Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
Campaign Cash

Assembly Approves Rollback of Wetlands Protection

Bill backed by WMC, Kochs, could destroy 1 million acres of wetlands.

By - Feb 19th, 2018 10:45 am
Wetland. Photo from WDC.

Wetland. Photo from WDC.

A controversial Republican bill that would loosen state protections and allow development of up to one million acres of Wisconsin wetlands was approved by the state Assembly.

The measure, Assembly Bill 547, approved the bill 58-39 with four Republicans voting against the measure with Democrats. The Republicans are Joel Kitchens, of Sturgeon Bay, Todd Novak, of Dodgeville, Kevin Petersen, of Waupaca, and Travis Tranel, of Cuba City. The bill now goes to the Senate, which GOP lawmakers also control.

The proposal is backed by a host of powerful business, agriculture, construction, and real estate interests, including Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state largest business group, and the Koch-backedAmericans for Prosperity. WMC and Americans for Prosperity spend millions of dollars to elect Republican legislative and statewide candidates.

The bill provides a general exemption from state permitting requirements for the discharge of dredged or fill material into state wetlands, which are isolated wetlands not connected to waterways, like rivers and lakes.

Under the measure, wetlands of an acre or less in or near urban areas would be exempted in most cases from state permits for construction projects. Landowners who fill these areas would not be required to create wetlands elsewhere. In addition, wetlands that are three acres or less and located in rural areas would also be exempt from state permits, but the landowners would be required create new wetlands elsewhere if they fill 1.5 acres or more.

WMC secretly raised and spent an estimated $18.6 million since January 2010 on outside electioneering activities to support Republican and conservative legislative and statewide candidates.

WMC also represents more than a dozen special interests, including business, real estate, and construction, which contributed $16.7 million since January 2011 to current Republican legislators.

Americans for Prosperity, a rightwing electioneering group created by billionaire conservatives David and Charles Koch, has spent $5.7 million in Wisconsin since January 2010 to elect Republican and conservative candidates in legislative and statewide elections.

More about the SB 600 / AB 547

Read more about SB 600 / AB 547 here

4 thoughts on “Campaign Cash: Assembly Approves Rollback of Wetlands Protection”

  1. Terry says:

    Hooray! Career Politician (in office and mooching off the taxpayers since he was 22 years old) Scott Walker and Republicans do their corporate master’s bidding and sell out our natural resources and precious environmental treasures. Get out of our way nature! Corporations and Republican coming through!

    Dump Walker 2018!!
    Dump ALL Republicans 2018!!

  2. Jeff Weiner says:

    These clowns don’t care that once wetlands are destroyed it is very hard to bring back. These are just shameless people who only care for the rich.

  3. will says:

    The GOP and Walker are just whoring for the rich and destroying Wisconsin future. We must stop these bought and paid for unamerican lying cowards and give it vack to working people who pay these politicians bills. Walker been living off of taxpayers his whole adult life and should be peeing in cups and thrown out of office. Walker doesn’t care about Wisconsin future for he is nothing more then a carpet bagger using Wisconsin to benifit his delusional political career.

  4. Jacob pickard says:

    Republicans are white supremacists and criminals.

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