MADISON – Instead of signing a common-sense reform into law, Governor Evers chose to keep unnecessary government red tape in place by vetoing Assembly Bill (AB) 956 on Wednesday. This bill would have exempted certain agricultural warehouses from the requirement to install an automatic fire sprinkler system. While sprinklers can be a very effective fire suppression tool, in buildings used to store certain agricultural chemicals, water from a sprinkler system can pose serious environmental risks. In these buildings, other forms of fire mitigation must be used.
Currently, in order to be exempt from the sprinkler requirement in the state building code, a business seeking to build a warehouse to store agricultural chemicals must apply to the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) for a variance. The variance process is often time-consuming and expensive for agribusinesses that provide essential products for Wisconsin’s agriculture industry.
AB 956 had the support of a number of stakeholders including the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin Farm Bureau, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Cooperative Network, and the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association.
The authors of the legislation issued the statements below in response to the governor’s veto:
Representative Karen Hurd (R-Withee): “Instead of signing a common-sense reform into law, Governor Evers chose to keep unnecessary government red tape in place. It simply does not make sense to require businesses to seek a variance when everyone involved knows that water should not be used to suppress a fire in these buildings. This bill had the support of a variety of agriculture stakeholders and even the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association, yet the governor still chose to use his veto pen. In short, this veto is a slap in the face to Wisconsin’s agricultural industry.”
Senator Jesse James (R-Thorp): “By vetoing this piece of legislation, Governor Evers is siding with the Department of Safety and Professional Services’ inefficient and burdensome variance process that only makes it harder for our constituents. These sprinkler requirements can cause runoff which could lead to environmental risks such as contamination of drinking water. Not only that, but the process is extremely time consuming and expensive. Our constituents who work in the agricultural industry are already struggling with rising prices which is why I am disappointed to see Governor Evers make a decision that would negatively affect the people of Wisconsin.”
