Golf, Sand and Money in Pay-to-Play Game

Golf developer Mike Keiser gives $100,000s to Republicans and Wisconsin Republicans are giving back.

From the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: "Mike Keiser, who is a frequent, generous contributor to state and federal Republican candidates and committees and conservative causes, contributed $11,100 to Walker between February 2012 and September 2014, and $10,000 to the state Republican Party last October, about two weeks before the November general elections."

In exchange, comes news, that "Two Republican legislators are sponsoring a bill that would allow an Adams County town to give a developer, who has contributed more than $21,000 to GOP Gov. Scott Walker and the state Republican Party in recent years, cash grants or loans to build high-end golf courses. The bill would make a one-time change in state Tax Incremental District requirements to allow the town of Rome to provide direct grants or loans to Chicago businessman Mike Keiser to build up to four golf courses and lodging on about 1,500 acres of land about 15 miles south of Wisconsin Rapids. Tax Incremental Districts are created by local governments through the state Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) program, which uses tax breaks and other incentives to encourage new businesses to locate on blighted land or in economically depressed areas."

See also Golf Course Developers and Walker Contributors Want State Favors.

This explains Keiser's silence about the proposed James Wysocki Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) near Keiser's proposed resort in the Golden Sands in central Wisconsin.

Keiser's resort bombs and Adams County which has the fastest falling property tax valuations in the state would be left to hold the bag.

Citizen Ystad: CAFOs Threaten Tourism, Golf Resort and Tax Revenue

Proposed Massive Golden Sands Dairy,
 in Adams and Wood Counties, Wisconsin

"In centrally located Adams County, (property) values tumbled 20.3 percent, the most of any county in the state," according to a Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report released in August. (Carlson, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.)

In Wood County, property values stayed flat.

Because tourism, recreation and lake homes are abundant in the region, the Taxpayers Alliance's report was troubling to area residents, many of whom blame the proposed massive Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operation (CAFO) by the Wysocki corporation.

Even as construction of a proposed multi-course Sand Valley Golf Resort is proceeding (Lawder, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune) and an area hotel is planned, existing CAFOs and the Wysocki CAFO would exceed the "carrying capacities" of the central sands to absorbs the 10s of millions of liquid cow manure, said Gordon Stevenson, former runoff management chief for the DNR (2001-2011), in an August interview here.

The public posture of Michael Keiser Jr. who is running point on the resort project is effectively let's see how one course does and decide how to proceed on that basis.

The threat to surface water and aquifers by CAFOs still has many in the area shaking their heads because they see the successful operation of Sand Valley and the proposed massive CAFO as mutually exclusive.

Put another way, residents fear that the 10s of millions of pathogen-laden liquid cow manure and liquid cow manure lagoons that would dot the region do not mix well with the proposed high-end golf resort.

An open letter to Gov. Scott Walker from Don Ystad, retired business consultant, resident of Rome and opponent of the Wysocki CAFO proposal follows.
---
Governor Walker,

Think about the recent reports of the E Coli poisoning of a visiting family in Door County just a few weeks ago and the negative effect on Door County tourism if this persists. The E Coli strain was tied to cow manure, not surprising since 30% of drinking water wells are unusable because of high nitrate levels in neighboring Kewaunee County where there are 15 dairy CAFOs. This is a dangerous trend for our tourism economy, not to mention the health and well being of our citizens and visitors. As a citizen of Rome facing the possibility of an 8,000 acre, 5,130 cow dairy CAFO right next door in Saratoga, I'm concerned for our future. As a community with a healthy and vibrant recreational tourism industry based around our existing lakes, Arrowhead golf courses, Tri-Norse ski jumping facility, Dyracuse ATV park, new Wisconsin Trapshooters state facility and now the Sand Valley Golf Resort, will we face the same future with drinking water wells polluted and our visitors sickened by agricultural runoff?

Coming from a dairy farming family, I support the reasonable growth of family farms. But Rome and neighboring Saratoga are population-dense, existing communities with a solid history of commerce as an established residential/recreational area providing revenue to Wisconsin's tourism industry. Adams County ranks 15th in tourism revenue in Wisconsin and the Rome/Saratoga area contributes $20 million annually to area businesses. The Town of Rome contributes nearly a third of the total tax revenue to Adams County. Allowing an 8,000 acre dairy CAFO to insert itself within this existing recreational community can only lead to our decline. Your intervention is needed to preserve these communities and allow tourism revenue to grow as Sand Valley Golf Resort attracts visitors from around the country.

Thanks,

Don Ystad

State Legislator Conned Constituents, Clean Water Activists

It's one of the oldest and most cynical tricks in the political playbook: Jump on a story and coopt a grassroots movement as your own.

State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa and ALEC) was advised well, and perpetuated a political fraud and will likely lose an election in his gerrymandered district.

Krug strung along 1,000s of citizens fighting for the safety of their water against a proposed mega diary CAFO (Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operation) after having accepted the CAFO's super lobby's Legislative Excellence Award which Krug highlights in the 2013-14 Wisconsin Bluebook

Citizens of central Wisconsin were witness to the spectacle in which Krug claimed he tried to build "consensus" with the proposed Wysocki CAFO by holding informal Ground Water Advisory Committee meetings that proved to be a con job Krug was playing on his own Constituents.

What kind of consensus does Krug want to build; the people don't want the CAFO anywhere near the Town of Saratoga.

Only after the August primary election showing overwhelming opposition to the proposed CAFO did Krug suddenly come to the conclusion that the CAFO should not be sited in the region with the most high capacity water wells in the state. So he issued one press release.

Bruce E. Dimick of Saratoga attended the Ground Water Advisory Committee meetings Krug held, reporting Krug often did not show up and never took minutes.

Krug disbanded the farce because, in Krug's own words at an October 7 Adams County forum, Krug told opponent Dana Duncan (D-Port Edwards): "We stopped meeting around the same time that many of the members started campaigning for you."

One can see why Scott Krug doesn't do forums anymore; he's in the assembly for a taxpayer-funded paycheck and nothing else.

Representative Scott Krug’s Ground Water Advisory Committee

By Bruce E. Dimick, Town of Saratoga

Well over a year ago Scott Krug, Assembly Representative from the 72nd District, recruited a citizens committee ostensibly to develop and draft legislation to regulate the proliferation of high capacity wells. We did recruit a knowledgeable cadre of citizens and others voluntarily joined along the way.

The first formal meeting was held on August 23, 2013 at the Rome Town Hall. total of sixteen people showed up including a surprise guest, Julie Lassa, Senator from District 24. It was learned much later from Katrina Shankland, Assembly Representative from the 71st District, that she and Julie had discussed having a bipartisan Ground Water Advisory Committee with Scott Krug, but he would have none of it. How could protecting our ground water be a partisan issue? So Katrina and Julie simply came to many of the meetings anyway or sent a representative.

Senator Neal Kedzie apparently got wind of Krug’s efforts and quickly introduced legislation of his own, a bill that latter became know as SB 302. This bill was essentially a rubber stamp for Big Ag to drill as many high capacity wells as they wanted wherever they wanted with just a few minor restrictions. Scott offered the thought that he could work with Kedzie to somehow modify his bill to meet the needs of the citizens of the Central Sands.

Towards the end of the first meeting, Scott charged the group with coming up with policy issues for the next meeting. A number of us did that and came to the next meeting on September 6 with copies of our policy ideas. There was no published agenda for the meeting and it seemed like the policy idea sharing was largely forgotten. We were able to share some of the ideas, but there was no structured discussion or any meaningful conclusions drawn. Scott Krug set a target of November to have a draft of a bill with a hearing. In subsequent meetings this goal was promptly forgotten.

The next meeting was on September 24. Scott had some new ideas. He wanted Dr. Francie Rowe to head up a committee that would be somewhat separate and work directly with him. He had some ideas about developing legislation that would only be applicable to the Central Sands and another committee that would work on legislation for the whole state. This direction sounded pretty good to most of us and Francie took her new charge seriously.

And that was the last we heard of that. There was no follow up with Francie and there was no formation of a separate committee.

Soon a number of us became suspicious that nothing was going to become of this Ground Water Advisory Committee. The basic fundamentals for a committee of this type were totally ignored.

Specifically:

• There was no published agenda until some of the members took it upon themselves to create agendas. This didn’t happen until early 2014
• The email list originating from Scott Krug’s office was erratic. Several of the members did not get the meeting reminders all the time. It appeared that no master list of members was ever created.
• No official minutes from the meetings. Some members took it upon themselves to create minutes from their notes and recollections.
• What ever was decided at the previous meeting was promptly forgotten. It was as if we were starting with a blank slate every meeting.
• However, Scott Krug was getting maximum political mileage by hosting this committee. He referred to it constantly in his public letters.

As the legislative session approached an end early this year, Scott did write up a rough draft of a bill of sorts. He did not share it with the committee, but we were able to get a copy anyway through another channel. It was basically an unworkable disaster that would have never passed either the Assembly or the Senate. He had the gall to say he wrote it with our input.

During one of the final meetings, the committee persuaded Scott to abandon his bill and put all his efforts towards blocking Senator Neal Kedzie’s SB 302.

SB 302 never came up for a vote because it was so bad that a handful of Republicans in the Senate indicated that they would not vote for it.

The committee has pretty much petered out. The last meeting, rather poorly attended with a showing of 10 members, was held on May 23, 2014. There was no agenda and no follow up of any sort here four months later.

So the question is "Did Scott Krug just play us as a bunch of fools or is he incompetent when it comes to running a committee and developing meaningful legislation?"

I don’t know, but either way he must be replaced.

(A version of this letter is published in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune)

Toss Sleazy Political Hate Mail Propping up Pols Like Scott Krug

Sleazy direct mail pieces trying to save Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) from defeat this November are being sent out in the 72nd assembly district in central Wisconsin.

The pieces come from the shadowy Job First Coalition, Inc out of Brookfield, working on Krug's behalf to defame the character of Krug's opponent. This is what we have come to expect from anyone working on Krug's behalf.

Krug is ethically unfit for office.

This morning's Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune has some advice for voters regarding this dishonest and sleazy attack in the 72nd assembly district:

Every other October is also attack-mailer season, and anyone with a mailbox can attest that, right on time, the slimy, sketchily sourced fliers have begun appearing daily.

We've seen them in many races across the region and they're not worth dignifying with a rebuttal. After all, they aren't making arguments; they're trying to scare voters through implication, association and selective editing.

They are a gross part of politics, perhaps even worse than broadcast attacks. The proper response is to quickly dispense with them, straight into the recycling bin.

Scott Walker, Scott Krug Just Don't Get It on CAFOs

The Town of Saratoga gets it.

Patt Pisellini of Rome, Wisconsin gets it.

Writes Pisellini:

I spent my summers in Clark County, on a dairy farm. We never had a 'lagoon,' and we took our cows out to pasture each morning.

Our milk was safe to drink, and our water did not test positive for nitrates.

Responsible dairy farmers would NEVER let such things happen - AND we knew the names of every cow, because they came when they were called. Our cows didn't recoil from human touch.

Seems simple enough.

But accelerating under Scott Walker and State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa), a recipient of the Dairy Business Association's Legislative Achievement Award in 2012, America's Dairyland is being transformed into a system more akin to bioterrorism, vectoring pathogens into Wisconsin waters and aquifers.

In 2013, Wisconsin Republicans continued their assault on local control and water quality, after effectively gutting the DNR.

Writes Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona):

In stark contrast to the long tradition of collaboration, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee snuck a non-fiscal provision into the budget that could have dire consequences for the future of our waters. Motion #375, offered by Rep. Dan LaMahieu (R-Cascade), and passed on a party line vote of 12-4, removes the ability for anyone to challenge an application or permit for a high capacity well based on the cumulative impacts that well and others have on Wisconsin’s water supply. In addition, the provision is applied retroactively to any current challenges ongoing when the bill is signed into law.

Scott Krug voted for the budget, and Walker signed it.

Krug, Walker and the Republicans don't get it.

On October 6, Monday (6:30 - 8:30 P.M.) at the Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center, Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors and Rome and Saratoga Friendly will co-host a candidate forum with Dana Duncan (D-Port Edwards) and State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa).

Things will become much clearer to Scott Krug.

Scott Krug Is Looking for Excuse to Back out of Oct. 6 Forum, Water Advocates Fear

State Rep. Scott Krug is not fit
for public office

Update: One reader writes that Scott Krug may now back out of next Monday's debate and this development will occur because of this post and me.

Absurd of course.

This is how much Scott Krug and the Dairy Business Association have some people cowed.

Krug would be cutting his own throat, and the GOP caucus does not want that. Krug takes orders.

Fear reigns among some constituents and this abuser of the environment who runs political interference for the destroyers of Wisconsin waters, is met by some who say: Please don't hurt us so badly.
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Amid chatter among environmental citizens' groups in central Wisconsin, there is talk and fear that State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) will back out of an Oct. 6 forum with Dana Duncan (D-Port Edwards), a forum to which both candidates have already committed.

I sent the following email yesterday to both candidates: "Simple question on the record for you gentlemen: Are you going to be attending the October Six forum co-sponsored by Protect Wood County .... and Rome and Saratoga Friendly - no ifs, ands or buts?"

The Duncan campaign responded: "Of course we are. We look forward to it and relish the opportunity."

No reply from the Scott Krug campaign that has raised $Six figures but avoids public forums. [See also Rep. Scott Krug Is No-show at August Groundwater Summit; "Unannounced absence"]

Krug cannot think well on his feet, is on the wrong side of the pro-water, anti-CAFO issue, one press release 74 days before Election Day notwithstanding.

The October Six forum is sponsored by Saratoga Concerned and Rome Saratoga Friendly, two groups fighting for clean and healthy waters, and against the proposed massive Wysocki CAFO.

My email followed a similar email question sent Friday night from Nancy Koch, one of the most prominent opponents of the proposed CAFO and a constituent whom Scott Krug had publically sneered at, "quit your bitching," on July 19, 2012 when CAFO CEO James Wysocki spoke at a special Saratoga Town Board meeting drawing 100s of people so the meeting was held at the Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center.

Koch had received several queries last week asking her if she felt Scott Krug will attend or cancel.

So Nancy Koch emailed Scott Krug:

From: Nancy [xxxxxxxx@wctc.net]
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2014 7:52 PM
To: Rep.Krug; 'Dana Duncan'
Subject: just a courtesy confirmation

The Debate is just a short time away.  This E-mail is just a courtesy
confirmation regarding your attendance at the Debate on Oct 6th.  Please
respond with your
Commitment to this activity.   Thanks  Nancy

Ms. Koch did not receive a simple Yes or No from Krug.

Instead, Krug wrote: "Are you involved on the debate committee?" (Saturday, September 27, 2014 9:14 PM)

After Koch told Krug she was not on the "Debate Committee," Krug wrote "Criste [of the Debate committee] tells me she has relayed my commitment to you already." [Saturday, September 27, 2014 9:52 PM]

Getting a simple Yes or No from Krug has proven difficult.

I emailed Dana Duncan's campaign about Krug's disrespect to Nancy Koch, a constituent, and Krug's refusal to commit publically to the debate and to refuse to respond to a constituent.

Emailed Dana Duncan this morning: "I know he's looking for an excuse to back out. The question is whether he's so myopic that he does see the implications of withdrawing?"

Duncan refers to the money, work, time, time away from family that Krug's constituents and the two citizens' groups have given to organize this event.

"We don't understand this type of response to citizen involvement. Citizens are the cornerstone of democracy, anything other than respect is unacceptable," expanded Dana Duncan's campaign this morning in a phone call. "This type of disrespect is something we would never entertain if the voters of the 72nd Assembly District choose to elect Dana Duncan."

A phone call to Krug's office at the Capitol this morning went unanswered.

Why Scott Krug would not affirm unequivocally that Krug will meet his obligation is a mystery.

Some say Krug is simply unpleasant and feels he is under no obligation to answer a constituent's question.

I told several water advocates in Wood and Adams counties that Krug not attending the forum would be political suicide, so they should not worry their efforts to put together the candidate forum would be for naught.

There are more mysteries, shady mysteries about Scott Krug, but that's a different story.

Stay tuned.

And do not miss this October Six event. Scott Krug is a lightweight, but no one is this dumb to back out of a high-profile event this late.

Republicans Open New Office in Wisconsin Rapids to Fight Citizens' Groups

Working to preserve water, tourism and recreational destinations by opposing Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operations (CAFOs), residents in central Wisconsin have been busy for the last two years.

The Republican Party opened a new office in Wood County last week in Wisconsin Rapids (Cleworth, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune) to counter citizen action 39 days from Election Day.

"We just want to preserve our water; streams, groundwater, lakes. Don't we owe this as a responsibility to future generations," said Rhonda Cain-Carrell of the Town of Rome.

Republicans just want to preserve the millions of dollars it gets from the Factory Farm industry.

Cain-Carrell is a member of two citizens' groups, Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors and Rome and Saratoga Friendly (Facebook) fighting the proposed Wysocki CAFO that would be centered in the Town of Saratoga and abut four counties in central Wisconsin in a region known as the Golden Sands.

In just two years, the two groups have radically changed public opinion on the massive, proposed Wysocki CAFO that would dump millions of gallons of liquid cow manure into the environment, while sucking up ground aquifers (where folks get their drinking water) with 39 high capacity water wells (10 other well permits remain in limbo).

The sitting State Representative Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) after over two years of stringing along mostly Adams, Wood, and Portage county citizens suddenly issued a press release 74 days from Election Day saying he is now opposed to the siting of the Wysocki CAFO.

This is a testament to the political clout of the citizens' groups.

Krug wants to keep his gerrymandered seat after breaking his promise to only run for two terms in 2010, and the proposed CAFO is about as popular as, well, liquid cow manure.

Krug is so much in fear of the citizens' groups that Krug told one member, Donald Ystad of Rome in northern Adams County (and this writer), in emails that Krug would file a lawsuit against MAL Contends in August (VanEgeren, Capital Times) after I pointed out Krug is a "cynical, corrupt politician" providing political cover for polluters, and "assisting Scott Walker, Walker's DNR and the Dairy Business Association in their project in which one objective is to contaminate and literally toxify Wisconsin lakes and other waters."

Krug is a recipient of the Dairy Business Association's (DBA) 2012 Legislative Excellence Award. DBA is a massive dairy lobby in Wisconsin.

Krug repeatedly demanded that my conclusions be retracted. I told Krug in emails that truth is an absolute defense against defamation accusations, and I refused. Krug never followed through on his threats.

Some two weeks later, Krug flip-flopped and said in a press release that "it no longer appears this [CAFO] project is feasible in any form in an area that is so vulnerable for contamination. ... I ask the DNR to look into the E. coli outbreak [in area lakes from existing liquid cow manure by the Wysocki corporation] and deny the high capacity well permits" (VanEgeren, Capital Times).

Krug did not explain if the language "it no longer appears .... feasible in any form" suggested that at one point Krug felt the Wysocki CAFO was feasible. Neither did Krug explain why he changed his position.

Krug's opponent, Dana Duncan, has been an avid opponent against the CAFO since June 2012, when the town of Saratoga was informed of the Wysocki CAFO's plans.

"Our lifeblood is going to be tourism,” Duncan said. "I want this area protected for overall economic development and our health. It’s beautiful. I don’t want to see it end" (VanEgeren, Capital Times).

CAFOs have proliferated under the administration of Scott Walker and the DNR, which is charged with considering environmental impact. They have given out CAFO and high capacity water well permits like candy at Halloween, in accordance with Scott Walker's repeated statements.

"I will make sure the DNR treats Wisconsinites as customers, not criminals," then-candidate Walker said in 2010, saying the state Department of Natural Resources was "out of control" (Verburg, Wisconsin State Journal).

Walker's opponent, Mary Burke, rejects Scott Walker's unprecedented environmental makeover of the DNR.

"[Look] how far we’ve come since that terrible day (June 6, 2012) when Wysocki dropped his bomb on our communities. This is how we all found one another. For all of you, I’m grateful. We WILL win this thing. Thank you for all you do," said Cain-Carrell in an email to citizens of Adams and Wood, and area counties over the weekend.

The citizens of central Wisconsin have come far.

Scott Krug has not.

Krug takes orders and the higher-ups in the Republican Party reportedly sanctioned Krug's lip-service reversal on the proposed CAFO after an assurance to James Wysocki, the CAFO's CEO, that a change in policy would never get through the Republican caucus, and Walker would not change policy at the DNR.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos' (R-Burlington) office refused to return a phone call after a message was left on this matter.

On October 6, Monday (6:30 - 8:30 P.M.) at the Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center, Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors and Rome and Saratoga Friendly will co-host a candidate forum with Dana Duncan (D-Port Edwards) and State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa).

If you are in the area, I would advise not missing this one. An overflow crowd is expected.

Report: Adams, Southern Wood Counties' Property Values Tumble; Proposed CAFO Site 'Red-lines' Area

Proposed Sand Valley Golf Resort
in Adams County in Central Wisconsin
is in area red-lined over concerns of
massive, proposed Wysocki CAFO

Update: Retired Rome, Wisconsin (Adams County) resident, Patt Pisellini, notes the new preferred name of CAFOs, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, and Factory Farms is "Production Agriculture," a term she heard in an radio advertisement this morning.

A Wisconsin Soil Survey by the U.S. Department of Agricultural-Natural Resources Conservation Service concludes: "Saratoga's sandy soil is not very suitable for the proposed land use. The report shows that Saratoga's soil is susceptible to blowing hazards, high seepage of sewage lagoons, and high susceptibility to concrete corrosion, among other concerns."

Naturally, the Wysocki Family of Companies wants to site a massive CAFO in Saratoga, surrounded by four counties.

No matter, perhaps we should rename the Wysocki Family of Companies: Sustainable agricultural practices. Actually, Wysocki already has, and it calls itself "family farmers" who are "dedicated to giving back to the community and employing sustainable agricultural practices" on its website.

Wyscoki leaves out the millions of tons of liquid cow manure it gives back to Adams and Wood counties, and other central Wisconsin communities with the misfortune of having CAFOs stuck in their backyards.
---
"In centrally located Adams County, (property) values tumbled 20.3 percent, the most of any county in the state," according to a new Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report. (See Logan T. Carlson, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.)

On the surface, this drop in valuation is odd, considering that the region's "existing (lakes') recreational area developments like the Wisconsin Trapshooters home facility in Rome, and the Sand Valley Golf Resort just begun in Rome will have a positive impact on the entire area. ... Golf Digest suggests Sand Valley could be the 'Midwest Golf Mecca,' drawing people from all over the country," said retired business consultant, Donald Ystad, in an email today.

Indeed, the tourism and recreational potential to existing resorts in the area such in Lake Arrowhead and Northern Bay make this dream Sand Valley resort the type of synergistic economic engine that has people who don't even golf excited.

"We want to help the existing economy," Mike Keiser, often described as a golf "visionary," says modestly in Golf Digest (July 2014).

Aware of the success of the Bandon Dunes golf resort in the state of Oregon where Keiser built a golf resort that turned around an entire region, hard core golfers and recreational and tourism business owners in Wisconsin are gushing.

"A Chicago businessman who turned the tiny coastal town of Bandon, Ore., into one of the world's premier golf destinations is planning to build a similar multi-course resort on sand dunes that formed the bottom of a prehistoric lake in what is now Adams County," notes Gary D’Amato in a November 2013 piece in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "It would make Wisconsin the best summertime place for golf in the world," Keiser said.

At Bandon Dunes, "Six restaurants and lounges provide the fuel and a variety of accommodations -- from single rooms to spacious four-bedroom cottages -- offer a peaceful escape where guests can relax, rest and revive," boasts the Bandon Dunes site.

Proposed Massive Golden Sands Dairy,
 in Adams and Wood Counties, Wisconsin

Enter the liquid cow manure invading the peaceful, relaxing escape.

Recent area beach closings from manure-generated Ecoli, private drinking wells polluted, and area lakes being added to the DNR impaired list make this area suspect with clear and present potential to knock Mike Keiser's dream out of Wisconsin.

Leading the central Wisconsin counties in property value declines between 2008-13 are Adams (- 20.3 percent), Juneau (- 15.7 percent), and Waushara (- 11.5 percent) (site of the Richfield CAFO in the Village of Coloma). Wood County is a stagnant - 0.7 percent.

"Speaking with our (Town of Saratoga) neighbors in (southern Wood County), the threat of the proposed CAFO has created an informal 'red lining' of homes in the area of 10-Mile and 7-Mile Creeks (located in the middle of the proposed CAFO site). Rumor has it that banks have turned down mortgages for properties there because of the unknowns associated with the proposed CAFO, even with prices 20 percent below assessed (values)," said Ystad.

Said another Adams County resident, "This CAFO is going to bring our property values back to the great recession days six years ago; it's crazy politicians are letting this happen, even considering this. Water, land, private property, what's next?"

The Wysocki Family of Companies, whose corporate officers live safely away from their CAFOs are to blame.

Scott Walker's new "presumptive approval" policies of CAFOs and high capacity water permits at the DNR "appear to correspond to a proposal the state’s powerful Dairy Business Association has put forward for 'automatic approval' of permits if the state environmental agency does not reach a decision within six months." (Diana Jean Schemo, Remapping Debate)

Continues Schemo:

Kimberly Wright, executive director of the Midwest Environmental Advocates, pointed to Rosendale Dairy, Wisconsin’s largest industrial farm and the state’s fourth largest source of sewage, lagging only behind the cities of Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay. "People would think you’re crazy if the fourth biggest city in the state figured in six months what to do with runoff from all its waste" she said.

Crazy is right, and corrupt and destructive to a state once known for its natural resources and clean politics.

No Urgency from Either Gov. Candidate to Protect Wisconsin Waters

Raiders' Jack Tatum hits Sammy White
in Super Bowl XI in Most Vicious Hit
in Super Bowl History in 1977

Think of the Oakland Raiders' Jack Tatum hitting the Vikings' Sammy White in Super Bowl XI. (pictured at right), the scariest hit in Super Bowl history.

That's the political impact Mary Burke needs to inflict on Scott Walker and Walker's DNR to move the folks in Waushara, Portage, Wood, Adams, Juneau, and Kewaunee counties, for example, to vote for her to defend their children's health; their drinking water; and Wisconsin lakes, rivers, and streams.

People care about drinking water (duh), and about Wisconsin tourism and recreation, but Mary Burke, outside of a couple of hits in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin State Journal refuses to sell it: Scott Walker is pathological in destroying Wisconsin's waters. He simply doesn't care about the damage inflicted onto the environment or people of Wisconsin through his policies.

The Wisconsin DNR has this to say about Wisconsin's lakes: "It's easy to fall in love with Wisconsin's 15,000 lakes. Breathtaking scenery and beautiful wildlife provide the backdrop along thousands of miles of shoreline, where Wisconsin residents and our visitors can fish, boat, swim or just relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere."

Bullshit, or more precisely dairy cow shit as runoff and other vectoring of wastewater are turning Wisconsin lakes into biohazards to the utter inaction of Wisconsin politicians.

Why would an Illinois tourist (or any tourist) want to come to Wisconsin, when Minnesota is committed to protecting their lakes, and in Wisconsin both candidates for governor are too afraid of the Dairy Business Association to defend the water?

We know that Mary Burke cares about the environment -- so why isn't she acting on these sentiments while running for governor?

If Burke has a problem being motivated by old Super Bowl footage, think of the girl who almost died from ecoli in Kewaunee in northeast Wisconsin. Her family won't forget.

Now, Kewaunee has vast well contamination, dead zones, and poisoned aquifers that resemble third-world countries' drinking water.

'There's no one on the beach anymore.'

Consider Wisconsin lakes and the image at the right: "Do not Swim." It's a hell of new tourism slogan, I'll give that to Mary Burke and Scott Walker.

Myself, I getting more pissed hearing news from wonderful people like Patt Pisellini and Donald Ystad of northern Adams County that they cannot have their grandchildren over for swimming at their lake homes because literally they fear for their grandchildren's lives if the children were to accidentally swallow lake water while swimming.

Mary Burke needs to set up field offices fast and connect with Protect Wood County, Rome and Saratoga Friendly, KewauneeCares, Restore Kewaunee, and Friends of the Central Sands, and Concerned Citizens about the Proposed Penokee Mine - to begin with.

Mary Burke, what are you waiting for?

Kewaunee County in Wisconsin: Urgent Message to Wood County, Wisconsin, and Country

Kewaunee Cares

The M-word Is MOO as Big Ag and Its Political Cover Destroy Wisconsin Waters -
May 2014: 556 Water Wells Are Tested; 30 Percent of Wells Are UNDRINKABLE

- Nobody is on the beaches anymore today. Trout streams are dying or gone -

Many in Wisconsin know the story of the families in Kewaunee County in northeast Wisconsin and the ecoli contamination in 2004 from a Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operation (CAFO) that leaked liquid cow manure, hospitalized many, and nearly killed several children.

Today, water aquifers are contaminated with virus, bacteria, and other pathogens typically found in third-world countries—bad for tourism and recreation; horrible for the environment; and tragic for Wisconsin families who are afraid of their children brushing their teeth or washing out a small cut or scrape with water from a faucet.

The "carrying capacities" of the Green Bay and Fox River Valley watersheds have been exceeded, warns Gordon Stevenson, Chief of Runoff Management for Wisconsin DNR (2001-2011). And that goes for the Golden Sands region in central Wisconsin as well.

'How do you know that? How do we quantify empirically the carrying capacity of a region,' I asked Stevenson over an early August breakfast in Madison.

"Look at the water," replied Stevenson firmly. "Measure for pathogens, oxygen levels; and inspect the topography of the region."

Stevenson, a rigorous empiricist to the point of being turgid, said Wisconsin will eventually see "dead zones" in lakes become dead lakes because of oxygen deprivation and toxic pathogen saturation.

Even as Scott Walker, along with every Republican and way-too many Democrats, acclaim the 30-20-Initiative, market-driven, setting targets for yields and profits for Wisconsin Diary operations, existing 'nutrient management plans' are a disgrace and are a guarantee for turning Wisconsin lakes, streams, ponds, and aquifers into dead zones and potentially deadly zones.

Wood, Adams, Juneau, Portage and Waushara counties in central Wisconsin are on a trajectory that residents and scientists agree can be changed from where Kewaunee is now and the direction in which Kewaunee is racing ahead; as politicians and the DNR do NOTHING with numerous CAFO permits pending and Scott Walker promising swift action on moving the permits forward.

From Kewaunee: Kewaunee's Message to Wood County and Wisconsin:

Wisconsin Republicans Fear Their Positions on Clean and Safe Water

Beaches closed in Wood
and Adams counties last week
suggest a problem
politicians ignore

I couldn't believe it when State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Wisconsin Rapids) threatened to sue me for libel for pointing out Krug practices a cynical, corrupt brand of politics hiding policies vectoring pathogens into lakes, streams and aquifers. (See the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.)

I called around political-journalistic types and asked candidly if Krug were really this foolish to file a libel suit?

Yes, is the universal answer, and Krug reiterated his threats twice to me in emails, asking for retractions.

I told Krug in so many words that truth is a compelling defense against libel accusations, and laughed when I refused to retract the truth of Krug's sleazy lies.

Krug is panicked and his attack was foolish and revealing of his floundering campaign.

The significance of this matter is not just a corrupt politician trying to shut down a writer exposing Krug for what he is.

The critical nature of this issue, and why other politicians are getting panicked, came late this afternoon in an email from Nancy Koch with Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors.

Writes Koch:

Update: Blue green algae has been found at the 8th street intake to (L)ake Camelot. Adams County has taken sample(s), and is testing for dangerous toxicity, but the results will not be available by this weekend. It is recommended you keep children and pets out of the water on Lakes Camelot and Sherwood.

Please, notify your friends and neighbors who do not have the internet.

Central Wisconsin Nature (Foundation). ... It was observed originally last week (8/19) and a sample taken showed under the microscope that it was a certain type of algae which sometimes may contain blue-green algae. Further testing was required to determine if it was a type of toxic blue-green algae. When Reesa Evans went to get additional samples on Mon 8/25, the suspicious algae had been dispersed (probably by a combination of wind and the heavy downpour Monday morning). No additional samples have been taken as nothing suspicious was found on lower Camelot, in the channel or in upper Camelot by Reesa. The cautionary signs that were posted at the county park and the 8th ave boat landing last weekend have been removed. There seems to be no danger for swimming at this time -- but, it's always advisable to be cautious if the water is so green you can't see your feet in a foot of water or if the water surface is very scummy. Barb Herreid, Tri-Lakes Management District

Keep your children out of the water. That's what this issue is about.

Citizen Ystad Speaks on Water Resources; Looking for Action

CAFO and liquid manure spraying are
killing Wisconsin waters -
Image from the Wisconsin
Initiative on Climate Change Impact

Citizens working with Saratoga Concerned and Rome Saratoga Friendly attended a Groundwater Summit this last weekend in Almond, Wisconsin in Portage County sponsored by the Central Sands Water Action Committee.

Residents in Juneau, Wood, Adams, Portage and Waushara counties should be on Code Red, as should all whole state.

Donald Ystad of Rome, Wisconsin is ready to go 15 rounds to protect Wisconsin's waters from polluters and cynical politicians. And Ystad is not alone.

The latest from Mr. Ystad:

As you can see from Rep Shankland's e-mail [below], the fight is far from over.  Ag lobbyists are working over their favorite lawmakers already. This will result in additional bills proposed to loosen what controls remain for protecting our water. We need to exercise our court of public opinion.  That's you and me, e-mailing and commenting on our water issues, and the threat to our growing recreational environment.  If you see an e-mail from me or a core group member titled action needed', please take the time to do a reply all so that the politicians and agency heads will know it's not just a handful of us who are concerned,

Ystad refers to Rep Shankland's (D-Stevens Point) note to Ystad and Bruce Dimick of Wood County:

Hi Bruce and Don,

It was great to see you both on Friday! Thank you for your thoughtful advocacy. I wanted to share with you this excerpt from the Wheeler Report on Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald’s priorities in January:

High capacity wells is an issue Fitzgerald said the Senate will be working on in 2015.  Fitzgerald said the Senate began working on the issue as a caucus but it fell victim to two major problems, a clear definition of the issue to be addressed and the end of session.  Fitzgerald highlighted the efforts of Sen. Kedzie working on high capacity wells to address a court case in his district while other members of the caucus wanted to address the issue on a statewide basis.  One of the major focuses for the caucus concerning high capacity wells is agriculture.  Fitzgerald said when the Senate returns it will be one issue his caucus will address. Fitzgerald said his caucus is also ready to work on reforms to workers compensation.  Fitzgerald said the caucus wanted to start reforms to the program during the 2013 session but ran out of time.

It looks like it could be SB 302 or worse. Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you very much!

Yours,
Katrina Shankland
State Representative
71st Assembly District

Also from Ystad comes his very latest:

Even Nestle knows agriculture needs to clean up it's act‏

Politicians and agency people,

Perhaps you already knew that Nestle, the worldwide beverage and food company, has taken steps to insure the long term viability of it's food and water sources, and to insure their good reputation in the marketplace.  If you were already aware, shame on you for allowing them to upstage you and take these steps before you did.  After all, they're a for profit company, while you are the protectors of our state's resources.  They evidently see very clearly that the public is becoming more and more concerned about the abuse of animals and the damage to our natural resources caused by weakened laws and reckless farming practices.

Here in the Rome and Saratoga recreational area, we face the prospect of a 5,130 cow dairy CAFO right in our backyard, threatening class "A" trout streams, lakes, and a vibrant recreational tourist area.  It's incomprehensible that this administration could allow this to happen.  We read every day about manure spills, beach closings, e coli in our lakes, increasing nitrate and phosphorous levels in our lakes, water levels dropping in our lakes and streams, and drinking water befouled by manure runoff.  You'd have to live in a cave not to take notice about what's happening to our environment.  And yet, a for profit company is taking steps to protect and preserve, while we hear that certain ag friendly politicians are gearing up to take another run at further weakening our environmental laws.  What's happened to the Public Trust Doctrine?  Is anybody listening in Madison?

I'm a concerned citizen and I vote, as do many of the hundreds blind copied here.

Don Ystad
Rome, WI

Nestlé Announces New Animal Welfare Program that Will Impact Its Suppliers

August 21, 2014 at 12:58 PM

Nestlé has just signed an agreement with World Animal Protection, an animal welfare organization based in London. The result is that hundreds of thousands of farms that supply Nestlé will have to comply with tighter animal welfare standards. Here is the company's complete statement on the agreement.

World Animal Protection has been working with Nestlé on how to strengthen it's current sourcing requirements, which already include spacing standards for livestock pens. Going forward, the company plans to eliminate the use of a variety of other practices by suppliers, such as the use of veal crates, cattle dehorning, swine gestation crates, poultry cage systems and methods that artificially speed the growth of animals. The company has also identified the following dairy farming/processing "priority areas" for improvement:

1. Manure management
2. Water savings
3. Control and reduction of pollutants loads in effluents
4. Reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of waste and by-products

Nestlé will begin a monitoring program to better understand and track the status of animal practices on farms. This will involve monitoring by an independent auditing firm that will be supervised by World Animal Protection. If a violation of company policy is found, Nestlé will work with the supplier so the farm can meet the required standards. If violations persist, Nestlé will stop doing business with the farm.

Rep. Scott Krug Is No-show at August Groundwater Summit; "Unannounced absence"

State Rep. Scott Krug is not fit
for public office

Wisconsin State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) would promise everyone the Chicago Cubs are going to win the National League Pennant if Krug thought he could pull off this latest con job, amid a string of broken promises

Saratoga Concerned and Rome Saratoga Friendly are two citizens' organizations in Wood and Adams counties opposing a proposed massive concentrated agricultural feeding operation (CAFO), high capacity water wells given out like candy to anti-environmental corporations and liquid manure spraying.

The two groups were formed in 2012 when the Wysocki 'Family' of Companies informed the Town of Saratoga and other municipal governments that Wysocki would be building a massive CAFO that would produce between 50 to 60-million gallons of liquid cow manure every year [about the equivalent of a city of 100,000 people) but with no wastewater treatment plant, just vague nutrient runoff plans.

Scott Walker and the Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp (appointed by Walker) have announced repeatedly since 2011 their intentions to clear the way for CAFOs and Frac sand operations, without regard to the cumulative health and environmental consequences.

Continuing their work members of Saratoga Concerned and Rome Saratoga Friendly held attended a Groundwater Summit this last weekend in Almond, Wisconsin in Portage County at the Camp Helen Brachman grounds, along the shore of Pickerel Lake State Natural Area in central Wisconsin. The event was sponsored by the Central Sands Water Action Committee.

State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and State Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) both made good on their scheduled attendance and spoke with the crowd.

State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) stiffed the crowd, not showing up as scheduled, with no call or explanation for his absence.

Typical Krug, a cynical and corrupt politician working with Big Ag to vector liquid cow manure into streams, lakes and aquifers with tragic consequences, getting worse.

From Criste Greening of Wisconsin Rapids and Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors:

August Groundwater Summit

This was a key environmental conference held at Camp Helen Brachman in Almond this past Saturday with the primary emphasis being on protecting our ground and surface waters here in the Central Sands.  Three of our local politicians were invited to attend and scheduled to speak at the conference, they were: Julie Lassa, Scott Krug, and Katrina Shankland.  Both Rep. Lassa and Rep. Shankland made the event and spoke frankly with the 80-100 individuals in attendance regarding groundwater concerns. Unfortunately Rep. Krug did not show and did not relay to the organizers any reasons for his unannounced absence. Thank you to the members of our small group for being apart of our larger state network and representing our area interests at the Groundwater Summit. [emphasis added]

Scott Krug is making a name for himself breaking promises.

Elected in 2010, Krug promised "never" to accept "one cent" of per diem payments from the taxpayer, and then Krug broke this campaign promise after realizing he would not paid per diem payments that he promised never to accept.

"My first spending cut is promising not to collect one cent of (legislative) per diem money ever," Krug told the Wisconsin State Journal in 2010. Krug then proceeded to rake in "$10,560 for 120 days of work in Madison. That comes on top of his salary of $49,943 per year." (Bice, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; May 2, 2104)

Krug also promised that he would serve two terms, and that's it. Krug told a League of Women's Voters forum on October 20, 2010, saying: "I'm for real. ... I'm putting a term limit on myself right now for all the audience out there listening. Four years — done. Whoever else wants to come along, more than fine." (Bice, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; May 12, 2014)

Running now for his third term, Krug is breaking his two-term-only promise.

Last week, after I pointed out how corrupt and cynical Krug is and how he betrays his constituents by pushing policies that toxify lakes, streams and aquifers, Krug vowed to file a libel suit against me unless I retracted this linked post—Citizen Ystad Hits Sacred Cow, the Dairy Business Association, as Wisconsin Lakes Perish—and after I refused Krug backed down, ridiculed among political journalists all over Wisconsin media.

The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin)
on Scott Krug's foolish attempt to
silence criticism

I asked a longtime resident of Wood County what is Krug's deal, and the resident told me, "Krug is like a child, and prone to tantrums when criticized."

Two days later, Krug said he is coming out against the  proposed massive Wysocki CAFO and new high capacity water permits draining the region's lakes and streams, after almost three years of refusing to take a position on this highly charged local issue with national implications.

Krug refused to expand his new position and come out against existing CAFOs in or near his assembly district, and refused to take a position on liquid cow manure spraying, the culprit behind the recent ordered closure of area beaches because of massive levels of Ecoli.

As this site has noted, opposing the Wysocki CAFO is better than telling Wysocki CAFO opponent, Nancy Koch, to "quit your bitching," as Scott Krug said on July 19, 2012 at a special Saratoga Town Board meeting drawing 100s of people held at the Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center.

"It's obvious that the real reason for Representative Krug's sudden opposition to the CAFO in Saratoga and its high capacity wells has more to do with his floundering campaign than the high e coli levels in Nepco Lake and Lake Wazeecha," said Dana Duncan, Democratic Assembly Candidate for the 72nd assembly district now held by Krug. "For nearly three years local residents have vocally expressed their opposition to this project and up until now my opponent has refused to take a position on this critical local issue.

"This sudden change of heart on this critical local issue by my opponent is just a cynical attempt to distract voters from the fact that he has been wrong on this issue for nearly three years. This isn't leadership; this is simply a bold-face attempt at political manipulation. First, per diem, then term limits; how many other positions will he change to try to win this election?" 

When one hears Scott Krug, not much is clear beyond the fact Krug is untrustworthy and not fit for office.

Scott Krug Joins Opponent in Call for No New High Capacity Wells, No Wysocki CAFO in Reversal

Dana Duncan, Candidate for
Wisconsin's 72nd Assembly District
is taking on pro-CAFO incumbent,
Scott Krug

Conversion or political expedience?

Updated - Whatever the explanation, grassroots activism still matters in central Wisconsin, and when a local citizens' groups forces a corrupt political opponent to adopt qualified agreement with their positions, the grassroots can claim victory.

Ask Protect Wood County and Rome and Saratoga Friendly and their two-plus years opposition to a proposed massive, Concentrated Agricultural Feeding Operation (CAFO) by the Wysocki corporation in northern Adams and Wood County (and abutting Juneau and Portage counties and the area stream, the Ten Mile Creek) in central Wisconsin.

State Rep. Scott Krug (R-Wisconsin Rapids and ALEC) is as cynical and craven a politician as I have seen in Wisconsin politics, and this is plunging the depths of today's Republican Party dominated by corporate-owned extremists.

In this triumph of grassroots activists, citizens have pushed Krug to join Krug's general election opponent, disability rights attorney Dana Duncan, into opposing the proposed giant CAFO by the Wysocki corporation in a spectacular reversal on Krug's part who cited soaring level of Ecoli in area lakes (reported last week) and beaches as the rationale behind Krug's new position.

A common site in the Town of
Saratoga in Wood County

The high levels of Ecoli are caused by existing practices of Wysocki and other Big Ag operations dumping cow manure runoff into area streams, lakes and aquifers, and water activists have been warning about Ecoli for years.

Krug has known of Ecoli and other pathogen concerns for years thanks to the work of this constituents.

Facing a groundswell of opposition, Krug announced his opposition yesterday, the same week Protect Wood County and Rome and Saratoga Friendly jointly announced they are co-sponsoring a debate between Krug and Duncan to take place October 6, and the same week Krug said he is filing a libel suit against MAL Contends for pointing out Krug is cynical, corrupt and willing to support dumping toxins into area streams and lakes.

Opposing the Wysocki CAFO is better than telling CAFO opponent, Nancy Koch, to "quit your bitching," as Scott Krug said on July 19, 2012 at a special Saratoga Town Board meeting drawing 100s of people held at the Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center.

Krug's press release announcing his reversal, 73 days from the November 4 general election, is reproduced below, as is his general election opponent's, Dana Duncan who excoriated Krug for waiting so long to come out against the proposed CAFO and high capacity water permits.

"It's obvious that the real reason for Representative Krug's sudden opposition to the CAFO in Saratoga and its high capacity wells has more to do with his floundering campaign than the high e coli levels in Nepco Lake and Lake Wazeecha," said Dana Duncan, Democratic Assembly Candidate for the 72nd assembly district now held by Krug. "For nearly three years local residents have vocally expressed their opposition to this project and up until now my opponent has refused to take a position on this critical local issue.

"This sudden change of heart on this critical local issue by my opponent is just a cynical attempt to distract voters from the fact that he has been wrong on this issue for nearly three years. This isn't leadership; this is simply a bold-face attempt at political manipulation. First, per diem, then term limits; how many other positions will he change to try to win this election?" 

Dana Duncan has long opposed the Wysocki CAFO and its requested 49 new high capacity well permits since the Wysocki Family of Companies formed two LLCs in 2012 and dropped like a bomb its plans to build the massive CAFO against the wishes of residents of this rural region called the Golden Sands.

The Duncan campaign said in a phone conversation this morning that Dana Duncan remains opposed to all new CAFOs under existing regulations devoid of wastewater treatment plans, noting there are several CAFOs now operating in and near Krug's district, and Krug has only come out against one proposed CAFO.

Duncan said opposing one proposed massive CAFO out of "political expediency" is smart politics, but Krug's horrid record on the environment remains.

The Central Sands region relies heavily on tourism and recreation, and northern Adams County, for example, is the site of a planned golf resort now imperiled by the proposed massive CAFO and its estimated some 60 million tons of liquid cow manure produced annually. In a phrase: PGA-rated golf courses and cow shit do not mix.

Citizen Ystad Responds

"I appreciate that Scott Krug has finally come out and said what should be realized all the way up the chain in Madison. The central sands area is already in trouble from over pumping of high cap wells, and with the closure of area beaches we are seeing the result of overreaching agriculture polluting our groundwater and surface water," said citizen Don Ystad of Rome, Wisconsin in an email this morning.

"Most importantly, the Rome/Saratoga recreational area, a major contributor to state tourism revenue, and inhabited by thousands of families, is not the place to put a large dairy CAFO. This is a strong statement from a man whose party has been the friend of big ag in many bill proposals, and Scott needs to be commended for saying the right thing."
 

Right here in our local Lake Nepco -
Attack of the Blue/Green Algae.
Our reps, both local and at the state level,
better start getting a clue!
Water worries everywhere!
Nepco Lake for E. Coli and blue-green
algae. Just kayaked in the nastiest
water EVER.
We must fix these issues."
- Rhonda Cain-Carrell

For the politicians and agency people receiving this e-mail, please read carefully Scott's message. We have an environment in trouble here and in other parts of our state. Even ignoring the environment in trouble, there is the incompatibility of a large dairy CAFO sited within an existing, vibrant and growing recreational area. Everyone knows it doesn't fit here and stands to derail the tourism here. Why would you allow it to happen in the face of all these negatives and the nearly daily reporting of water issues all over the state?"

As a voter who cares about his environment, I need to know that the people I elect are protecting our environment, and our beautiful recreational area with the tourism dollars it can generate.  Many of us believe you can be a friend of agriculture and still do the right thing for the citizens in our state. I'm a concerned citizen and I vote."

Activism Pushing Environment

Personally, MAL Contends has been up in Wood and Adams counties some 10 times since 2012, and I can tell you that popular opposition against the CAFO is as strong a local political issue in Wisconsin this election cycle as I have seen next to the proposed GTac mine in Iron and Ashland counties in northern Wisconsin.

Krug's calling for a moratorium on high capacity wells in his district and his new opposition to the CAFO centered around Saratoga in the words of a long-time CAFO opponent appears as "a light on the road to Damascus. Or he [Krug] looked at the primary returns in Saratoga and Rome," referring the August 12 primary election that catapulted Duncan to a two-to-one victory over an opponent that Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate picked to run against the independent-minded Duncan.

Perhaps Scott Walker and Mary Burke will follow Duncan (and now Krug). Well, one conversion at a time.

Whether Krug was struck by lighting to borrow the Biblical allusion or the hard reality of losing an election against popular opposition, Scott Krug and Dana Duncan's Press Releases are below:

Scott Krug:

DISTURBING NEWS OF HIGH E. COLI  LEVELS LEADS TO CALL FOR ACTION

Madison –“With the news this week that Nepco Lake and Lake Wazeecha have disturbingly high levels of E. Coli (close to 30 times the level of safety) Representative Scott Krug (R-Nekoosa) urged the DNR to deny the high capacity well permits currently being considered in Saratoga, and made the following statement:

"The progression of signs of deteriorating water quality ranging from lower lake levels to contaminated water bodies leads me to the believe that this area cannot handle increased pressures on water quality and quantity. Because of the serious concerns I have about the safety and quality of our water supply here in the Central Sands, I can't support the CAFO that is currently being considered for a high capacity well permits in Saratoga until those water quality concerns are addressed. While I appreciate the openness of the Wysocki family to negotiate on certain aspects of their project, it no longer appears that this project is feasible in any form, in an area that is so vulnerable for contamination. I ask the DNR to look into this E. coli outbreak and deny the high capacity well permits. 

"Our area has a long, proud tradition of agriculture and we definitely need to do whatever we can do to bring job growth to the area. But those considerations should not supersede the protection of the health and safety of our residents. Nor can they supersede the concerns associated with property value loss and decreased revenue from loss of tourism. 

“It was recently announced that the economic impact of tourism in Wisconsin went up 18% since 2011 to a staggering $17.5 Billion. The municipalities surrounding the Wisconsin Rapids area have started to pick up a great deal of steam in creating a new recreational haven for tourists from not only Wisconsin but all over the country. Compromising that momentum because of damaged natural resources would not be a wise long-term decision." 
CONTACT STATE REPRESENTATIVE: SCOTT KRUG:                     (608)-266-0216
#

Dana Duncan:

Duncan Campaign Forces Rep. Krug to Finally Listen to Constituents on Saratoga CAFO 

"It's obvious that the real reason for Representative Krug's sudden opposition to the CAFO in Saratoga and its high capacity wells has more to do with his floundering campaign than the high e coli levels in Nepco Lake and Lake Wazeecha," said Dana Duncan, Democratic Assembly Candidate. 

"For nearly three years local residents have vocally expressed their opposition to this project and up until now my opponent has refused to take a position on this critical local issue." Duncan continued, "In contrast, I've listened to these residents concerns and have taken a firm stance against high capacity wells which fail to consider overall impact to the area as well as all CAFOs in Wisconsin. I hope he will examine my other proposals and adopt them also.” 

"This sudden change of heart on this critical local issue by my opponent is just a cynical attempt to distract voters from the fact that he has been wrong on this issue for nearly three years," said Duncan.  This isn't leadership; this is simply a bold-face attempt at political manipulation. First, per diem, then term limits; how many other positions will he change to try to win this election?” concluded Duncan. 
#
Campaign Contact: 
Thomas Duncan 
Campaign Manager 
Duncan for Assembly 715-451-0503 
duncanforassembly@gmailc.om

Proposed Golden Sands Dairy, in Saratoga, in Adams and Wood Counties, Wisconsin