Contact: Scott Fitzgerald, (608)-266-5660
[Madison, WI] Today the Wisconsin Senate advanced Senate Bill 76, to relating to the replacement, reconstruction and transfer of an approved high capacity well. The lead author of the legislation, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, released the following statement:
“Wisconsin’s agriculture industry is an 88 billion dollar component of our state’s economy that supports over 400,000 jobs. High capacity wells are integral to these farming operations and legislative action is badly needed in order to provide clarity on this issue.
The bill that the Senate passed today was the result of a great deal of input from stakeholders and the public. It is a narrowly tailored measure that maintains stringent environmental compliance and well construction standards, as well as DNR authority and oversight. By allowing the repair, replacement, or reconstruction of existing DNR-approved high capacity wells, this bill gives certainty to famers, businesses and municipalities that they will continue to be able to use their high capacity well permits.
I am pleased that the Senate has once again approved this measure to finally provide clarity on this issue to Wisconsin’s agriculture industry and I urge the Assembly to do the same.”
Senate Bill 76 passed on a party line vote after an amendment offered by Senator Testin was added on the Senate floor to focus the scope of the groundwater study included in the bill. The measure now goes before the Wisconsin Assembly for debate.
