Feb 27, 2017

Public Waterways, Not Private Sewers, Say Wisconsin Fresh Water Fighters

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's assault on fresh and safe water is unprecedented in state history.

What type of psychopath would deliberately poison drinking and surface waters? In Wisconsin the psychopaths are many, they're called Republicans and without exception every Republican goes along with a pretty sick project.

"Safe drinking water is a prerequisite for protecting public health and all human activity," reads the Unites States Department of Homeland Security, (DHS), site on the Water and Wastewater Systems Sector. DHS protects our water systems from attack.

But threats and vulnerabilities in our water systems in America don't come from foreign terrorists. The enemy of water is domestic—industrial agricultural operations—so naturally the Trump administration is targeting major federal agencies like the EPA protecting our water, following similar action at the state level.

Republican attacks on water at the state level aim to displace the legal protection of, and cultural ethos associated with fresh water in Wisconsin. DHS cannot help these people. The Wisconsin people are organizing themselves in self-defense.

Though electoral wins have decidedly not panned out in Wisconsin's gerrymandered legislative races, (water protectors lost badly in the 2016 general elections), the organizing feats in central, northern and northeastern Wisconsin have been impressive.

No Republican politician in Wisconsin makes an electoral or legislative move without considering how to lie to and cheat citizen action on safe water.

Protecting water as a social movement is primed to grow, and most everyone from libertarians to Greens to multi-generational Wisconsin families hate industrialized agriculture, CAFOs. Though water polluters, called CAFOs, say their methods are modern agriculture, the operations work to displace water protections enacted the last 40 years with the Medieval practice of dumping untreated sewage into communities.

Recent updates on the clean water fight:

Citizens in Kewaunee County in northeastern Wisconsin are again escalating their fight for clean and safe water.


Central Wisconsin

In central Wisconsin, a clean water group is holing its general meeting tonight.

Protect Wood County and its Neighbors General Meeting

Date: Monday, February 27, 2017
Time: 6:30 PM
Place: Saratoga Town Hall

Agenda

  • Introductory Remarks
  • Historical Presentation, "Buried Treasure" -  Dave Patrykus
  • Wisconsin Senate Bill 76
  • CAFO Regulation from Wisconsin DNR to DATCP
  • Violations at Central Sands Dairy
  • League of Conservation Voters Lobby Day
  • Rome, (Adams County Wisconsin) Concerned Update
  • Wood County Board
  • SE Wood County Groundwater Quality Group
  • Portage County Groundwater Citizens Advisory Sub-Committee
  • Questions?

Northeastern Wisconsin

In northeastern Wisconsin, CAFO owner John Pagel, is using his position in public office to corrupt local government. From Kewaunee County Star News comes Jodi Parins' letter to the editor published on February 18, 2017 on Pagel's latest scam:


Wisconsin Senate Bill 76

From Rome, Wisconsin in Adams County, citizen Don Ystad offers his latest work on the groundwater-depleting bill, Wisconsin Senate Bill 76:

Dear Senators,

A few weeks ago, over 400 of us showed up in the state capitol to ask that you consider water laws that benefit all citizens, not just those represented by industry lobbyists.

While we all value Wisconsin's agriculture heritage, we also understand that we have water issues that are affecting people's health and well being, as well as the commerce of Wisconsin's $20 billion tourism industry. Senate bill 76 falls short in a number of areas.

For me, living in a lakes area in Adams County, where 49% of residential value is tied to lakes area properties, I can only imagine the impact on county revenues if lakes are allowed to be decimated by over pumping and the billion dollars in lake property value is reduced as a result.

And, imagine the effect on the counties third of a billion in tourism revenue.

When you consider bills such as SB76, keep in mind that 225 lakes were added to Wisconsin's impaired list in 2016. It's time we pay attention to our recreation asset in our state, as well as agriculture.

We saw a proposed bill very similar to SB76 last session and fortunately it was not approved.

Upon review, the minor changes made in SB76 offer no real workable solutions or protections for citizens.

Citizens from all over the state delivered a respectful message on Feb 8th, asking that you consider the needs of all citizens when you consider water bills. We are your voting constituents and deserve at least that from you.

Thank you,
Don Ystad

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