Walker Signs High-Capacity Wells Bill
Good for powerful agriculture interests, bad for the environment.
When Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed into law on Thursday a GOP bill that loosens state rules and oversight on controversial high-capacity wells, it was a thank you note to the special interests that support him.
The measure, Senate Bill 76, eliminates state reviews of existing permits for any high-capacity wells when they are repaired, replaced, or sold in a real estate transaction. High-capacity wells allow users, which include large farms, food processors, and frac-sand operations, to pump at least 100,000 gallons of water a day out of the watershed.
Environmentalists, tourism interests, outdoor enthusiasts and property owners who live near high-capacity wells say the wells have caused some rivers, lakes, and streams around the state to shrink or even dry up during the summer, damaging fish, wildlife, and their habitat.
The dozen-plus influential special interests represented by WMC, including business, manufacturing, real estate and construction, contributed $33.2 million between January 2011 and December 2016 to Walker. In addition to direct special interest contributions, WMC has spent an estimated $9.5 million on mostly undisclosed, outside electioneering activities to support Walker’s successful 2010, 2012 and 2014 runs for governor.
The powerful agriculture industry, which is the chief beneficiary of the new law, contributed about $1.8 million to Walker between January 2011 and December 2016. Many of Walker’s largest contributors in the agriculture industry are owners of factory farms and large vegetable farms, which sought the looser regulations, including:
Brothers Steve, Ron, and Dave Buholzer, and their wives, of Monroe, owners of Klondike Cheese Factory, $57,500. Klondike is a key sponsor of the Dairy Business Association;
James and Annette Ostrom, of De Pere, co-owners of Milk Source, $47,500;
John and Keri Vosters, of Freedom, co-owners of Milk Source, $43,500;
Todd Willer and Megan O’Harrow, of Freedom, co-owners of Milk Source, $41,500;
Richard Pavelski, of Naples, Fla., chief executive officer of Heartland Farms in Hancock, Wis., $13,500;
Gordon and Cathy Speirs, of Greenleaf, owners of Shiloh Dairy, $11,250. Gordon Speirs is a past president and current board member of the Dairy Business Association.
In 2015, Milk Source’s Richfield Dairy in Adams County won a legal challenge in which a state administrative law judge blasted the Department of Natural Resources for using narrow guidelines to assess and grant permits for high-capacity wells.
In addition to their contributions to Walker, several large vegetable growers and other mega farms sharply increased their contributions to GOP legislative fundraising committees during the second half of 2016 and shortly before SB 76 was introduced in February and considered by the GOP-controlled legislature. Large potato and vegetable growers doled out more than $136,000 in individual and corporate campaign contributions in 2016 to current legislators, including about $126,300 to Republicans and $10,250 to Democratic lawmakers.
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
Campaign Cash
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Outside Groups Spent Record $28.8 Million on State Supreme Court Race
May 7th, 2023 by Erik Gunn -
Top 20 Donors to State Political Parties
Apr 4th, 2023 by Peter Cameron and Hina Suzuki -
$38 Million Spent on High Court Race
Mar 29th, 2023 by Erik Gunn
Another example of pay for play in this state. It is so frustrating not having any voice in our political system anymore while time after time it is to hell with the people and damned the environmental impacts. We need a legitimate option running against Walker but sadly, I see no one in the wings.
This is how archaeologists have determined many ancient civilizations have fallen. The civilization over uses their natural resources until there are none left to be had, or they drop below a sustainable level. They’ll recover. But not for hundreds of years, after our civilization is wiped out by our own greed. Sure, some environmentalists are nut jobs, but at least they’ve learned the lessons of the past.
This idiot in the capitol building is destroying the future of Wisconsin simply for political reasons. He’s power hungry, and the people who are feeding him cash to stay in power are telling him to destroy the environment, and any sustainable future we might have had.
Well after Walker is done playing governor, I guess it’ll be up to someone with a conscience to fix the mess, if it’s fixable.