Wisconsin Faces Choice: Clean, Safe Water or Fouled, Toxic Water

Kewaunee County fights polluters

From Kewaunee County in northeastern Wisconsin, citizen groups are advising each other of what to do when their water wells test positive for Ecoli from liquid cow manure runoff, and what to do when their sink water turns brown.

This is the new normal in Scott Walker's Wisconsin as Walker's new budget guts DNR use of scientific findings and citizen power to protect their drinking water and their families. (Midwest Environmental Advocates)

Scott Walker takes $ Millions from Big Ag with its new business model, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), and literally sends Wisconsin families back shite, vectoring dangerous pathogens into the environment because the millions of tons of liquid cow manure are untreated.

From the Kewaunee County Times (Facebook):

We have just learned that there are two more contaminated wells that have tested positive for E-Coli on Macco Road in the Town of Red River, both wells are on the same property. The DNR has taken water samples to apply the Microbial Source Tracking or (MST) to see if it was contaminated by Bovine, Human, other or a combination thereof. The DNR has sent letters to surrounding properties to inform them of the situation and the precautions they should take.

Remember the DNR recommends that all wells should be tested once per year, but if homeowners notice a change in their water’s, color, taste or smell they should contact the DNR so their water can be 'officially' tested for the determinant. The DNR phone number for water testing is (888)-936-7463. They should also call Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Department at 920-845-9743 and the Kewaunee County Public Health Department at 920-388-7161 to let them know that there is problems with their water so they too can assist in alerting the public and to assist in finding the root problem.

"Until each of us speaks up, Big Ag interests will continue to force themselves on our environment, clear cutting forests and polluting our water.  We need to find a balance between reasonable ag expansion and protection of our air, land and water.  For starters, please contact Phil McLaughlin at Adams County Planning and Zoning [pmclaughlin@co.adams.wi.us ] and tell him to push through an ordinance to regulate clear cutting of forestland in Adams County," emails Don Ystad of Adams County, proposed site of another CAFO. [See also Minnesota struggles to slow deforestation, protect water (Marcotty, Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

In the city of Ashland in Bayfield County, citizens are fighting Scott Walker and a proposed swine CAFO:

RESOLUTION BY THE COMMON COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF ASHLAND, WISCONSIN REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY BOARD OF BAYFIELD COUNTY WISCONSIN ADOPT MORE STRINGENT STANDARDS THAN WHAT IS CONTAINED IN ATCP-51 TO REGULATE CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS (CAFO) IN BAYFIELD COUNTY

WHEREAS, Bayfield County and the City of Ashland are geographically adjacent to one another and have strong ties in the regional economy located on Chequamegon Bay; and

WHEREAS, the Fish Creek watershed consists of more than 100,000 acres primarily in Bayfield County and Fish Creek flows into Lake Superior near the City of Ashland; and

WHEREAS, residents of both Bayfield County and the City of Ashland place a high value on clean water and air; and

WHEREAS, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) is proposed near Fish Creek in Bayfield County; and

WHEREAS, the City of Ashland draws its municipal drinking water from Lake Superior a short distance from where Fish Creek flows into Lake Superior; and

WHEREAS, safe drinking water is a matter of public health for the City of Ashland; and

WHEREAS, many of the beach advisories and closings of Maslowski Beach, a municipal park in Ashland, are currently attributed to sources within the Fish Creek watershed; and,

WHEREAS, tourism is a significant component of the City of Ashland’s economy and that tourism is largely dependent on the waters of Lake Superior not posing a risk to public health.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council for the City of Ashland, Wisconsin, as the elected representatives of the citizens of Ashland, respectfully request that the members of the Bayfield County Board of Bayfield County, Wisconsin adopt more stringent standards than contained in ATCP-51 to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the City of Ashland provide copies of the adopted resolution to the Bayfield County Clerk for delivery to the Bayfield County Board with copies to the Board Chairman and Administrator.