NEW RICHMOND, Wisconsin
Owners of wells that pump more than 100,000 gallons of water a day are no longer subject to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources review for maintenance and replacement of existing wells. Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill June 1 that reduces DNR oversight of high-capacity wells, which are used mostly by farmers and industrial businesses. The new law allows well owners to forego DNR review for well maintenance, reconstruction and ownership transfers. It also allows well owners to replace existing wells to prevent contamination or to build a well of the same depth within a 75-foot radius of the original well without DNR approval.
The bill passed both houses along party lines. Rep. Shannon Zimmerman of River Falls was among nearly 62 Republican Assembly members to vote for the bill, with only one negative vote among the caucus. Zimmerman downplayed the bill’s significance and said he concluded from WDNR studies that the environmental impacts of high-capacity wells — as well as standard wells — are unknown. “As far as the District 30, it’s probably minimal impact,” Zimmerman said. “We’re not a district with a substantial amount of high-capacity wells. I think in terms of its […]
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