Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: Legislators circulate significant wetland reforms

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Nick Novak, 608.258.3400

State Chamber Calls on All Legislators To Co-sponsor

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MADISON – On Friday, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna), Rep. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) and Senate President Roger Roth (R-Appleton) began circulating legislation to reform Wisconsin’s wetland permitting laws. For more than a decade, Wisconsin has been a regulatory outlier in applying extensive permitting requirements to isolated, non-federal wetlands.

The proposed legislation would bring Wisconsin back into the mainstream nationally by exempting isolated non-federal wetlands from permitting requirements while still maintaining mitigation requirements. Additionally, this legislation ensures the state is doing everything it can to create high quality wetlands using monies generated through the in-lieu fee program.

In response to this legislation, Lucas Vebber, WMC General Counsel and Director of Environmental and Energy Policy, released the following statement:

“This legislation strikes an important balance that will enhance economic development in our state while also protecting and enhancing high quality wetlands. This is a true win-win for all Wisconsinites. We thank Representatives Steineke and Stafsholt as well as Senator Roth for bringing these key reforms forward, and we call on all of their colleagues to join them in supporting this legislation.”

Co-sponsorship for this legislation is open through Friday of this week.

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