Wisconsin’s Green Fire cites power imbalance in environmental protection
Wisconsin’s Green Fire is releasing the newest in our series of Opportunities Now policy assessments titled, Imbalance of Power – How Wisconsin is Failing Citizens in Conserving Natural Resources and Protecting our Environment.
WGF is a group of conservation professionals and committed citizens dedicated to promoting sciences-based management of the state’s natural resources. The paper addresses the combined effects of state legislative actions, court rulings, and political practices that have undermined democratic processes and profoundly changed the way state government in Wisconsin operates.
“Today, instead of a robust balancing of public interests among stakeholders, a small number of groups representing industry, real-estate, and some agricultural interests now exercise a high level of influence over environmental programs, with direct implications for the health and welfare of Wisconsin citizens,” says a WGF news release.
The report observes that a growing number of state residents are losing faith in state government’s capacity meet the most significant environmental challenges. Among its findings:
- The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board remains effectively captured by a majority of members appointed during a previous administration because one member refuses to step down 14 months after his term has ended.
- The Joint Committee on Review of Administration Rules in the Wisconsin Legislature holds an extraordinary level of oversight and control over environmental and conservation programs.
- Although administrative rules were once an important tool for managing conservation and environmental programs, developing these rules is no longer a functional process for addressing the state’s important conservation or environmental issues.
WGF will host a webinar on October 19 from 10:30 a.m. to noon Central Time with speakers and guests sharing insights on the report – details to come. In the meantime, you can read the full report here.