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Wisconsin water bill moves ahead
On a 3-2 vote, the Wisconsin State Senate Environment Committee has passed SB 632 which seeks to protect drinking water in the so-called karst areas of the Badger State. These are the regions of eastern Wisconsin where top soil is thin and cracks and holes in exposed rock lead directly to ground water. There have been problems with manure and industrial sludge spread on karst areas.
Introduced by Senator Dave Hansen of Green Bay, SB 632 would severely limit and in some cases prohibit spreading in areas with less than 50 feet of soil on top of bedrock. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau opposes the measure saying it supersedes the state’s nonpoint rules and it could easily be extended beyond the karst areas because most of Wisconsin has less than 50 feet of soil.
Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen says both sides have good points but both have to be willing to give a little on this. Not only is every region different but every farm is different “so you have to make sure you don’t overreach with a well-meaning tool to protect water and hurt farmers’ profitability.” On the other hand, “Ag can’t say no-no-no because we know that water is a precious commodity.” Nilsestuen says we can reach a solution, “If people aren’t trying to score points but are trying to solve the problem.”
The bill now goes to the full Senate.
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