Citizens’ Water Coalition Calls GOP High Capacity Well Bills “Death by 1,000 Straws” |
News |
Written by Criste Greening |
Thursday, 09 March 2017 16:48 |
Newly proposed Wisconsin Senate SB76 and Assembly AB105 are Republican sponsored bills both relating to replacement, reconstruction, and transfer of an approved high capacity well, recommendation of special groundwater measures by the DNR, and metering requirements and grants for certain high capacity wells. MADISON - Citizens Water Coalition of Wisconsin opposes SB76/AB105. We believe this bill will cause irreparable damage to our existing lakes, rivers, wetlands, and streams as well as intensify existing conditions in sensitive resource areas that have been critically damaged due to the over pumping of high capacity wells. Not only do members of the coalition find it appalling that these bills are not being sent through appropriate Legislative committees within our Legislature but we find it inexcusable that the dual hearing planned will further limit citizen participation on such a crucial bill that will affect thousands of residents and waterways across the state. Our biggest areas of concern are:
As Wisconsin residents, we demand our elected officials to enact legislation that will ensure our surface and groundwater will be here for generations to come. We hold our representatives to the expectation that they will protect citizen interests over big industry donors who are attempting to buy preferential legislation. Citizens’ Water Coalition of Wisconsin is a statewide coalition of thousands of individuals and hundreds of grassroots organizations dedicated to preserving and protecting our water resources. We are concerned about Wisconsin’s water resources and support sustainable water use. We cannot support legislation that gives Wisconsin’s water to the highest bidder at the detriment of the citizens and communities impacted by these poor legislative decisions. SB76/AB105 Sensitive resource areas of study are not addressing areas of impact already identified from high capacity wells and thus allows for the exponential damage to those regions to continue unchecked with this legislation. **** Learn more about The Citizens Water Coalition of Wisconsin at www.cwcwi.org |