Mary Burke rejects most of Scott Walker's dramatic environmental makeover
But critics, including Democratic challenger Mary Burke, say the price of all that rapid-fire permitting has been too high, resulting in public health hazards and threats to the state’s air, water and other natural resources. Moreover, Burke insists, the state can have both strong job growth and strong environmental protections.
“You certainly have to make sure you have this balance between timeliness and thoroughness,” Burke said.
Walker began remaking the DNR soon after taking office, appointing Cathy Stepp, a former Republican state senator and fierce critic of the agency, as its head.
In 2011 he changed the administrative rule-making process to provide more certainty for business in dealing with state agencies like the DNR, and pushed to get the state out of the way of a rapidly growing mining sector that has made Wisconsin the nation’s top source of frac sand.
Two years later, Walker signed legislation loosening iron mining regulations, paving the way for a giant iron mine to start operations in the Penokee Hills of northern Wisconsin. Walker said the law would protect the environment while bringing certainty to the mine permitting process.
http://host.madison.com/news/local/environment/mary-burke-rejects-most-of-scott-walker-s-dramatic-environmental/article_c9d60b88-e8ed-5d6e-ba55-f87816966f5e.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
