WisPIRG hopes to curb pollution, shore development
Students and policymakers participated in a forum sponsored by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group to address the issues of pollution and development for Wisconsin lakes and to push for increased regulation Wednesday.
Panelists discussed the economic and political implications of potentially strengthening rules that govern lakeshore development and watershed protection.
One of the reasons I got into politics was because I found out that the fate of the outdoors is decided indoors in places like the Capitol,\ said panelist and state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison.
""If you have an image of Wisconsin, it's going to be of a lake. That's what makes living here so enjoyable and it's what makes people want to visit,"" Black said.
Panelist Eliza Simon, a WisPIRG clean water associate, outlined several proposals her group advocates, including increased buffer zones around lakes and expanded minimum lot size to control density.
""Over 10,000 people in Wisconsin voiced their support for this proposal, but the Department of Natural Resources has yet to act. This is a perfect opportunity for Gov. Doyle and our policymakers to show their leadership,"" Simon said.
One key concern for the panelists was the presence of excess phosphorous in soils surrounding Wisconsin lakes. The nutrient, which is a key element of plant growth and commonly found in fertilizer, has potential to run-off into lakes and streams, which leads to algae blooms and fish kills.
Matthew Diebel, a UW-Madison graduate student in Limnology, said algae blooms make swimming and fishing impossible. ""They are one of the most visual signs of nutrient problems.""
Representative Black cited the recently enacted Stewardship Fund, which provides $60 million per year to purchase and protect natural resources, as a step in the right direction. However, he complained that bureaucracy often clogs the process.
""One of the biggest obstacles to passing effective environmental legislation is that almost weekly there are proposals by the Republican controlled legislature attempting to weaken regulations and sometimes eliminate them altogether,"" Black said.
The panelists agreed that the ban on phosphorous use in places with already high levels was a positive direction, but more regulation is still needed.
Former Dane County Board candidate Sean Cornelius, who was also present, stressed this issue's urgency.
""We need to take proactive measures [to protect the environment], not just reactive [ones]. Just by improving the infrastructure and enforcement we can take big strides toward healthy lakes,"" Cornelius said.
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