Meeting on Friday January 26, the WSN steering committee adopted three more priority issues for the Network:  Enacting tough mercury pollution control standards in Wisconsin, working towards protection of the state's groundwater by broadening controls over high-capacity, and opposing construction of the proposed Duluth-to-Wausau 345,000 volt transmission line.  The steering committee also decided to direct work for re-regulation of the state's wetlands through its shoreland protection activities.

Friday evening's panel on groundwater was an eye-opener.  Spurred by the proposed Perrier bottling plant, a much broader discussion of groundwater protection has emerged.  Groundwater supplies 3/4's of the state's home with water and serves as the source of water for 97% of the state's municipalities.  But sprawl, urbanization and growing use are shrinking a resource that was once viewed as limitless.

A number of streams around Madison are going to lose their flow in the next 20 years, according to the DNR's Roger Bannerman.  And UW-Stevens Point expert George Kraft predicts the Plover River, which runs through Stevens Point, will see its flow cut by 40-50% in the next 15 years by demands on its groundwater.  "This will essentially kill it," says Kraft.

Saturday's workshops on factory farming, mining, the restoration of DNR independence and the Public Intervenor's Office, wetlands, and reducing mercury pollution were well attended.

DNR Secretary George Meyer addressed the attendees after lunch, focusing his remarks on future challenges to the health of Wisconsin's resources.  Groundwater, wetlands, mercury pollution, energy and global warming were some of the issues Meyer touched on.  He faced a series of hard questions from the audience concerning the DNR's approach towards mining regulation, groundwater and wetland protection.
  

Following another set of workshops, Secretary of State and longtime environmental activist Doug La Follette closed out the conference.  Describing himself as a desperate optimist, La Follette said "we have to fight.  We should think of ourselves," he added, "as the custodians of options, the keepers of the door.  Every species or wetland we can push through the door is saved for future generations."

Doug La Follette

  Watch this site for more information in the near future outlining activities and steps you can take to help push the WSN's priority issues and more a more detailed account of the information shared during the conference workshops and presentations.

back to the Wisconsin Stewardship Network home page