Package of Bills to Combat Water Contamination Comes with $10 Million Price Tag
Thursday, January 9th, 2020 -- 10:32 AM
(AP) -A bipartisan water pollution task force proposed more than a dozen bills Wednesday designed to curb contamination across Wisconsin, capping a year’s worth of research and discussion.Groundwater pollution has been a growing problem in Wisconsin over the last 20 years, creating a rift between environmentalists and the farmers they blame for contaminating wells and water bodies by spreading manure and fertilizers. The agricultural industry has become more concerned since Democratic Gov. Tony Evers took office last year that his cabinet agencies could impose costly new regulations.
The package released Wednesday calls for the state to spend $10 million on a range of initiatives including creating a new water policy office; bumping up state funding for county conservation workers; increasing grants for rebuilding or replacing wells contaminated with manure and fertilizer, and grants for farmers who grow crops that require less fertilizer.
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