Conservation NOW: Week of February 6, 2012 2-6-2010
gengberg February 6th, 2012
Week of February 6, 2012
2011 - 2012 Legislative Session
This Week’s Notices:
* Oppose SB 111: Threatening Public Health With More Carbon Monoxide Pollution
* Oppose SB 138: Threatening Public Health With More Air Pollution
* Oppose AB 158: Undermining Conservation Congress Votes
* Oppose SB 266: Allowing Toxic Oil Back in Our Landfills
Oppose SB 111: Threatening Public Health With More Carbon Monoxide Pollution
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose SB 111, which is before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday.
Air quality standards for pollution are set to protect public health. Carbon monoxide pollution is an odorless and colorless gas which can cause headaches and nausea at low levels and seizures and even death at higher levels. Natural Resources Rule 411 protected air quality by requiring certain transportation projects such as roads and parking ramps where high localized impacts of carbon monoxide can occur to do an assessment to show they will not increase carbon monoxide air pollution above safe levels. The Joint Committee on the Review of Administrative Rules suspended this rule on April 27, 2011. By explicitly stating that Wisconsin cannot set standards for carbon monoxide from these sources, SB 11 threatens public health.
Oppose SB 138: Threatening Public Health With More Air Pollution
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose SB 138, which is before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday.
Air quality standards for pollution are set to protect public health. Agricultural operations can sometimes release hazardous air pollution. On May 24, 2011, the Joint Committee on the Review of Administrative Rules suspended rules limiting hazardous air pollution for pollutants where there are no current federal regulations, but where there has been a documented need for a public health standard. SB 138 explicitly states that Wisconsin cannot set additional standards for hazardous air emissions from agricultural operations. SB 138 threatens public health and undermines Wisconsin’s ability to proactively set standards where there is a demonstrated public health threat.
Oppose AB 158: Undermining Conservation Congress Votes
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose AB 158, which is before Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday.
The Conservation Congress is an advisory body that advises the Department of Natural Resources on issues of interest to sportsmen and conservationists. Every spring, public hearings are held in all 72 counties to give advisory opinions on possible conservation regulations. AB 158 creates unnecessary hoops that undermine Wisconsin’s democratic tradition.
Oppose SB 266: Allowing Toxic Oil Back in Our Landfills
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose SB 266, which is before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday.
Wisconsin has long recognized that toxic materials thrown into landfills can leach into our groundwater. Used oil filters and other oil absorbent materials are often contaminated with heavy metals and chemical additives. 2009 Act 86 banned the disposal of oil absorbent materials in landfills. SB 266 would threaten groundwater by once again allowing oil absorbent materials to be thrown away in landfills.
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
