Wisconsin environmental groups, developers clash over property rights bill

Environmental advocates clashed with developers and lawmakers on Tuesday over a bill that would scale back regulations for development on Wisconsin bodies of water.

Authors of the proposal say they seek to clear up laws that lead to uncertainty for homeowners and builders in regulatory and permitting disputes, but opponents are concerned it poses dangers to the environment.

"This bill seeks to rebalance the scales between property owners and government, putting the power back in the hands of the hardworking taxpayer," said bill author Rep. Adam Jarchow, R-Balsam Lake, during a public hearing....

... Representatives from the state Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers raised concerns. Neither agency came out against the proposal, but both said it leaves several questions unanswered as to its potential impact.

   ...more

Ken Notes: Way to many stories on this issue for my little newsletter to cover -- but it is a HUGE issue with most environmental groups strongly opposed. My concern is that the current legislators see this as a partisan opportunity to address the topic. With the likelihood of partisan control in the future of at least one of the three units of government it will be impossible to role this back.

I am a strong fiscal conservative, pro business, advocate -- AND I have real concerns. Please look at the legislation and the potential impact on our future. Throw you political trust out the window and focus on the future, our environment, our land and water, and our grandchildren. Then ask you legislator to do the same.

Many pundits are convinced that regardless of your opinion on this issue, it will not impact upcoming elections or your vote. They may be correct, but they will listen if you speak up!

Finally I work with many developers and contractors and need to suggest that not all or even a majority are behind this. This is a strong lobby and special interest driven bill and not good legislation.

--- Lets look at just one provision, The bill would limit the kinds of water bodies to which the "areas of special natural resource interest" designation can be given, and those designations would be approved by the Legislature`s Joint Finance Committee rather than the DNR board. PLEASE tell me why the JFC would, in any way, have the expertise to make this call? What the legislators do know is that it is very likely that JFC will continue to be controlled by one party well into the future...