This just in: Republicans discover that this is not a lawn decoration:
After eight years of citizen suffering enforced by Scott Walker to serve his personal agendas and special-interest allies - - eight years of toxic groundwater and manure-enriched tap water and algae-stuffed rivers and persistent dead zones in lakes - - what do you know?
Republicans say they have a 'new awareness.'
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| Manure flowing from a Kewaunee CAFO. |
After eight years of citizen suffering enforced by Scott Walker to serve his personal agendas and special-interest allies - - eight years of toxic groundwater and manure-enriched tap water and algae-stuffed rivers and persistent dead zones in lakes - - what do you know?
Republicans say they have a 'new awareness.'
By this fall, a new legislative task force formed by the leader of the Wisconsin state Assembly will offer a series of proposed law changes aimed at solving water pollution problems, the panel's chairman said Wednesday during the panel's first meeting....
"It's a priority of the Democrats and a priority now of the Republicans."
"Now?" You mean after Walker's defeat and more grassroots rebellion that threatens your legislative majorities goosed along by atrociously-tainted gerrymandering which your CYA behavior is designed to backstop?
Do you seriously think Vos and Fitzgerald won't still jump to the tune of donor who send hand-delivered instructions and expect political and environmental 'certainty' on their terms laid out as recently as 2015?
So I'll hold my applause for The Pollution Party until it actually does something.
Do you seriously think Vos and Fitzgerald won't still jump to the tune of donor who send hand-delivered instructions and expect political and environmental 'certainty' on their terms laid out as recently as 2015?
Industry has its talking point - - "certainty" - - focus-group vetted and scripted. And has its eager chief water-carrier - - GOP Senate Majority leader Scott Fitzgerald - - locked down to guarantee delivery of this special interest, 'chamber of commerce mentality' privilege:
Growers say water certainty is needed
No doubt the $220,000 Wisconsin Democracy Campaign has traced from these special interests to members of the committeeholding the hearing should help along that 'certainty.'
Not to mention lobbying, known and documented.
It's the same talking point Big Ag and Big Dairy marched over to the Legislators in 2015 in a brazen, hand-delivered written demand for permanent groundwater control - -" certainty" for them but not for people living nearby or fishing downstream:
The bold, hand-delivered memo, its bold-faced language and the weighty array of powerful logos at the top tell the story:
An urgent communication to all Wisconsin legislators
We are at a crossroads. It is imperative that the legislature assert its authority and bring certainty and sanity to the regulation of new and existing high capacity wells in Wisconsin.
And..
However, we cannot accept any legislation that would create new, stifling regulations or establish regulatory uncertainty as to how DNR and the state will approach new well applications moving forward.
I watched this in Wiseye and recommend it. It was an informational hearing with questions for agency experts at the end. At the very beginning they showed a map where public hearings on water quality might be held. One legislator said they should consider holding a hearing in Milwaukee as that is where lead pipes are a big problem. I encourage people to write to their legislator and request a hearing be held near them, especially if you live in Milwaukee.
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