Conservation NOW: Week of June 27, 2011 6-27-2011
gengberg June 27th, 2011
Week of June 27, 2011
2011 - 2012 Legislative Session
This Week’s Notices:
* Oppose AB 177: Granting Automatic Water Permits First, Hoping There Are No Problems Later
Oppose AB 177: Granting Automatic Water Permits First, Hoping There Are No Problems Later
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose AB 177, which is before the Assembly Committee on Housing on Wednesday.
Wisconsin’s waters belong to all the people of the state. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is responsible for ensuring that anyone wishing to withdraw water or place structures in our rivers, lakes, and streams for their use, do so in such a way that other people’s rights to our waters are not infringed upon. AB 177 would force the DNR to issue permits to those seeking to withdrawal or otherwise use water within arbitrary timelines even if the applicant has not provided necessary information and even if DNR does not have the staff available to review the application. In addition, AB 177 would change the requirement that the burden of proof is on applicants to demonstrate that their water use would not negatively impact others if the DNR or other concerned parties have questions about the permit.
Conservation NOW announces the pro-conservation positions on issues before the Senate, Assembly and/or Governor in the week ahead to state legislators. Others wishing to follow activities in the state legislature also receive Conservation NOW, including legislative staff, conservation voters, and media. All of these issues are tracked on the Conservation Vote Tracker.. Issues in the Conservation NOW may appear in the Conservation Scorecard, to be released in the summer of 2012.
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
133 S. Butler St., Ste. 320
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 661-0845
fax (608) 661-0835
www.conservationvoters.org
