OPINION: WI not enforcing environmental laws

It is a good time to be a polluter in Wisconsin. A good time to pollute our land, air and water. Because it is a lot easier to get away with it these days. As has been previously reported, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not been as diligent about enforcing the state`s environmental laws. The DNR is taking up fewer cases, and issuing fewer notices of environmental violations. The agency has only issued an average of 281 violations each year during the Governor Scott Walker administration. That is a drop of 42% from the average during the administration of his predecessor, Jim Doyle. Now we are learning that Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, the state`s top law enforcer, also isn`t very interested in holding polluters accountable for environmental violations. Under Schimel, the state has issued the lowest number of financial penalties to polluters since 1994. The amount the state received in settlements, less than three quarters of a million, marks the first time the financial penalties totaled less than a million dollars. It would be naïve to think companies have suddenly become more environmentally conscious. The state is dropping the ball. By not holding Wisconsin polluters accountable, those willing to threaten the health of our environment are only emboldened to continue to do so....