Rep. Considine responds to high capacity well vote
SB 76 would exempt high capacity well repairs, reconstructions, replacements, and ownership transfers from any oversight by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Madison – Last night, the majority party in the State Assembly voted to limit oversight of high capacity wells in Wisconsin. SB 76 passed the Assembly on a near-party line vote.
Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo), who represents Devil’s Lake State Park and many other environmental and agricultural resources, strongly objected to this vote. “When we had a public hearing on this bill in March, it was very clear by the hours of citizen testimony that this was a controversial issue,” said Rep. Considine. “I support our agricultural economy, but we also have to be mindful of our environment, and SB 76 does not protect our natural resources.”
SB 76 would exempt high capacity well repairs, reconstructions, replacements, and ownership transfers from any oversight by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This would allow high capacity well owners to continue pumping large amounts of our groundwater into the future without any DNR input or control.
“The DNR is supposed to work to preserve our natural resources,” Rep. Considine stated. “Instead of carefully seeking a way for them to do that while still allowing Wisconsin agriculture to thrive, we’re making a major, sweeping change on an issue that needs much more thorough consideration.
“This is not the right way to handle legislation that has serious consequences on our environmental resources. We heard from a room full of citizens who warned us that this would be complicated, and clearly my colleagues in the majority didn’t listen to them. I hope in the future we can do better.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the SB 76
- The State of Politics: Governor’s Race Influences Budget - Steven Walters - Jun 5th, 2017
- Campaign Cash: Walker Signs High-Capacity Wells Bill - Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - Jun 3rd, 2017
- Rep. Considine responds to high capacity well vote - State Rep. Dave Considine - May 3rd, 2017
- High-capacity well bill’s passage ensures ongoing groundwater conflicts - Clean Wisconsin - May 2nd, 2017
- Representative Lisa Subeck’s Statement on Assembly Passage of SB 76 - State Rep. Lisa Subeck - May 2nd, 2017
- Op Ed: Water Bill Violates Constitution - State Sen. Mark Miller - Apr 30th, 2017
- SB 76 brings Grassroots groups together in defense of the waters of Wisconsin - Citizens' Water Coalition of Wisconsin - Apr 29th, 2017
- Senator Miller’s Statement on Privatizing Public Waters - State Sen. Mark Miller - Apr 5th, 2017
- Campaign Cash: Big Ag Wants High Capacity Wells - Matt Rothschild - Mar 2nd, 2017
- The State of Politics: Lawmakers Battle Over High Capacity Wells - Steven Walters - Jul 18th, 2016
Read more about SB 76 here
Mentioned in This Press Release
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