Letter: Oppose the "Death by 1,000 Straws" Bill

To the Editor:

From Protect Wood County & Its Neighbors --

Protect Wood County & Its Neighbors opposes SB76/AB105, the “Death by 1,000 Straws” bill.

This bill does not solve any problems for our state groundwater issues and only allows our current problems to continue. Passage of SB76/AB105 will result in permanent damage to our state’s waters – lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and residential water wells.

Passage of this bill will guarantee the continued drawdown of many lakes, trout streams, and residential wells in Wisconsin’s Central Sands. The 3,000 plus existing high capacity wells in the Central Sands would be given permission to pump without any review, forever.

Unlimited permits are unprecedented in Wisconsin and pose a serious and immediate danger to our waterways and our residents. Periodic review of high capacity well permits is essential to protect our waters.

The transfer provision in SB76/AB105 is of the highest level of concern and directly ignores the state’s Public Trust Doctrine that the waters of Wisconsin belong to all of us. Transferring water rights with the sale of property is diametrically opposed to that doctrine. Transfer wording should be deleted entirely from this bill.

As Wisconsin residents, we want certainty that our surface and groundwater will be here for our children and grandchildren to use and enjoy. Moreover, we have property rights and look to our representatives to protect our interests over big lobby interests that are seeking to buy preferential legislation. There exists 50+ years of existing scientific studies that predicted reduced surface and groundwater due to overpumping.

We see it happening every day. Now is the time to address the problem. Do not vote to pass legislation that will make Wisconsin water issues worse. SB76/AB105 will not stop or prevent further damage to the families of Wisconsin -- It ensures the damage will continue forever.

Protect Wood County & Its Neighbors (PWC) represents thousands of residents in the Wood County Township of Saratoga, our neighboring community of Rome in Adams County, along with numerous other surrounding communities.

We are concerned about our water resources, as well as water resources statewide. As a grassroots group, we support sustainable water use. We cannot support legislation that gives Wisconsin’s water to a few at the expense of many.

-Protect Wood County & Its Neigbors