WI DNR: 'Screw, er, fill those pesky small wetlands'

Having recently condemned a pristine wetland to filling, Scott Walker's "chamber of commerce mentality" Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants to make it easier to fill some smaller ones.

Just another move to privatize or otherwise remove public waters in Wisconsin from public trust oversight and outright ownership.

Here's the plan, in the DNR's own words:

The Department is announcing its intention to issue a statewide wetland general permit (GP) for certain wetlands that formed in depressions created as a result of grading and construction activities within uplands in Wisconsin. 

Once in place, the permit will be valid for 5 years and will allow applicants to apply for coverage under the permit to fill up to 2 acres of certain wetlands if the project meets all eligibility criteria and conditions. 

A link to the draft document can be found at: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/waterways/construction/wetlands.html. The Department is inviting written comments on the proposed general permit and has scheduled 2 public informational hearings.

The informational hearings will be held on May 15 at 1pm, DNR Service Center, 625 E. County Road Y, Oshkosh, and on May 19 at 1pm in room G09, DNR GEF 2 building, 101 S. Webster Street, Madison. 

Written comments must be received by close of business May 30, 2017. Please send comments by email to dnrwywrzguidance@wisconsin.gov or by standard mail to Waterway Policy Coordinator, Bureau of Watershed Management, DNR-WT/3, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921.