Thursday, October 25, 2018

Walker's 8-year war on Wisconsin's environment. Parts 8-14.

This post contains posts numbers 8-14 in a 21-part series on this blog about Walker's assault on the Wisconsin environment.

His main weapon has been the formerly science-based and conservation-defined Department of Natural Resources converted into a defacto Department of Commerce and directed by business leaders and insiders as the 'chamber of commerce mentality' agency he demanded.

Look no farther than the recent DNR decision to not fine a Western Wisconsin sand mine for a 10-gallon sludge spill that turned the Trempealeau River orange. 

People have been given heftier fines for littering.

Video, here

Not surprising, as Walker has made sure that there has been no state oversight to match the rapid expansion of sand mining in Wisconsin, because the fracking industry wants our state's sand reserves by the daily trainloads as part of the oil extraction process.
Aerial view of Badger site
Just one of the sand mines whose numbers have exploded in Wisconsin during Walker's tenure, but without concomitant oversight.

And Walker has publicly, and in writing along with other Wisconsin Republicans, promised the Koch brothers that he will serve Big Oil and not the state's environment or the public trust.

Hey, GOP - - you're the Grand Old Polluters now.

An early summary post contained parts 1-7 if thus series. The topics are roughly chronological.

I know it's a lot to keep up with, as Walker has been targeting the environment on behalf of donors and special interests literally since the first hours of his first term, so the series' summaries by thirds might serve as easier entry points to a lot of content.


Also, each post at the bottom has a link the the previous item.

The series will conclude prior to the Nov. 6 election - - and let's hope its the beginning of the end to Wisconsin's impaired rivers, corporate favoritism, defunded and violated state parks, filed wetlands, privatized groundwater, algae blooms, Lake Michigan zones and rural, brown water events.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 8. Dirty air.

Part 9. CAFOs.


Part 10. Kohler's golf course plan.


Part 11. DNR crippled.


Part 12. Taxpayers pay kleptocracy thrice.


Part 13. Policy based on round, random numbers


Part 14. Public saved DNR magazine. 



No comments:

Post a Comment