DAILY WISCONSIN

Pollution

Agriculture, Ecology, Environment, Pollution, Water

Animal Waste

Scientists are one step closer to understanding how dangerous contaminants from fecal matter are entering private wells in Kewaunee County. New research by U.S. Department of Agriculture microbiologist Mark Borchardt shows nitrate and coliform in the water mostly comes from agriculture — and not human waste.

“Where we see the strong relationships, the strong linkages, those are with agricultural factors. So that would suggest that agriculture is primarily responsible for those two contaminants,” he said in an interview

….

Borchardt’s study found that the No. 1 risk factor for contamination was the proximity of a well to a manure storage pit. Borchardt said the closest well in the study was 150 feet from a manure pit, but even wells three miles away still have some risk of being contaminated with coliform.

Via Most nitrate, coliform in Kewaunee County wells tied to animal waste @ WisconsinWatch.org.

Legislature, Pollution, Speaker Vos, Water, WISGOP

Stacked

Now, to the question of the day:

Do you expect genuine, comprehensive action from Vos’ hand-picked, Republican-heavy task force if there are five appointees who signed that letter for the federal waiver from phosphorous-pollution rules – –  including the Vis-Designated chairman, among its 13 GOP members?

Matching up the task force membership, here, with the signatories to the water waiver letter here – – and props to the Wisconsin State Journal for publishing the names in a sidebar – –  find these overlapping Vos appointees:

GOP State Reps Robert Brooks, Mary Fetzkowski, Andre Jacque, Travis Tranel and chairman Tod Novak.

Those five alone outnumber the task force’s three Democrats.

You could call that the implications of divided government.

Or you could call out special-interest water carrying when you see it, like this 2016 summary wherein Vos and his GOP allies make their appearances :

Via Vos water task force stars Republicans weak on pollution @ The Political Environment.