Reports of environmental violations rose in 2016, but the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources sought fewer financial penalties for polluters than in any year since 2011.
Court-enforced fines have become less frequent and less severe since Republican Gov. Scott Walker took office in 2011 and appointed home builder Cathy Stepp to head the DNR saying he “wanted someone with a chamber-of-commerce mentality.”
Last year, the DNR sent 25 violations to state attorneys for court action. That’s one more than in 2011 when a large number of retirements and job vacancies contributed to deficiencies in water pollution enforcement. More positions were filled for several years, but vacancies began to climb again in 2015....
Ken Notes: If this can be proven to work, I actually like this idea the fines and PRP status has cost the state jobs not to mention entire industries...
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- - Volume: 5 - WEEK: 15 Date: 4/10/2017 6:38:52 AM -