Study finds more human than animal waste in Southwest Wisconsin wells https://t.co/LdrClXehVl via @WiStateJournal #water #contamination — John Adams (@DailyAdams) September 17, 2020
Water
Madison, Water
Madison’s Wells: All have PFAS
Health, Water, WISGOP
WISGOP untroubled by brown tap water
CAFO, Ecology, Environment, Legislation, Manure, Pollution, Water
Legislation Would Allow Brokering of Cow Manure
Health, Pollution, Water
Deadly contamination of well leads to emergency water for homeowner
The chemicals are part of a group of compounds, which stem from artificial products like fast food wrappers, non-stick cooking ware, and fire fighting foam. Wisconsin’s Natural Resources Board (NRB) also moved to establish a new rule-making process for PFAS water levels in October 2019.
Environment, Water, Weather
Sewage surges into Wisconsin waters
In 2018, the agency overseeing Milwaukee’s system, which serves 1.1 million people and 28 communities, saw six combined sewer overflows, the most events since 1999. Those overflows sent 1.2 billion gallons of stormwater and untreated sewage into rivers, canals and a stream that drain into Lake Michigan.
CAFO, Environment, Factory Farming, Scott Walker, Water
Walker’s CAFO Legacy
CAFO, Environment, Lawsuit, Sen. Fitzgerald, Speaker Vos, Water
200 Households Sue Manure-Producing CAFO
Concentrated animal feeding operation winds up in court despite backing of Vos and Fitzgerald.
Environment, Health, Sen. Fitzgerald, Speaker Vos, Water, WISGOP
Fitzgerald & Vos Fight for Even Bigger CAFOs
Ecology, Environment, Water, Wisconsin
Climate change causes ‘roller coaster’ mercury levels in Wisconsin fish
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.
Environment, Foxconn, Water
Thirst
Just to give an approximation for the purposes of visualization: A gallon of water weighs 8.36 pounds and a typical semi-tanker can hold about 6000 gallons of water legal weight for transport.
So after doing the math for 7 million gallons per day that would mean the equivalent of looking at over 1,100 semi tankers of water. Of course they’re not trucking it but it gives you an idea to visualize the magnitude. Every day.
As an example, if you went to park 1,100 semi tankers end to end they would stretch for over 14 miles. Looked at another way, if you jammed them all together with no space between them in the most compact parking area you would need a lot that is almost 4 miles by 4 miles or almost 16 square miles.
Environment, Foxconn, Water
Unquenchable
But serious objections to the diversion’s wisdom and legality under the Great Lakes Compact were raised by citizens at a public hearing earlier this month.
Additional objections across the Great Lakes region were mentioned in this non-partisan media report; I also wrote that some objections are amplified by Walker’s damage to Wisconsin’s environment and his debasement of the Department of Natural Resources – – the state agency which will review and can approve the Foxconn diversion application, all discussed here:
…the heavily-resisted push for a Lake Michigan diversion for Foxconn adds to Wisconsin’s status as a Great Lakes environmental outlier.
Via The Political Environment: NY, Illinois raise questions about Foxconn bid for Lake Michigan water.
Environment, Factory Farming, Health, Water
Add 26,000 hogs, stir, then marinate
I’ve made the point earlier, as have activists and local residents, repeatedly, but these brief paragraphs towards the end of a news story summarizing the damage and deaths from last week’s heavy rains in Northwest Wisconsin….underscore the madness of proposing to Scott Walker’s “chamber-of-commerce-mentality” Department of Natural Resources the approval for a 26,000-hog feeding and manure storage operation within smelling and polluting distance of Lake Superior, Chequamegon Bay and numerous wells providing drinking water and economic life to the entire Northwoods region…
Via The Political Environment: NW WI flood washes away argument for 26,000-hog CAFO.
Courts, Environment, Law, Water
Clean Water Gets a Win
In a victory for this case, [Clean Water, Inc. and Lynda A. Cochart v. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources et al (Wisconsin Case No. 2015CV002633)], we are pleased to share the July 14, 2016 Circuit Court [Judge John W. Markson’s] decision that affirms the petitioners’ and partner organization Clean Wisconsin’s argument before the court that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ rejection of the Division of Hearings and Appeals’ Administrative Law Judge’s order to include animal unit limits and off-site groundwater monitoring of Kewaunee County CAFO was unlawful. This decision also describes how the Department of Justice’s narrow interpretation of Act 21 – that the DNR did not have explicit authority to impose these permit conditions – was incorrect and that state statutes do empower the DNR to require limits and monitoring of pollution in order for permitees to comply with state and federal clean water laws.
DNR, Ecology, Environment, Water
DNR’s Latest Master Plan
Meeting 300 miles from affected location —
“It just happened that the Lower Wisconsin Riverway Master Plan was ready for presentation to the board at the August meeting that was already scheduled for Ashland,” Dick said. “There have been similar reverse situations before where an NRB meeting was scheduled for Madison and items on the agenda were of concern for residents in other parts of the state.”
Via Concerns about the Lower Wisconsin River? Take them to Ashland @ madison.com.
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Ecology, Environment, Factory Farming, Water
How ‘Bout a Little Manure Runoff?
Last week’s major rains in Northwestern Wisconsin are sadly becoming more common, as there have been record floods in many areas of the state over the last 10 years (remember when I-94 was closed between Madison and Milwaukee for several days in 2008?). This makes it all the more critical to have drinking water kept clean and potential hazards such a manure runoff from CAFOs reduced.
Via Jake’s Economic TA Funhouse: Record rains shows problem with WisGOP’s condoning of pollution.
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Water
Strontium
“For the past six years, Michael Schnur and his family have been drinking bottled water.
Already concerned that pollutants from the coal ash landfill near his home in Sheboygan County might be leaching into his private well, Schnur became even more fearful last year when he received a letter from the state Department of Health Services. It warned that elevated levels of a little-known, unregulated element — strontium — were found in his drinking water.
In follow-up email correspondence, the DHS said the landfill was not impacting Schnur’s water and that strontium occurs naturally in the groundwater. Schnur was advised to install a water softener, which works by replacing minerals like calcium, magnesium and strontium with sodium…..”
Via Wisconsin strontium levels among highest in U.S. drinking water supplies @ WisconsinWatch.org.
Ecology, Environment, Water
Diversion
Ecology, Environment, Health, Water
Radium-contaminated water
In 2014, the village of Sussex in southeast Wisconsin made a dismaying discovery. The radioactive element radium, a contaminant that occurs naturally in bedrock throughout the region, had seeped into two of its seven water wells.
It was not exactly a surprise. Radium has long been a problem in drinking water for dozens of Wisconsin communities from Green Bay to the Illinois border….
Via As wells go deeper, radium levels rise in state tap water @ WisconsinWatch.org
Conservation, Ecology, Environment, Water, Wisconsin
State Rep. Krug Meets Citizen Backlash
I watched your entire performance on the floor. Suggesting we drill more HCWs (High Capacity Wells) to fill up dried-up lakes, such as Long Lake, to study the hydrology is ludicrous. There are 5 monitoring wells already in place around Long Lake, that could, and should, have been used to study the hydrology over the past few years, but NOTHING has been done with them. We don’t need to study the hydrology; all we need to do is take a drive around the perimeter of Long Lake, and the other Channel Lakes, and look at the proliferation of HCWs.
Via MAL Contends . . .: Citizen to State Rep. Scott Krug: YOU SOLD US OUT.
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Environment, Health, Water
Lead, Carrying Drinking Water
Experts, and even some regulators, say existing laws are failing to protect Wisconsin and the nation from harmful exposure to lead in drinking water that leaches from aging plumbing — a danger illustrated by the public health crisis in Flint, Michigan.
At least 176,000 so-called lead service lines connect older Wisconsin homes to the iron water mains that deliver municipal water, according to an estimate by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Milwaukee alone, where 60 percent of the state’s known lead-poisoned children live, has 70,000 lead service lines.
Via Lead pipes, antiquated law threaten Wisconsin’s drinking water quality @ WCIJ.
Ecology, Environment, Health, Water
Arsenic in Our Water
Ecology, Environment, Health, Water
Not Just Michigan
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Michigan) is getting huge amount of lurid publicity for ignoring (indeed causing) the water crises in Flint, Michigan in which toxic lead was effectively vectored into the children and families of Flint, (Lederman, In These Times).
The coverage is spot-on, as Snyder now pushes back against the EPA efforts to mitigate a disaster.
Republican Gov. Scott Walker has ignored (indeed caused) the water problem in Kewaunee, Juneau, Adams, Wood counties, inflicting the same polluter-friendly, anti-family health agenda he has pursued since he was elected….
Via Scott Walker Is as Bad as Michigan Gov in Abandoning Water Protection @ MAL Contends…
Environment, Health, Water
Connections
Hat tip for the perseverance – – and for the more than 20 links to articles and reports – – in a new posting on the MAL Contends blog about the drinking water contamination in Flint, MI and polluted, abused water supplies in Wisconsin.
Via MAL Contends blog links Flint, WI drinking water contamination @ The Political Environment.
Agriculture, Business, Ecology, Environment, Factory Farming, Health, Water
Battle Against Pollution-Spewing Factory Farms Reaches Capitol
Agriculture, Business, Ecology, Environment, Factory Farming, Health, Water
Aerial Spraying of Manure
Central Sands Dairy gets to –
- Spray in winds up to 15mph (because odors and mists fall to the ground at 14mph)
- Self-monitor and self-report (WI’s water problems clearly indicate how well that works)
- Spray in an area which has groundwater contamination so high in nitrates, the irrigation wells are considered a “major source of nutrients” (Hail to Irony!)
- Well test for only one year (then…eh…we’ll see)
- Self-monitor with two-hour observation intervals (please, have you read the Rap Sheets? Years of reports are missing from WPDES Permit files and they still re-issue a permit every five years…there is no incentive to drive 55 when the cops are never around)
- Shoot shit out of an end gun but only during the day (because they did not like “preliminary findings” the Workgroup research provided)
- Spray at night (when there are no UV rays to kill pathogens and it is highly unlikely you will be able to observe equipment in the dark )
– DNR Approval document submitted by GOP-connected Michael Best and Friedrich LLP on behalf on Central Sands can be seen at Restore Kewaunee. –
Via Polluters Get Green Light, Manure Dumping Expedited @ MAL Contends…
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Agriculture, Business, DNR, Environment, Health, Water
Big Gains for Big Ag
Big ag in Wisconsin is about to get the biggest special interest gift imaginable at the expense of everyone else downstream – – permanent rights to well water which cannot be regulated by the DNR for the withdrawals’ cumulative effects….
Via WI GOP seeks end to state regulation of some big wells @ the Political Environment.
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Agriculture, Business, Environment, Factory Farming, Health, Water, Wisconsin
Wood County fights Big Ag polluters
“Krug is running a con on the people of 72nd state assembly district in central Wisconsin. Krug pretends to care about the health of water, and even instituted an informal surface-water citizens advisory group in which members say Krug never took minutes, often didn’t show up, and then made numerous references to the group during…
Agriculture, Ecology, Environment, Factory Farming, Health, Water, Wisconsin
“I just want safe water”
“The problem for Kreutzer is the CAFO owners, the Wood and Adams county citizens, and CAFO experts—know if the CAFO is to be built, it will pollute on a massive scale, befouling waters, land and the air with nitrates, phosphorous and ammonia from millions of gallons of liquidized manure produced annually…. ” Via MAL Contends…