Fast-tracked 3/7 hearing for Foxconn Great Lakes water diversion

The Wisconsin DNR wants Foxconn - - my updated Foxconn blog archive is here - - to get Lake Michigan water a lot faster than it took Waukesha to get even less: 

Says the DNR Wednesday:

NEWS RELEASE

DNR to hold hearing on Racine water diversion March 7 in Sturtevant; public may provide comments until March 21

DATE: January 31, 2018 

CONTACT: Jim Dick, DNR Director of Communications, James.Dick@wisconsin.gov, 608-267-2773

MADISON - The Department of Natural Resources has scheduled a public hearing March 7 in Sturtevant regarding the city of Racine's Lake Michigan water diversion application.

The proposed diversion is for the Racine Water Utility to extend public water service to portions of the village of Mount Pleasant in the Mississippi River Basin that do not currently have a public water supply. The proposed diversion area includes part of the area identified by Racine County as the Foxconn facility site.

In its application, the city of Racine proposes to divert up to an annual average of 7 million gallons of water per day to the Mississippi River basin section of Mount Pleasant. The Great Lakes Compact requires that the water be treated and returned to the Lake Michigan basin, less an allowance for consumptive use. The city of Racine withdrew an annual average of 16.9 million gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan in 2016.

The hearing will be held at the SC Johnson iMET Center, 2320 Renaissance Blvd., Sturtevant, starting at 6 p.m. The hearing will include a 30 minute presentation followed by the public comment period.

The department will accept both written and oral comments at the hearing. A hearing officer will be present to conduct the hearing and may put time limits on individual oral statements to ensure an opportunity for all persons present to make statements.

Persons wishing to provide written comment on the diversion application should do so by close of business on March 21, 2018. Please email comments to: DNRRacineDiversionComments@wisconsin.gov. 

You can also send comments via regular mail to:

DNR Drinking Water and Groundwater Program DG/5, Attn: Adam Freihoefer, PO Box 7921, Madison WI 53707-7921.

For more information, please visit DNR.wi.gov and search "Racine diversion." More information about the Great Lakes Compact is also available.