Water Quality Hearings Enter Stretch Run
Hearings scheduled for Sept 4 and 5 in Menomonie and Superior
The Speaker’s Water Quality Task Force will hold the final two of thirteen public hearings Sept. 4 in Menomonie at UW-Stout and Sept. 5 at UW-Superior.
The Speakers Task Force on Water Quality was created to gather information and make public policy recommendations to better assess and improve the quality of both surface water and groundwater in Wisconsin. Created by order of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester), the task force was asked to focus on identifying the best practices for soil mapping and data collection, determining the sources of contaminants, assessing runoff management, investigating remedies that will protect a healthy and stable supply of water, and exploring best practices for designing and constructing well and septic systems. More information about the task force can be found on their webpage.
Even though the focus of much of the discussion around these issues concentrates on clean drinking water, it’s crucial that the lake community is heard in this process. For one thing, clean drinking water is important to us all, and we should support those in our state that don’t have access to water to drink, cook with, or bathe in. But the problems plaguing our polluted lakes arise from many of the same places that pollute our drinking water, and this is a unique opportunity for lake property owners and those who care about our surface waters to tell their stories and call for lasting solutions focused on the big picture. Wisconsin deserves clean water flowing from its taps and in its waterbodies. Lending your voice can help make this happen.
As has been the case in the past, each hearing will feature a set of invited speakers followed by testimony from the public. Wisconsin Lakes, accompanied by partners such as the UW-Extension Lake Program and Red Cedar Watershed Conference, is pleased to be among the invited speakers at the Menomonie hearing. These hearings are an excellent opportunity for you to tell your story and call for legislators to put Wisconsin’s water first with real legislative solutions and not simple band-aids that fail to reach the root causes of these issues.
If you’re planning on attending and/or speaking, let us know! Simply click on the link below for the hearing you planning on attending to be taken to a short form that will help us know who from the lakes community will be in attendance and what issues are of greatest importance to you. You’ll also be sent information on how best to prepare to testify and even provide some starter ideas if you’re not sure what you want to say.
Menomonie Hearing
Wed, Sept 4, 2019 ~ 1:00 pm
(Public testimony begins approx 4:00 pm)
UW- Stout Memorial Student Center, Room 201 (Great Hall)
302 Tenth Ave East, Menomonie
Superior Hearing
Thr, Sept 5, 2019 ~ 11:30 am
(Public testimony begins approx 2:00 pm)
UW-Superior Yellowjacket Union, Great Room
1605 Catlin Ave, Superior