“Eau Claire” is French for “clear water.”
Tuesday night, approximately 200 citizens from across Wisconsin showed up in Eau Claire to tell EPA Region Five Administrator Robert Kaplan how much they value Wisconsin’s clear water.
People traveled from as far as Milwaukee, Ashland, Green Bay, and Kewaunee to voice their concerns about the many threats to Wisconsin’s water. From over-pumping of groundwater by high capacity wells, polluted runoff, to phosphorus pollution, to lack of state enforcement of water quality regulations, citizens stood up to tell EPA that Wisconsin’s water is in danger. Wisconsin residents, farmers, beekeepers, lakefront property owners, environmental groups, mothers, grandparents, and more told the EPA representatives that they worried for their health, their safety, and their livelihoods. Many people asked the EPA for help enforcing the protections that already exist.
Kaplan, along with Chris Koraleski from the EPA’s Region 5 Water Division, stuck around long after the scheduled 7:00 p.m. end to the session to listen to every voice. Dan Baumann of the Wisconsin DNR-West Central Region was also present.
Thank you to those of you who could attend Tuesday's EPA listening session. For those of you who could not make it, but would like have your voice be heard, you can still email your comments.
Let the EPA know what you think about Wisconsin’s water, and what you would like to see from the Environmental Protection Agency.
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