tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post7184731500051970862..comments2023-10-08T04:12:46.273-05:00Comments on The Political Environment: New Berlin Water Bandwagon Rolls AlongJames Rowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-59455263967138526552007-07-17T19:08:00.000-05:002007-07-17T19:08:00.000-05:00I think it's true that comments received by phone ...I think it's true that comments received by phone are not exempt from the open records law. They need to be documented by DNR and made available. Otherwise, they aren't comments. I seriously doubt that any state agency, or non-profit would be satisfied to comment by phone. Any comment from an official agency would have to be in writing. <BR/><BR/>The problem isn't just how comments are made and received, but what the process is. I can't imagine that in this day and age, after decades of sunshine and open meeting laws, that DNR can legally withhold information, or NOT subject a decision to public scrutiny. I say that DNR is breaking the law, at least the spirit of it, and should be sued at the earliest opportunity to compel them to produce comments, or open the process to whatever scrutiny any other public decision is subject to.Steve Brancahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14625522097228353833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-84116669826729121602007-07-06T12:11:00.000-05:002007-07-06T12:11:00.000-05:00The application says for municipal purposes, to re...The application says for municipal purposes, to resolve their problem with some well water not meeting federal radium standards.<BR/><BR/>They can meet the standard by installing radium-removal equipment, as have other communities, but they do not want to spend the money.<BR/><BR/>New Berlin has some conservation measures, though nothing dramatic.<BR/><BR/>New Berlin is also growing rapidly and water will be piped to the faster-growing regions west of the subcontinental divide.<BR/><BR/>That includes a conference center and water park.<BR/><BR/>The Compact suggests that diversions be a matter of last resort, a standard New Berlin does not meet.James Rowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-46275693186564428032007-07-06T11:53:00.000-05:002007-07-06T11:53:00.000-05:00In their application, did New Berlin quantify the ...In their application, did New Berlin quantify the use categories for their water, and what uses the proposed Lake Michigan diversion was going to support?<BR/><BR/>Can't New Berlin mandate or support water conservation measures to make up the shortfall, such as front-load washing equipment, xeriscaping and native landscaping, reduction of lawn area, reduction of lawn watering (you do not need to water bluegrass in the summer, it will recover just fine in the fall with the fall rains), recapture of rainfall (i.e., cisterns), and re-use of graywater. They need to exhaust these options before sucking out Lake Michigan's water.Joshua Skolnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03429086776789822611noreply@blogger.com