There are more than 250,000 rivers in the US of A, and for the second straight year, a Wisconsin waterway finds itself on a very short list of ten most endangered American rivers.
First, let me note that in a recent post I reported that official records indicated that hundreds of Wisconsin waterways have been newly-declared "impaired" on Walker's watch, and I suggested their identities and locations be among the issues Wisconsin voters hold Walker accountable for as the November 6th elections approach:
More, here:
The Menominee River on the Michigan-Wisconsin border made the 2017 ranking, so this is another first for Walker - - listings two straight years after none since 2011.
So, well done, sir.
I'll add this achievement to the Walker's efforts to get us on other lists you don't want to be any part of,' here.
First, let me note that in a recent post I reported that official records indicated that hundreds of Wisconsin waterways have been newly-declared "impaired" on Walker's watch, and I suggested their identities and locations be among the issues Wisconsin voters hold Walker accountable for as the November 6th elections approach:
The number of so-called 'impaired waterways' has doubled during Walker's tenure. There is a searchable data base listing these waters.
Do you have one or more of these polluted waterways in your area? Is your favorite trout stream among them?Let's take that to another level: does he know or care that the Kinnickinnic River in Northwestern Wisconsin has just been added to one of those lists you'd prefer to avoid - - America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2018,
More, here:
The Kinnickinnic River (the “Kinni”) is an Outstanding Resource Water and one of the best trout streams in the Midwest. Two dams disrupt a full mile of the Kinni in the heart of River Falls, Wisconsin, destroying habitat and warming the river by more than 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Removing these dams would revitalize and restore the Lower Kinni’s cold water habitat, resurrect an entire mile of this world class stream, and fully restore the historic Junction Falls waterfall in the heart of the city.
The Menominee River on the Michigan-Wisconsin border made the 2017 ranking, so this is another first for Walker - - listings two straight years after none since 2011.So, well done, sir.
I'll add this achievement to the Walker's efforts to get us on other lists you don't want to be any part of,' here.
While much of this is a legacy of Wisconsin's former manufacturing legacy, when rivers were deemed open sewers for any and all toxic waste, today much of this is being exasperated by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations/CAFO.
ReplyDeleteThe result of this Walker gimme to his out-of-state multinational backers is that traditional family farmers continue to be put out of business at record paces. Personally, I no longer give a darn about them, because they almost all voted for all of this divide-and-conquer. No one is entitled to be a farmer.
Since there are so few actual buyers of milk and commodities, they have the small operator over the barrel. The control of our foods, including milk, by a handful of multinational corporations means they control the prices of their manufacturing inputs.
My opinion of the intellegence and integrity of most Wisconsin farmers, however, is irrelevant (can you tell it isn't high?). Eventually, perhaps not until they lose the farm, they will have to stop supporting out-of-state corporate interests at the expense of Wisconsin citizens and taxpayers.
Which gets us back to the endangered rivers -- this is a direct result of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and their puppet Scott Walker. WMC is misnomer, as they are actually doing the bidding for multinational out-of-state corporations.
It is time for change in Wisconsin and the way to make it happen is to continue to cover these stories. It does not matter if the voting alternative exactly aligns with anyone's ideal candidate. Change will take time. Change will have to come from the top-down.
It is time to send Scott Walker packing, so that he no longer abuses his governorship to rehabilitate his failed image and record as a politician. If Walker wins a third term, he will again launch a run for Presidency.
He will again claim god told him to do it (funny how God has a twisted sense of humor based on his failed run in 2015). The only question is will he run in 2020 or 2024. Let's please get out and vote to slam that door shut now!
Note that the DNR says most of the new impaired waterways are overly-loaded with phosphorus, the discharge of which is among the many pro-industry environmental rollbacks pushed and signed into law by Walker. https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/impairedwaters/2018IR_IWList.html
ReplyDeleteHere's more about Walker lifting phosphorus rules in 2014
ReplyDeletehttp://archive.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-signs-bill-easing-phosphorous-rules-for-communities-b99254590z1-256396661.html/
Note how Walker's BFF in the media, especially when it was owned by Journal Communications and had right-wing Walker shill WTMJ-AM w/Charlie Sykes did sometimes publish truthful and factual information. However right-wing trolls Christian Schneider and the like always go many more column inches promoting Walker even when the facts were not on his side (Note: These were published as opinion essays, but that does not excuse the publisher from accountability for the falsehoods regularly promoted).
Remember - in 2014 MJS endorsed Walker after claiming they would end these with a bogus endorsement where they lied that it wasn't actually an endorsement.
Also as no surprise, the main source of phosphorus in Wisconsin is agricultural interests:
https://www.wiscontext.org/phosphorus-wisconsins-land-and-water
The "get big or get out" farms and CAFOs have made this into an emerging crisis that gets short-shrifted by the state's media. This is hiw we got a divide-and-conquer governor in the first place.
Objective and balanced journalism has nothing to do with promoting one side's lie when an objective and verifiable truth happens to be news.