Scott Walker’s Record on Environmental Issues

A recent audit found that the Walker administration failed to follow enforcement policies against polluters more than 94 percent of the time. Under Walker, referrals for legal action against polluters have been cut in half. Enforcement is especially poor for megafarms that produce large volumes of manure. … Faced with the failure of state government under Walker to adequately address the deteriorating condition of lakes, many local governments and lake associations have stepped up to improve water quality. A prime example is Dane County where County Executive Joe Parisi has launched an ambitious effort to clean up the lakes, including Lake Waubesa. However, Walker has been kneecapping these local efforts. Walker prohibited counties from enacting necessary controls on inappropriate shoreland development even as state standards have been weakened, banned local governments from regulating polluting megafarms, and severely limited the ability of local governments to control stormwater runoff.

Walker made the surprise announcement Friday, May 11, at the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Convention in Green Bay… The governor’s office says the largely forested landscape in the towns of Winter and Draper is an important habitat for white-tailed deer, black bears, wolves, and bobcats. The property features many lakes and streams, including two Class I trout streams. The property is enrolled in Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law program and subject to sustainable logging practices.

Gov. Scott Walker directed state agencies Wednesday to develop emergency regulations requiring captive deer farms to upgrade fencing and restricting deer movement in an effort to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease, saying it’s time to get more aggressive in the fight against the fatal deer brain ailment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sided with Wisconsin officials by sharply limiting areas that will come under stricter federal ozone regulations to small strips of land along Lake Michigan. The agency’s decision announced Tuesday is a big win for business interests and the administration of Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who argued that metropolitan Milwaukee and areas along Lake Michigan were being polluted by smog, or ozone, from Illinois and northern Indiana. The decision effectively shrinks the footprint of eastern Wisconsin that would need to take steps to reduce smog levels, but keeps intact long-standing clean-air mandates for the region, such as reformulated gasoline.

Gov. Scott Walker is throwing cold water on a request to have all the Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces review a Lake Michigan diversion plan that would help the planned Foxconn plant in Racine County.Walker says the request for a regional review is part of a broad attack on the Foxconn project. “Politically, there’s group after group after group that wants to find ways to undermine that,” Walker said. “But when people look at the facts and realize this is less water usage than Racine had more than 20 years ago, this is well within the confines of the compact.” What Walker calls “the compact” is the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact finalized in 2008.

Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation on Thursday that will allow landowners to keep the public from using more of their forest property while still receiving a break on their property tax. Senate Bill 434 makes major changes in the state’s managed forest law, including limiting the amount of land available to the public as well as turning over millions of dollars to local units of government now earmarked for the Department of Natural Resources… “This bill keeps the managed forest law attractive to landowners, industry, local governments and outdoor recreationists,” Walker said in a statement… The bill signed by Walker would lift that cap and allow property owners of non-industrial timber land to restrict all public access.

Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation on Thursday that will allow landowners to keep the public from using more of their forest property while still receiving a break on their property tax. Senate Bill 434 makes major changes in the state’s managed forest law, including limiting the amount of land available to the public as well as turning over millions of dollars to local units of government now earmarked for the Department of Natural Resources… “This bill keeps the managed forest law attractive to landowners, industry, local governments and outdoor recreationists,” Walker said in a statement… The bill signed by Walker would lift that cap and allow property owners of non-industrial timber land to restrict all public access.

Foxconn’s most significant air pollutants would be volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, according to documents filed with the state Department of Natural Resources. The state’s air management staff said the factory would increase such pollutants by about 4 percent in Racine County, a figure officials said is manageable, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Conservation groups on Wednesday slammed Foxconn Technology Group’s plan to withdraw millions of gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan saying it would violate the intent of a 2008 law aimed at protecting Great Lakes drinking water. The critics said Wisconsin was rushing to approve a plan that threatened to undermine the Great Lakes Compact, which was enacted to protect the region’s drinking water for the public by limiting withdrawals by private interests outside of the lakes drainage basin.

Gary Besaw delivered the annual State of the Tribes speech to the Legislature on Monday. He thanked lawmakers for working on bills that would define protections for Indian burial mounds and legalize commercial hemp. He then demanded legislators enact stronger protections to stop the spread of CWD, saying Gov. Scott Walker’s hands-off approach is jeopardizing treaty rights, tourism and hunting.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says it will decide in about 90 days on a request to pump 7 million gallons a day from Lake Michigan as part of a proposed Foxconn manufacturing complex state leaders have pushed as a major job creator. The DNR on Monday released the Racine Water Utility’s application for an exception from a Great Lakes Compact ban on new or expanded diversions of water to places outside the Great Lakes basin. But an attorney who was involved in the creation of the compact said the state may be moving too quickly and risking a precedent that could make it impossible to say no to private demands for excessive withdrawals of freshwater in the future.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker joined Wisconsin business groups in sounding an alarm about a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plan to implement stricter air emissions standards that could impact Foxconn Technology Group’s massive complex in Racine County… Walker, through a spokeswoman, told the Milwaukee Business Journal he’s concerned that a planned federal tightening of business air-pollution emissions will place “an undue burden on Wisconsin businesses.”

Usually wetlands outside of federal jurisdiction are protected under state law, but the Legislature and Gov. Scott Walker exempted Foxconn from state restrictions.

Handing Gov. Scott Walker a victory as a prepares for a likely re-election bid next year, Republican leaders of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee said Wednesday they will go along with his $180 million property tax cut proposal. The Joint Finance Committee also voted Wednesday to continue publication of a popular outdoors magazine that Walker had wanted to end, a proposal that led to a loud public outcry among longtime readers who said the move was politically motivated. Doing away with the property tax used to help preserve the state’s forests was one of Walker’s priorities. He threatened to take the unprecedented step of vetoing the entire $76 billion budget if property taxes increased. Some Republicans had wavered in their support, but GOP leaders said Wednesday the budget committee would vote to eliminate the tax.

Gov. Scott Walker is making an aggressive push to eliminate the state’s portion of property tax bills in the 2017-19 state budget, but his proposal is getting resistance from forestry groups across the state. For the average homeowner, the forestry mill tax cost about $26 in 2016, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The tax pays for items such as equipment to fight forest fires. In his budget proposal, Walker cut the tax and funded its programs from the state’s general fund budget instead. That change concerns some forestry groups.

Changes for high-capacity wells in Wisconsin are headed to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk. The state Assembly approved a plan Tuesday night that would loosen regulations on how high-capacity wells could be repaired, reconstructed or transferred to a new owner. It was the last legislative vote in a years-long battle over the proposed changes. The bill, which carried over from the Senate, was one of the Assembly’s last orders of business Tuesday after a seven-hour session. It passed along party lines, 62-35, with one member abstaining. The Senate passed the bill last month.

In 2016, West Shore said it closed the pipeline after inspectors found “unique conditions that require additional inspections and analysis.” The company said no fuel leaked. After the closure of the pipeline, Gov. Scott Walker issued executive orders lifting regulations to make it easier to transport fuel and to prevent gasoline shortages.

Twenty years of back issues in Jim Stroschein’s attic attest to his love of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ magazine. Since 1919, the publication has featured stories and photos highlighting Wisconsin’s natural splendor, from where to hunt, fish, hike and camp to what it’s like to own a north woods cabin. If Republican Gov. Scott Walker gets his way, this will be the magazine’s last year. Even though it is sustained entirely by subscribers — it had nearly 84,000 as of December — Walker’s proposed budget would end it next February. He argues that the state shouldn’t be in the publishing business and that the DNR can reach more people through social media.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources secretary Cathy Stepp defended her agency’s record on climate change and environmental protection during a legislative hearing Thursday on Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed 2017-19 budget. The department is making progress fixing shortcomings in enforcement of water quality laws by reallocating employees, so legislators don’t need to be concerned that Walker’s plan calls for further cuts in agency staff, Stepp told members of the Joint Finance Committee.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers say they are fielding an onslaught of complaints about plans by the Department of Natural Resources to pull the plug on its venerable natural resources magazine. … At a hearing Thursday on Gov. Scott Walker’s budget bill, Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) told Stepp that he worried that the internet and social media alone might not reach all of the state’s older residents — a key demographic among hunters and anglers.

Dozens of callers blamed Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who appointed the top executives at the DNR after taking office in 2011. “You should stand for science and truth, and the truth is that climate change is an accepted fact among the vast majority of the scientific community,” said Michelle Lovrine in a Dec. 30 email. “It’s bad enough the Walker administration has been systematically gutting the actual scientists out of the DNR. Now your website is resorting to classic political doublespeak by distorting and disguising the issue of climate change. It’s a shame to say the least.”

Gov. Scott Walker is requesting a federal assessment of damage from last week’s heavy rains to determine whether the state will request federal disaster assistance. The storm and flooding caused an estimated $30 million in damage in northwestern Wisconsin. State emergency management officials said in a news release Saturday that the storms caused nearly $1.8 million in damage to homes and businesses and $28.8 million to roads, bridges and trails. Walker is requesting a preliminary damage assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help determine if the state will request a federal disaster declaration. The assessment is the first step to request federal disaster assistance. FEMA teams will start assessing damage next week.

The state Department of Natural Resources plans to give one of Gov. Scott Walker’s key donors a lakefront parcel in a land swap. The agency had planned to sell Elizabeth Uihlein 1.75 acres along Rest Lake in Manitowish Waters last year for $275,000. The land would create lake access for her condominium complex. Uihlein and her husband donated nearly $3 million to two federal committees that helped Walker’s presidential bid last year, sparking complaints of favoritism. The DNR’s board decided to postpone the transaction. Now the agency says the Uihleins are working buy 42.7 private acres within the Northland Highland State Forest boundaries. DNR officials say the couple plans to give the DNR that land in exchange for the Rest Lake parcel.

Nearly 1,400 water systems serving 3.6 million Americans exceeded federal lead standards at least once since Jan. 1, 2013, an Associated Press analysis of U.S. EPA records recently found. In Wisconsin, 64 systems exceeded limits, including utilities in Stoughton, Neenah and Racine; schools such as Rock County Christian in Janesville and Woods in Lake Geneva; and state properties including the Veterans Home at King…”Wisconsin is again in the lead, moving rapidly to implement solutions that address the needs of communities and individuals,” DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said. “Governor Scott Walker asked us to rise to the challenge of helping the most communities possible and by using the funding available, we have taken a significant step forward to ensure clean, safe drinking water across the state.”

Financial penalties for violations of Wisconsin environmental laws fell sharply in 2015 to their lowest level in at least a decade. Data released by a conservation organization show forfeitures paid by individuals and companies for violating state law totaled $306,834 last year. That’s down 78% from nearly $1.4 million paid out in 2014. It’s also the lowest amount paid out for violations dating back to at least 2006, according to data. The figures are the most recent showing Department of Natural Resources enforcement activity has dropped off under the administration of Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican who took office in 2011 with a pro-business agenda and a vow to make the DNR more friendly to the private sector.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker announced a series of changes in Wisconsin’s chronic wasting disease plan Friday, calling for more studies and guidelines for the deer farm industry but rejecting suggestions to resume thinning the state’s herds…Walker announced the new initiatives at a Conservation Congress meeting in Manitowoc. He said he wants to update the state’s CWD plan by seeking input from hunters, landowners, farmers and foresters through county deer advisory councils; directing the Department of Natural Resources to study “deer population dynamics” and invest in research to better understand CWD’s effects on the state’s deer herd. The governor also ordered state agriculture officials to create best practices for deer farms and the DNR to conduct deer farm fence inspections every two years. Currently the agency inspects farm fences once per decade.

Gov. Scott Walker traveled to northwestern Wisconsin for the 51st annual Governor’s Fishing Opener. Walker was in Gordon on Saturday for the Governor’s Fishing Opener, held at the Minong Flowage. Walker calls fishing a major recreational sport and tourism attraction in Wisconsin that draws 330,000 anglers from outside the state every year.

Gov. Scott Walker signed wide-ranging legislation on Tuesday that makes changes in regulations of wetlands and navigable waters that supporters say will benefit waterfront property owners. Walker signed Senate Bill 459, which designates areas as specialized wetlands, allowing property owners to conduct more building activity in these areas. The law will also allow dredging in artificial bodies of water; require disputes over piers to be handled by circuit courts, instead of through administrative hearings; and curb the ability of the Department of Natural Resources to block municipalities from constructing storm-water management ponds… The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters said the law will roll back wetlands protections and lead to more flooding and loss of wildlife habitat. Walker tweeted, “Property owners should be able to improve & enjoy their property in a reasonable manner without unclear and overbearing regulations.” … In a statement, Walker said, “This legislation not only protects Wisconsin property owners, it also helps create an environment where people want to live and raise a family, which ultimately bolsters our economy and job creation.”

Walker also signed a bill allowing towns in Dane County to opt out of county zoning laws. The bill, authored by Rep. Keith Ripp, R-Lodi, was introduced after the Dane County Towns Association pushed for a way for towns to gain more autonomy over developments in rural areas, and to grow tax bases to pay for services. But officials from Dane County, its cities and villages and a group of towns say town governments lack the financial and staff resources to responsibly administer their own zoning codes, and that allowing an opt-out could unleash irresponsible rural development.

The governor signed a bill allowing farmers, food processors, frac sand mine operators and other operators of high-capacity wells to replace them without a state review of how the wells are affecting groundwater, lakes and streams. The law requires flow meters on wells and mandates study of certain areas affected by high-capacity wells. It waives permit requirements for lake associations that want to install high-capacity wells to pump water into lakes as part of a hydrological study. A bill that bolsters private property rights while loosening protections on thousands of bodies of water in Wisconsin also was signed into law. The law limits local powers over shoreline construction, allowing construction of boathouses, fishing rafts, utility facilities, water towers, rail systems and other kinds of construction to be built closer to bodies of water.

The proposed EPA Impaired Waters List for 2016 in Wisconsin contains 1,694 listings, more than double the 761 approved for the list in 2004.The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has recommended an additional 209 waterways for the 2016 list … Critics of Gov. Scott Walker blame the increased pollution in many agricultural counties like Brown, Kewaunee and Manitowoc on his promotion of new jobs in dairy and other agriculture that pollute waterways with runoff from livestock manure, fertilizers, pesticides and byproducts of cheese manufacturing. They claim that Walker has cut the DNR budget to such a low level that, they say, it is nearly impossible for its staff to monitor agriculture runoff that is creating the high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the state’s waters.

Citing last week’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday ordered state agencies not to do any work to prepare for federal climate change regulations that would require Wisconsin utilities to cut carbon emissions from power plants. His executive order follows a decision last week by the Supreme Court to put the regulation — known as the Clean Power Plan — on hold, temporarily, while an appeals court considers a challenge by 27 states including Wisconsin that the rules are illegal.

Political appointees of the Department of Natural Resources discussed disciplining an employee after she provided public records to a Sheboygan County citizens group fighting plans by the Kohler Co. for a golf course on the shore of Lake Michigan, emails show. In the view of at least one top official then serving at the DNR, the employee took the extra step of compiling information the group had requested, presumably in a more understandable form, rather than turning over raw data. The case highlights the sensitivity of open records cases involving the DNR — an agency that under Gov. Scott Walker has come under fire from environmentalists and conservationists for a more pro-business tilt. Walker says the agency enforces all regulations but has sought to rein in what he says is the agency’s overreaching nature. Environmentalists have sued the DNR twice since December over the length of time they must wait for records they have requested.

Business executive Richard E. Uihlein has continued to press his case to move a massive floating bog away from his property on the Chippewa Flowage in a meeting involving state, federal and business officials to review the controversial proposal. At a Jan. 28 meeting in Hayward, representatives of Uihlein presented a new option designed to ease concerns about a construction-scale project that initially called for nailing the 12-acre bog to the bottom of the lake. But it remains unclear whether Uihlein, a major financial supporter of Gov. Scott Walker, will proceed with plans.

To his credit, Gov. Scott Walker included in his two-year budget proposal $250,000 to study this issue. Here was an opportunity to address an issue of importance to all state residents – those who could benefit from the clean power of wind energy and those who claim their lives have changed since the turbines started turning. However, the Joint Finance Committee slashed it and ordered a review of existing studies. If the state won’t look into these health issues, Brown County must, for the sake of its residents.

The bill would further restrict authority of DNR foresters to limit timber cuts that would unnecessarily harm wildlife habitat or foul waterways with erosion. The 2015-17 budget signed by Gov. Scott Walker in June included a provision requested by the logging industry to grant automatic state approval of cuts if plans were made in conjunction with an accredited forester or a contractor in the DNR cooperating forester program, which mandates certain educational requirements and an agreement to use sound practices.

The DNR has come under fire from Democrats and environmentalists under Gov. Scott Walker. Officials have said they are enforcing regulations but also trying to reduce unnecessary costs and red tape by an agency that is traditionally one of the most controversial in state government. The letters also raised questions over whether the DNR is as far along as it says it is in complying with 75 deficiencies the EPA cited in July 2011 over Wisconsin’s handling of water regulations. The EPA ordered the DNR to address the problems, which began before Walker entered office in January 2011. The DNR says some issues have been cleared up. In an Oct. 28 statement, the agency said the rest are moving ahead through a state rule-making process.

The conflicts now playing out on a world stage are also evident in Wisconsin, where the Republican-controlled state government is at odds with public sentiment on climate change. At the same time, industry leaders here are divided, as some businesses see opportunities in curbing carbon emissions while others fear costly new regulations… Gov. Scott Walker and his administration and Attorney General Brad Schimel have been sharply critical of the rules. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would require utilities to move away from coal by cutting carbon emissions at power plants by 34% by 2030… But a Marquette University Law School poll in August found, by a 2-to-1 margin, that registered voters supported rules that set limits on greenhouse gases from power plants, even if it meant electricity prices would rise.

In 2011, the EPA identified 75 failings in the DNR’s enforcement of the state’s wastewater pollution permit program. Last month, after the residents’ petition was filed, the state agency announced it is working on two rule packages that will address 21 of the issues… “Our state has historically been, and continues to be, a leader in many water-related areas,” DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said in a news release. But the residents’ petition said the agency’s actions to resolve deficiencies represent a “lack of meaningful response.” The petition also charged that the agency’s authority and staff have been whittled away, citing the loss of 600 positions in the past 20 years. The petitioners claim Wisconsin now lacks the staff to adequately inspect and manage permits for wastewater sources, including large farms, municipalities and industries. EPA estimates show two-thirds of such facilities in Wisconsin are operating with expired waste discharge permits — the third worst rate in the nation. Recent reorganization at the agency by Gov. Scott Walker “raises even more doubt” about its ability to carry out its duties under the Clean Water Act, according to the petition. One of those changes is eliminating a separate water division and consolidating both water and air pollution under a Business Support and External Services Division. “The governor and state Legislature have starved the DNR’s power and robbed the agency’s experienced staff of professional autonomy to make informed decisions,” Wright said in a statement, adding, “Without effective government, we are compounding what our children and grandchildren will face in a world increasingly short of drinking water.”

In a teleconference, the group said that budget cutting, retirements and actions by the Legislature have effectively curbed the power of the DNR. The EPA said it is monitoring the efforts of the DNR. “WDNR must continue to report to EPA on progress to address the remaining issues,” said EPA spokesman Pete Cassell. In a statement, DNR spokesman Jim Dick said that the agency “takes its responsibility to protect Wisconsin waters seriously and does enforce the Clean Water Act.” He said the agency could not provide further comment until it can study the allegations. Gov. Scott Walker addressed environmental regulations more broadly when he spoke to a meeting of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce in Madison on Tuesday. He said the DNR has changed under his leadership from an agency whose acronym was said by some to mean “Darned Near Russia” to a department that considers the environment and the economy. “We’re not perfect, don’t get me wrong,” Walker said. “But we made changes that provided a balance.” This summer, the DNR announced a major reorganization of the agency that included the elimination of its water division. The functions of water regulation would remain, but administrators are in the process of farming the duties to the other parts of the department.

“Governor Walker believes it’s possible to protect our clean air, clean land, and clean water while enacting policies that improve our business climate and spur economic growth,” Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said in a statement. But critics say Wisconsin’s natural resources are increasingly at risk as government moves away from a conservation tradition dating back to the 1920s, when academics and other citizens were placed in charge of restoring forests and wildlife that had been plundered by commercial interests while politicians looked the other way. Walker’s DNR secretary is Cathy Stepp, a former Republican state senator and critic of the agency. Pat Stevens, former environmental director for WMC, was placed in charge of air and waste regulation. Water quality protection was added to his division in the reorganization. Stepp declined interview requests, but in August she said that while protecting researchers from political pressure is key, senior scientist positions were being shed because the DNR Bureau of Science Services had run afoul of elected officials. “We want to make sure that research that’s going on is answering the questions our regulators on the ground have or our biologists on the ground have or our user groups and interested citizens have,” Stepp said in an interview with WisconsinEye. “That hasn’t been the case in the past. “We’ve seen a pretty sound response from the Legislature during this last budget process on some things that they saw that happened historically in that particular area of the department that they were unhappy about, and they wanted to send a message to us, (which) is, you know, ‘Get your researchers in better line with what their constituents are telling them, the legislators,’ and we’re going to do that.” Stepp said an example was a science bureau compilation of scientific literature on environmental effects of mines while a controversial iron mine was being developed in 2014.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker touts himself as purveyor of big, bold ideas for the public good in his pursuit of the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination. But according to One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross, Walker has instead advanced his own political career by pledging allegiance on pet issues for major right-wing funders the Bradley Foundation, run by his gubernatorial campaign co-chair Michael Grebe, and the Koch family foundations of notorious right-wing billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has been making news on climate change recently with lawsuits, gag orders and an appointee to regulate state utilities who said a volcanic eruption would produce more greenhouse gas than all the automobiles in the world.

In what may be one of the least surprising endorsements thus far in the race for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination, billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch have said they favor Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted that Walker has been a long-time Koch brothers loyalist, dating back to a 2008 loyalty pledge to support the notorious brothers animus to efforts to halt climate change that could impact their business empire’s bottom line.

With the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination in his sights, Gov. Scott Walker failed to come to the defense of science and denounce a gag order prohibiting state employees at the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands from mentioning the words “climate change” during their workday.

“Gov. Scott Walker recently appointed Mike Huebsch to the state Public Service Commission, and Huebsch was asked about his views on climate change during his confirmation hearing this week. The Public Service Commission oversees utility issues in the state, including electricity, gas and water. "I believe that humans can have an impact to climate change, but I don't think it's anywhere near the level of impact of just the natural progression of our planet," Huebsch said,according to the Wisconsin Radio Network. "You know, the elimination of essentially every automobile would be offset by one volcano exploding. You have to recognize the multiple factors that go into climate change." Scientists have studied this issue fairly extensively, and concluded that emissions generated by human activity—specifically, the burning of fossil fuels—far surpass volcanoes when it comes to warming the planet.” (Note: Huebsch later admitted his statements were inaccurate.)

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has consistently opposed ethanol fuel requirements as a state legislator, Milwaukee County Executive and gubernatorial candidate. But in his audition for the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination Walker has made well publicized flip flops and panders on issues like immigration, labor rights and abortion. As Gov. Walker travels to Iowa on Saturday to speak at the Iowa Ag Summit the question is, will his views on ethanol ‘evolve’?

“In an about-face from his first term, Gov. Scott Walker wants to eliminate funding for a University of Wisconsin-Madison renewable energy research center that has played a key role in helping land one of its biggest government grants ever. In his budget, Walker is proposing to eliminate $8.1 million over two years — a total of 35 positions — from a bioenergy program. The reductions are separate from his proposal to cut $300 million from the University of Wisconsin System over the next two years. The research program, founded in 2009, is charged with developing technologies to convert wood chips, corn stalks and native grasses to homegrown sources of power. The program also funds research in other energy disciplines, including power generation and energy efficiency. Last year, Johnson Controls, the state's largest company, opened an energy storage research lab on the UW campus…UW officials say that Walker's proposal to end funding for the bioenergy program would cripple broader energy-development research that is receiving $25 million annually from the federal Department of Energy.

“Critics of Gov. Scott Walker would say there are numerous lumps of coal buried in the $68 billion budget he unveiled a week ago. And Kate Sheppard of the Huffington Post found one that is literally a gift to the coal industry. It consists of $250,000 toward a study "on wind energy system-related health issues." Sheppard notes that such studies have been done in the past, finding no health effect caused by wind turbines. "The Wisconsin Wind Siting Council, an advisory group to the state's Public Service Commission, issued a report to the state Legislature last fall that concluded that 'some individuals residing in close proximity to wind turbines perceive audible noise and find it annoying,'" Sheppard writes. "But 'it appears that this group is in the minority and that most individuals do not experience annoyance, stress, or perceived adverse health effects due to the operation of wind turbines.'"

The employees include scientists and others with master's and doctoral degrees who perform research for the DNR on environmental regulation and wildlife management policy. Walker's budget would cut 18.4 positions in the Bureau of Scientific Services. The bureau has a total of 59.4 budgeted positions, although 9.4 are currently vacant. That would a 31% cut in total budgeted positions and a reduction of nearly 20% of the positions now filled in the bureau. All told, Walker's budget would cut 66 positions from the DNR. Of this, more than 25% would come from the science group. Environmentalists questioned whether scientists at the agency were coming under attack for research that has sometimes provoked criticism. But a northern Wisconsin lawmaker who has been critical of some DNR research agreed with Walker's plan.

“Walker has been working to paint himself as a reformer who opposes big government since he won re-election to the governorship in November. He announced during his "state of the state" address Tuesday that he's collaborating with Attorney General Brad Schimel on a lawsuit challenging the emissions limits. The governor said the standards would result in soaring electric bills, as utilities spend billions to comply, and threaten the state's manufacturing sector. "These proposals could have a devastating impact on Wisconsin because we are so heavily dependent on manufacturing," he said. "Instead of fighting with states like Wisconsin, the federal government should work with us to find reasonable alternatives." Shahla Werner, the Sierra Club's Wisconsin chapter director, said Walker's announcement was disappointing but not surprising given his presidential aspirations. She said warnings of excessive compliance costs and job loss are overblown. Moving to more renewable energy sources will create local jobs and reduce health ailments such as asthma over the long run, she said.”

In his first term in office Gov. Scott Walker signed at least nineteen bills or budget provisions into law that were drawn from corporate bill factory the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). He, along with the GOP legislature, also allowed a mining company that donated $700,000 to write large portions of a bill weakening the state’s laws on mining. Now running for re-election Gov. Walker continues “borrowing” from others, using the same campaign catch phrase as 21 other GOP governors and lifting a controversial portion of his jobs plan from a failed experiment in Florida.

 While studies of the voucher program have failed to demonstrate higher achievement for students, pandering to the voucher industry has been lucrative for career politician Scott Walker’s campaign account. According to One Wisconsin Now executive Director Scot Ross that may account for Gov. Walker’s call yesterday to further expand the unaccountable private school voucher program.

Despite claims made by Gov. Walker to the media that he was an intractable supporter of reducing mining regulations, as reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today Walker as a state legislator voted for the so-called “mining moratorium” bill authored by environmental champion, former Madison Democratic State Rep. Spencer Black.

But the first-term Republican governor has not always been so pro-mining. In fact, he helped block a proposal to construct another major mine in northern Wisconsin years ago. In 1998 — as a member of the Assembly — Walker voted in favor of a mining moratorium that put the brakes on a proposed copper and zinc mine near Crandon. The measure passed in the Assembly on a 91-6 vote and was signed into law by Gov. Tommy Thompson. The mine was never built. Scot Ross, head of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said it is worth asking whether Walker's support for the proposed iron ore mine in Ashland and Iron counties was linked to the $700,000 that Gogebic Taconite LLC gave to Wisconsin Club for Growth during the 2011 and 2012 recall elections.

“The Wisconsin DNR's climate change web page which pops up first when you enter "climate change" in the DNR searchbox. That page which contains only one paragraph, offers a single off-site link and has not been updated since June 18, 2012.

Gov. Scott Walker is sending another letter in support of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would deliver oil from Canada to refineries along the Gulf Coast. Walker addressed the letter Thursday to Secretary of State John Kerry urging the project's approval. The letter is similar to one he sent in April and comes after the State Department found the pipeline would have little impact on the environment.

“Across the nation we are seeing a boom in the growth of wind power. According to Wind on the Wires, an advocacy group for the industry, in 2012 seven percent of the entire world market of wind energy was developed in America’s upper Midwest, but 99.4 percent of this development occurred outside Wisconsin. “The climate in this state is perceived as very unfriendly by wind developers and they’re just not trying to develop here as a result,” says Katie Nikola, general counsel for the non-profit Clean Wisconsin…The industry came to a standstill after Republicans took over the legislature and Gov. Scott Walker took office.”

“Sept. 11: 'State cool to climate-change action': While the Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans drew national notice for arguing that climate change is an issue the GOP should address, the Republican-controlled Legislature has apparently not gotten the memo. Of the more than 600 bills introduced in the 2013-14 legislative session when this column ran, none dealt specifically with this issue. That remains true today, with the total now past 1,000 bills.”

Mere days before he was slated to start a $94,000 a year job in the Walker administration, it was announced today that former Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder has taken a different job as a special interest lobbyist.

The author of a sweetheart deal worth potentially millions of dollars for a politically-connected organization was offered a free, two-day Lake Michigan fishing excursion by the lobbyist and Executive Director for the group, according to a story in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. One Wisconsin Now has filed a formal complaint with the state Government Accountability Board asking for an investigation of possible violations of state ethics laws based on the report, according Executive Director Scot Ross.

“After an intense focus on climate change under Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the GOP-controlled Legislature have devoted little attention to such issues…Shortly after taking office in 2011, Walker canceled plans to burn renewable biomass at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The school's power plant had come under fire for high construction costs and other problems.

According to a campaign spokesperson, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be arriving back in the state today from a trip to the key GOP 2016 presidential primary state of South Carolina. While in the state for a short week before he jets off to Michigan for the weekend for another political appearance, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross called on Walker to answer questions about the sweetheart deal to send state tax dollars to a partisan political front group that endorsed him in his recall election.

 The scandal surrounding Gov. Walker's attempt to reward an organization that endorsed him in his 2012 recall election with $500,000 in state tax dollars in the 2013-15 budget continues to grow. Breaking news reports today reveal that the group in question may in fact be a for-profit corporation that received at least $235,000 in income in 2011, courtesy of the right-wing Citizens for a Strong America. Yet according to information from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, there is no record of the United Sportsmen of Wisconsin filing a tax return or paying any income taxes for 2011 or 2012.

 A $500,000 taxpayer funded state grant to United Sportsmen of Wisconsin has generated increasing controversy over the last several weeks as serious questions were raised about how the grant process was rigged to make sure it went to a politically connected GOP front group and the trustworthiness of the organization.

“Signers of the pledge, now numbering 411, promise to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue” — in other words, no legislation on climate change without an equivalent amount of tax cuts. They include one U.S. senator from Wisconsin, three House members, four members of the state Senate, and four members of the Assembly — as well as Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

The wind energy business in Wisconsin has also had a rough ride. A decade ago, the state was considered a leader, with the towering white turbines becoming a common sight on the rural landscape. But the state Public Service Commission - with two of three members appointed by Walker - recently voted down a 102-megawatt wind farm in St. Croix County - siding with neighbors who argued the wind towers are too noisy. "The wind industry has been effectively driven out of the state," laments Reopelle.

Until we get the policies corrected in this state, we're going to see more wind-power jobs leave Wisconsin, said Jeff Anthony, director of business development for the American Wind Energy Association. "Getting the policies right is extremely important right now."…Under construction in the region, he said, are 614 megawatts of wind power in Illinois, 470 in Iowa, 348 in Michigan and 202 in Indiana. That compares to 5 megawatts under construction in Wisconsin.

Gov. Scott Walker on Monday signed a bill that rewrites iron mining laws and could pave the way for construction of a $1.5 billion open pit mine in northern Wisconsin...The legislation was a major victory for Walker and Republicans who pushed several versions over the past year to address objections. The measure relaxes environmental protections for iron mining - but not other forms of mining - and provides more clarity to the state process of reviewing an iron ore mine application. Still, opening a mine is far from a done deal. A new mine would require extensive evaluation from state and federal regulators before permits would be issued. Lawsuits are also likely. Democrats and environmentalists said the changes have the potential to cause environmental harm - especially to streams, wetlands and groundwater - from the removal of millions of tons of rock. They also say Republicans have oversold the economic benefits of a project that could be built because of the legislation.

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements related to Assembly passage of the open pit mining bill that will compromise Wisconsin critical natural resources. Ross pointed out that the bill passed as Gov. Walker prepares to attend a big money fundraiser in Florida today, home of mining magnate Chris Cline and his 164-foot luxury yacht, “Mine Games.”

Gov. Scott Walker leaves snowy Wisconsin behind this week as he jets off to sunny Florida for “lifestyles of the rich and famous” campaign fundraiser at the exclusive Naples Yacht Club. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross wondered if Chris Cline, whose open pit mining bill is one of Walker’s top legislative priorities, will cruise by in his 164-foot luxury yacht ”Mine Games’ to drop off a contribution.

The bill weakened Wisconsin’s permitting process and regulation of the mining industry. Drafting records show the bill was largely drafted by mining interests. The bill was passed by both houses, and signed by the governor on March 11, 2013.

Legislation being fast-tracked by Gov. Walker and the Republican controlled state legislature to roll back environmental standards for a massive open pit mine in Northern Wisconsin was, according to drafting records obtained by One Wisconsin Now, extensively modified at the behest of the out-of-state company seeking to open the mine.

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the introduction of new open pit mining legislation:

After two years of unprecedented partisan political strife under their governance, a stagnant economy and record cuts to public education, Gov. Walker and legislative Republicans enter the new legislative session claiming in media reports that they will pursue a moderate political agenda.

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross released the following statements on the two-year anniversary of Scott Walker as Governor:

The group, One Wisconsin Now harbors a different perspective to Walker’s tenure. Executive Director Scot Ross issued a release citing, what he calls, some of the governor’s low lights: “Looting the public treasury to dole out favors to big business. Slashing investments in education and health care to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations. Thrusting the state into chaos and turmoil as he stripped workers of their rights. Undermining free and fair elections by rigging legislative districts and signing shameful voter suppression legislation. Flooding the state with previously unseen campaign cash from out-of-state millionaires and billionaires,” Ross said.

Walker’s 2013 budget included a measure cutting bonding authority for the state Stewardship Program, which buys land for public recreation and a measure forcing the state to sell public lands without a guarantee of a fair return to taxpayers.

“Walker will be the keynote speaker at a benefit dinner for the Illinois-based Heartland Institute, a group that has recently come under fire for a billboard campaign linking those concerned about global warming to "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, serial killer Charles Manson, and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. …Heartland proudly displayed the campaign on the front page of its website and issued a lengthy press release explaining: "The people who still believe in man-made global warming are mostly on the radical fringe of society. This is why the most prominent advocates of global warming aren't scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen."

Environmental inspections by the state Department of Natural Resources dropped sharply during the first year of Gov. Scott Walker's administration. Inspections declined in most categories that affect air and water quality, and they mirrored a previously reported decrease in 2011 enforcement cases, according to DNR records. Inspections are a critical component of environmental enforcement by laying the groundwork for a possible referral to authorities for legal action - or more frequently, by catching problems early and getting polluters back into compliance. Former DNR Secretary George Meyer called the drop in inspections "very dramatic" and said a vigorous enforcement system breeds good compliance and starts with inspections or citizens calling up to alert regulators about problems. "If you don't have that, then things begin to slide," said Meyer, who was appointed secretary by former Republican Gov. Tommy G. Thompson.

2011 WI Act 50: On November 4, 2011, Walker signed a bill into law that prohibited the Department of Natural Resources from establishing restrictions of hunting antlered deer and regulating the fall open seasons for hunting deer with firearms (eliminated “Earn a Buck” program, which mandated killing one buck per doe).

One bill Walker signed repeals a state Department of Natural Resources rule that calls for municipal governments to install equipment to disinfect their water by December 2013. Supporters say the repeal would save the 66 affected municipalities millions of dollars. Democratic critics in the Legislature argued that doing away with the testing requirement raises the risk of contaminated well water sickening people.

In view of continued regulatory uncertainty in the State of Wisconsin a leading wind farm developer has announced that it has suspended development activity until a more predicable climate can be restored… According to MWE President, Stefan Noe, it no longer makes sense to invest significant development capital in a state that appears to be closed to the wind energy business. “Most states are clearly open for renewable energy development and the economic development dollars and jobs that come with it. So long as there are states rolling out the welcome mat it doesn’t make sense to devote significant dollars to a state that is creating unreasonable roadblocks for wind development.”

In response to Walker’s wind energy regulations proposed Jan. 11, the Illinois Wind Energy Association is inviting wind power developers to “Escape to Illinois.” Walker’s proposed legislation would require wind turbines to be constructed with a 1,800-foot setback from neighboring property lines, a mandate IWEA’s executive director Kevin Borgia said “would effectively ban wind development from the Badger State,” in a press release.

“Wisconsin will keep only a fraction of the $810 million it won in federal high-speed rail money, while the rest will help fund train lines in California, Florida, Illinois and other states, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Thursday. Governor-elect Scott Walker had vowed to kill the planned 110-mph Milwaukee-to-Madison passenger train route that was to be funded with Wisconsin's share of $8 billion in federal stimulus dollars.”

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s long career of supporting big oil, big banks and big insurance has paid off with enormous contributions for the Republican Governors Association, which has raised $27 million in 2010 alone and has already purchased $1 million in attack ads in Wisconsin. Total spending by the Republican Governors Association to support Walker’s anti-middle class priorities will likely top $2 million this year.

“Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway Friday defended the board's opposition to use of county streams for treated wastewater from Waukesha on health grounds. Waukesha has proposed using Underwood Creek as a way to return Lake Michigan water the suburban community wants to buy from Milwaukee. Holloway said in a statement that "returning water in this manner would create a terrible public health situation and put children at risk. Children play in this water and animals drink from this water," Holloway said. Waukesha Water Utility Manager Dan Duchniak has said the treated effluent would improve water quality in the creek. Holloway also said he disagreed with Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's comment that the board's opposition was ‘a knee-jerk reaction.’ Walker said he would veto the board's resolution opposing the Waukesha water plan. But if the 13 supervisors stick to their position, they could override the veto. Holloway said the county should have a direct role in the issue.”

“While the board's override of the veto establishes the county is in favor of using stimulus money, County Supervisor Patricia Jursik said she is concerned Walker will delay efforts to research and apply for the money. County Supervisor Theodore Lipscomb, chairman of a committee created to research stimulus opportunities for the county, said that is happening already.”

“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker came under fire Tuesday for delays in hiring the county’s first engineer to oversee the county’s ‘green’ building projects. Although the position was created in July 2007 and money was set aside for it in this year's budget, the job remains vacant.”

“Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker came under fire Tuesday for delays in hiring the county's first engineer to oversee the county's "green" building projects. Although the position was created in July 2007 and money was set aside for it in this year's budget, the job remains vacant. The idea was to have a sort of environmental quarterback to spearhead the county's efforts at energy efficiency.”

Walker cast votes against a bill that required increased disclosure from mining companies and allowed permits to be denied for a history of non-compliance with regulations.