What Do You Think? DNR Accepts Public Comments Through Aug 31 By Michael Engleson, WI Lakes Executive Director August 9, 2018 Starry Stonewort in the southeast. Zebra mussels encroaching on the northwest. Eurasian Watermilfoil a constant irritant to lakes across the state. Aquatic invasive species (“AIS”) like these are a scourge on lakes, rivers, and […]
Fast-tracked bill would allow riparians on man-made impoundments to remove 50 cubic yards of lakebed per year with no permit, notice, or oversight February 17, 2018 By Wisconsin Lakes staff Waterfront property owners on “man-made impoundments” would be allowed to remove up to 50 cubic yards of dredge per year for navigational purposes under a […]
Bill would exempt 20% of Wisconsin’s wetlands from permitting requirements By Michael Engleson, Wisconsin Lakes A bill exempting “non-federal” wetlands from Wisconsin’s wetland permitting requirements is set to receive a legislative hearing on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at the State Capitol in Madison. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment will hold a […]
AB599/SB506 would impact across Wisconsin, though written for a single project, and some legislators question if it’s needed December 4, 2017 By Wisconsin Lakes staff Tuesday, November 28 proved to be a busy day in the Capitol as both Senate and Assembly committees held public hearings on a bill that would restrict the WI Dept […]
Wisconsin Lakes opposes bill that would limit protections on some dammed lakes, restrict DNR from navigability determinations By Wisconsin Lakes staff As reported earlier by Wisconsin Lakes, AB599/SB506 would restrict the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) from determining an impoundment (a lake created by a dam) is a navigable water if the water being dammed was […]
Bill would restrict DNR’s ability to determine some impoundments are navigable waters, exempt those waters from many water quality protections By Wisconsin Lakes staff A bill set for separate hearings by both Senate and Assembly committees on Tuesday, Nov 28 would restrict the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in certain circumstances from determining that a lake […]
FULL SENATE TO VOTE ON MEASURE IN SEPTEMBER October 27, 2017 By Wisconsin Lakes Staff A long awaited Senate vote on a bipartisan bill that would provide financial assistance to families in need of replacing contaminated wells is now set for Nov 7. SB168, whose Assembly companion, AB226, already passed on a voice vote in […]
A Wisconsin Counties Association proposal to further to make shoreland zoning voluntary is bad policy for Wisconsin and should stay out of the state budget July 3, 2017 By Michael Engleson, Executive Director With the legislature still working out the details on a solution to education and transportation funding, time remains for citizens to register […]
Could Shoreland Zoning become voluntary for counties? A recent rumor gaining traction across the state involves a new proposal to roll back shoreland zoning even further that would, among other things, remove from state law the requirement for counties to enact and enforce a shoreland zoning ordinance. The proposal, attributed to Rep. Adam Jarchow (R-Balsam […]
No debate or amendments in Senate committee vote on groundwater bill (SB76) By Michael Engleson, Executive Director There’s no debate that Wisconsin is extraordinarily rich in water resources. There’s no debate that our surface waters are fundamentally connected to our groundwater, and that overuse of the latter can have unintended consequences on the quantity and […]