REGULATORY UPDATE:
Tell Governor Evers that Wisconsin shorelines are NOT for sale!
Unfortunately, the State Sentate voted to pass (SB541) and we expect the Assembly to pass it soon. This harmful bill allows for conversion of some “public trust lands,” (lands that were Great Lakes lakebed or riverbed at the time of statehood, but have since been filled) to private ownership and private use.
Under the Wisconsin Constitution, our navigable waters belong to all of us and are held in trust for us by the State. For well over a century, the United States and Wisconsin Supreme Courts have held that public trust protection extends to land created from artificial filling of waterways. This is in part why our Great Lakes lakefronts are made up of public parks and beaches (with some water-dependent uses like marinas).
Under these bills, the removal of protection for some lands would happen automatically after bill passage, and other conversions could be approved by WDNR (on a short timeframe) in response to an application by a municipality for a “Waterfront Development Plan.” Under this process, the line between public trust lands and private property could be redrawn, and lands currently held in trust by the State for public use under the Public Trust Doctrine would forever lose their Constitutional protections and could be sold to private parties, for private uses.
Please call Governor Evers and tell him to veto this harmful legislation. Our waters belong to all of us!
Or contact Governor Evers Office: (608) 266-1212 (Madison) or (414) 227-4344 (Milwaukee)
SCRIPT:
Hi my name is [Name] and I live at [Address]. I am concerned about the protection of Wisconsin’s lakefronts and shorelines. I want to ensure that special protections for formerly filled lakebeds and riverbeds are not diluted. I would like Governor Evers to veto AB579/SB541 because it gives private developers free reign to many publicly accessible lands for private interests. These lands belong to all of us and must continue to be protected and used with the interests of the public in mind. Thank you for your time.
REGULATORY UPDATE:
Don’t let Wisconsin sell our shorelines!
Tell your State Representative to vote NO on AB579 on THURSDAY, JANUARY 18th, 2024
In October 2023, bills were introduced to the State Legislature (SB541/AB579) that would allow for conversion of “public trust lands,” (lands that were Great Lakes lakebed or riverbed at the time of statehood, but have since been filled) to private ownership and private use. If this sounds familiar, we opposed a prior version of this bill (2021 SB900), which passed the legislature and was vetoed by Governor Evers in 2022.
Under the Wisconsin Constitution, our navigable waters belong to all of us and are held in trust for us by the State. For well over a century, the United States and Wisconsin Supreme Courts have held that public trust protection extends to land created from artificial filling of waterways. This is in part why our Great Lakes lakefronts are made up of public parks and beaches (with some water-dependent uses like marinas).
Under these bills, the removal of protection for some lands would happen automatically after bill passage, and other conversions could be approved by WDNR (on a short timeframe) in response to an application by a municipality for a “Waterfront Development Plan.” Under this process, the line between public trust lands and private property could be redrawn, and lands currently held in trust by the State for public use under the Public Trust Doctrine would forever lose their Constitutional protections and could be sold to private parties, for private uses.
This bill (as amended) will go to the State Assembly on TOMORROW (Thursday 1/18) for a vote. It has not been scheduled in the Senate but is likely to be scheduled in the next few weeks.
Please call your State Representative and tell them to vote NO on AB579. You are also encouraged to contact your State Senator to vote against SB541. If these bills pass the Legislature, we will be encouraging Governor Evers to veto these bills. Our waters belong to all of us!
REGULATORY:
Don’t sell our Shorelines! Ask Gov. Evers to VETO SB 900, now.
Under the Wisconsin Constitution, our navigable waters belong to all of us and are held in trust for us by the State. For well over a century, the United States and Wisconsin Supreme Courts have held that public trust protection extends to land created from artificial fill, or land created by piling up soil, mud, rocks, rubble and dirt. If this protection were removed, the public would be excluded from accessing these resources and public spaces, like the beaches and parks built upon the fill. It would open up public areas to be sold to private owners. These filled lands belong to the community, but, when public rights are not upheld, water resources become targets for high-end private developments. These developments tend to cater to a small segment of the community that can afford access.
SB 900, which passed both houses of the State Legislature (without bipartisan support) would remove formerly filled waterfront land (filled prior to 1977) from the public trust, a clear violation of our State Constitution. This bill is a threat to open, inclusive, and equitable access to the Great Lakes and waterfronts across the state. Properties in Milwaukee that are protected via special land grants (called lakebed grants) would be exempt from this legislation.
Please ask Governor Evers (GovInfo@wisconsin.gov) to VETO SB900, which attempts to remove waterfront land from the public trust in violation of the state constitution. The bill is a threat to open, inclusive and equitable access to the Great Lakes and treasured waters of the state.
UPDATE:
PFAS: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Last week, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board made modest steps forward in regulating PFAS in our water, leaving out rural Wisconsinites.
Cities and towns across the state are finding PFAS contamination, or “forever chemicals,” in their drinking water. These chemicals have long lasting effects on our health like high blood pressure in pregnant women, lower infant birth weights, and decreased fertility in women.
On February 23rd, the Natural Resources Board (NRB) voted on whether to pass new standards researched and developed by the WDNR and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) over the past two years.
The Good News: Surface Water Protections
The NRB voted unanimously to adopt WDNR’s recommended limits for PFOA and PFOS in surface waters. These levels are believed safe for swimming and fish consumption. Discharger permit holders will have 7 years to come into compliance with these rules. This will impact, mostly paper mills, metal finishers, chemical manufacturers and laundries. Approximately 23 municipal wastewater treatment plants (a small percentage of state facilities) will need to add additional filtration to meet these standards.
The Bad News: Drinking Water Protections
The NRB voted to approve weakened PFAS standards for public drinking water supplies. This affects municipal water supplies, schools, parks, and other public water systems. While the passage of the standard is progress, or movement in the right direction, it’s not protective enough. The weakened standard (70 parts per trillion) is based off of outdated recommendations by EPA from several decades ago and is more than 3.5 times higher (worse) than what state DNR recommended (20 parts per trillion). On a more positive note, triggers that would require testing of public water supplies for PFOA and PFOS were passed.
The Ugly: Ground Water Protections
In spite of widespread public support, the NRB voted to reject rules to limit PFOA, PFOS and over 20 other toxic chemicals that pose serious health concerns such as hexavalent chromium, glyphosate (RoundUp), in groundwater.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 Wisconsinites and around 1 in 3 residents in the Milwaukee River Basin are using groundwater for their drinking water supply. These rules would have enabled WDNR to force polluters to clean up spills or be fined for concentrations exceeding standards that pollute groundwater that largely serves families and businesses on private wells.
We will continue to monitor implementation of these PFAS rules and advocate for passage of strong groundwater protections. Stay tuned.