has taken on the burden of environmental preservation which Walker's DNR has intentionally forfeited, has continued to question the project and has asked DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp - - again - - for a meeting. Here is the text of the organization's request. 

October 25, 2016

Secretary Cathy Stepp

Wisconsin DNR

Via email: DNRSecretary@Wisconsin.gov

Dear Secretary Stepp,

Friends of the Black River Forest has been asking members of the DNR staff why the

DNR has worked for the Kohler Company for 5 years without an application into the

agency. We have asked why the DNR would take time to write a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Kohler golf course without

having complete information on environmental impacts to present to the public. A

DNR supervisor, David Siebert, has said the premature DEIS was released to get

information out to the public, but he and others have also said upper management—

that is, you—are the ones with the ultimate answer to this question.

We have waited months to have record requests fulfilled only to have them

incomplete.

The public has a right to know why you have allowed staff to put in thousands of

hours of work on the Kohler projects when you profess to be short staffed and

unable to enforce regulations that would keep Wisconsin’s water clean and

drinkable.

Documents we have seen suggest a DNR very willing to move Kohler’s projects

forward because Kohler and DNR management wanted it. We have a DNR attorney

and current Deputy Secretary, Kurt Thiede, agreeing to mislead the Town of Wilson

Board so Kohler would get the entrance to the Tented Forest it wanted. The public

needs to be reassured of DNR’s motives and actions.

Please notify us when we can meet in person with you to hear the reasons behind

the DNR’s fast tracking and financial expenditures on Kohler Company projects.

Your staff has said you keep no records of staff time on this project. We find it

difficult to believe this information cannot be found, and we question an agency that

only keeps such records for some projects—but not this one.

We had a meeting scheduled with you at about this time last year, but you were

unavailable at the last minute and we met with other staff. We’d like to try again.

We await correspondence from your office setting a date to meet and discuss these

important issues to the taxpayers and environment of our state.

Mary Faydash

Co-Spokeperson, Friends of the Black River Forest