Proposed Bills
2015-2016 Session
AB 874/SB 239: “Forever permits” for groundwater pumping, and arguably privatizing the public’s groundwater resource for the first time in Wisconsin’s history, allowing it to be sold with the land containing high capacity wells AND no periodic review of a high capacity well that continues to meet the initial requirements for an existing permit, even if concerns are raised re: possible environmental impacts.
AB 874 – passed Assembly and sent on to Senate.
SB 239 – Senate changed their version of the bill, resulting in two different versions. Assembly session had ended, so proposals died since couldn’t amend Assembly version before Senate session ended.
2017-18 Session
AB 105 /SB 76: formerly SB 239 proposal from previous session, re-introduced
Wisconsin State Journal article – 3/3/17
AB 105 – failed to pass in Assembly, but passed Senate version
SB 76 – passed in Senate, signed into law by Governor 6/1/17
Laws
Budget 2013 Motion 375/AA AB40 – Motion submitted as Assembly Amendment “AA AB40” during Joint Finance Committee’s budget process by State Rep. Dan LaMahieu that “removes the ability for anyone to challenge an application or permit for a high capacity well based on the cumulative impacts that well and others have on Wisconsin’s water supply.”
2017 Wisconsin Act 10 – Contains both forever permitting for an initially approved high capacity well and a requirement for a Central Sands Lakes Study (CSLS). See Section 4. 281.34 (7m) on page 2 for the CSLS information.
CSWAC Op Ed “Allow Science to Make Decisions Not Politics” – 6/6/17
Wisconsin Public Trust Doctrine (Wisconsin Constitution (Article IX, Section 1)
Water Resources Education Coalition presentation at public event – Plover Municipal Building, Portage County – “Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine and Water Law Cases” – 12/13/16