RED SHIRT RALLY - FEB. 23
2/15/00
more on politics in the DNR

Please join a broad coalition of Wisconsin organizations for a rally at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, February 23, on the Capitol steps  in Madison --- to show public support for the restoration of the Wisconsin Public Intervenor Office, and support for the de-politicizing of the appointment of the DNR Secretary and top DNR administrators.

Be sure to wear a red shirt, red plaid shirt, and/or blaze orange to signify your support.

Everyone is also encouraged to participate in individual legislative visits on these issues on Wed., Feb. 23 and Thurs. Feb. 24  --- drop by our information room anytime between 9 am and 4 pm these days to pick up background information before your legislative appointments, and to get pointers or have questions answered.   Meet us at the North Hearing Room, 2nd Floor of the North Wing of the Capitol, in Madison.

Two legislative bills are proposed --- SB 27 would restore the DNR Secretary control to the NR Board, and SB 72 and AB 162 would restore the Public Intervenor Office.

This rally will  recreate the 1960's red shirt rallies by conservationists, when they stormed the capitol to protest the merger of the old Conservation Department with the Department of Resource Development --- to create the Dept. of Natural Resources.

This public concern in the 1960s convinced legislators (and Republican Governor Warren Knowles) of that time to promise to provide political balance --- through the 7-member Natural Resource Board of independent citizens and the creation in 1967 of the Wisconsin Public Intervenor Office which could advise citizens and
intervene on behalf of public rights in the environment.

In 1995, our current Governor and legislature broke this promise by eliminating the Public Intervenors and taking away the Natural Resource Board's power to appoint the DNR Secretary and giving this power directly to the Governor.

The result of these changes is highlighted in the recent DNR employee survey publicized by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.   The survey shows that the DNR has been severely weakened by a major reorganization, staff cuts, funding cuts and greatly increased direct political influence over DNR decisions.

We need to take back our DNR --- and require the Governor and legislature to uphold and restore their promise to maintain political balance in the state's natural resource management decisions.

These are priority issues of many Wisconsin organizations, including the Wisconsin Stewardship Network.

PLEASE JOIN US !!  BRING FRIENDS!

For more information, contact Rebecca Katers, Wisconsin Stewardship Network or call (920) 437-7304.

back to the Wisconsin Stewardship Network home page