I Want Strong Polluted Run Off Rules From Farms
I am concerned about the state of Wisconsin's waters. We have had increasing numbers of blue-green algae blooms that choke our ecosystems and make people and animals sick.
Clean water is essential to Wisconsin's economy, ecosystems, and public health. Our water is important for our economy; clean water is crucial to our quality of life, is where we spend time with family and friends; fuels our businesses and utilities, and is part of the reason we have such a strong agricultural industry. Nearly half of our waters are severely impacted by agricultural pollution that washes off of farm fields from rain or snowmelt. Agricultural pollution is the biggest threat to clean water in our state, and is causing algae blooms, altering the ecosystems in our rivers and lakes, and causing people and animals to get sick.
While agricultural fields are the greatest contributor of pollution to our waters, we can't solely blame farmers. Since we all have a stake in clean water, we all have a role to play. One of the best things about this rule is that it requires cost-share of pollution control practices, so the burden doesn’t solely rest on our hard-working farmers. I also support the way that use of the Phosphorus Index and other performance standards in the rule will target those areas and those farms that have the worst potential for runoff and then helps target best management practices to those areas on farm’s fields where they’ll do the most good.
I generally support the proposed changes to the rules because they incorporate the newest science on stopping pollution from getting into our waters.
Specifically,
I strongly support the DNR having the ability to restrict runoff from farms by setting stronger limits on farms in impaired waterways (via the proposed provision to strengthen Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for nonpoint sources). A fraction of our state's farms will be affected by this rule, and the farms that will be affected are the farms that most need to control pollution.
I support the proposed 20-foot tillage setback as a bare minimum protection for streambanks and shorelines, but in my opinion there must be a vegetated buffer requirement along all streambanks and shorelines.
As I mentioned above, I support the use of the Phosphorus Index as a performance standard for all farms, but in my opinion the maximum average Phosphorus Index and annual maximum Phosphorus Index must be set at more meaningful levels to protect water quality. The maximum average Phosphorus Index should be set at a level well below 6 that minimizes nutrient runoff, with a maximum annual cap of 6 instead of 10.
I support these rules modifications, and I urge the Natural Resources Board to approve them so that we can continue to make progress reducing polluted runoff into our waters from agricultural sources.
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