Here & Now

Stepp Responds To DNR Audit

CONCERNS ON THE PART OF MINNESOTA OVER WISCONSIN’S DNR COME ON THE HEELS OF THE AGENCY NARROWING ITS OVERSIGHT OF HIGH CAPACITY WELLS AND A CRITICAL AUDIT RELEASED THIS MONTH. EARLIER THIS WEEK THE DNR BOARD DISCUSSED THE AUDIT WHICH AMONG OTHER THINGS FOUND THAT DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS THE AGENCY FAILED 94% OF THE TIME TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST PRIVATE INDUSTRIES AND MUNICIPAL SEWAGE PLANTS THAT EXCEEDED WATER POLLUTION LIMITS, WHICH VIOLATED ITS OWN POLICIES. THE AUDIT ALSO FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS OR CAFOs INCREASED 80% FROM 2005 TO 2014, MEANING THE DNR NOW HAS 264 OF THE LARGE LIVESTOCK FARMS TO PERMIT AND INSPECT. THE DNR IS NOW WORKING TO DETERMINE WHETHER CAFOs ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF 34% OF THE WELLS IN KEWAUNEE COUNTY. BUT THAT WORK AND INSPECTIONS OF THE OPERATIONS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DNR STAFF, ALREADY STRAPPED. HERE’S WHAT DNR SECRETARY CATHY STEPP HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE CRITICAL AUDIT.

CATHY STEPP:

WE’VE BEEN AWARE OF THESE CHALLENGES, FRANKLY, SINCE I WALKED IN THE DOOR, BUT REALLY I INHERITED ABOUT A 30% VACANCY RATE IN THE WATER DIVISION WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR. THESE JOBS ARE SO TECHNICAL AND SO DIFFICULT IN NATURE, I CAN’T JUST TAKE SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET AND THROW THEM INTO THESE ROLES. IT TAKES TIME. SOMETIMES A YEAR TO A YEAR AND A HALF TO GET PEOPLE TRAINED UP, NOT TO MENTION THE PROCESS OF CIVIL SERVICE AND BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE DOOR TO BEGIN WITH AND THEN THE WAVE OF RETIREMENTS WE’VE HAD. WE’RE NOT IMMUNE TO THAT JUST LIKE THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SO LOTS OF CHALLENGES THERE, BUT THEY CAN BE OVERCOME. WE JUST HAVE TO LAY OUT A GOOD, COHESIVE BUSINESS CASE SO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR SUPPORTS THAT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL CITIZENS WHO MIGHT HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT ENFORCEMENT ON THE PART OF THE DNR IS FALLING BEHIND BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES?

CATHY STEPP:

WELL, I WOULDN’T GO AS FAR TO SAY IT IN SUCH A BLANKET STATEMENT. WE’RE DOING A LOT BETTER WORK ON THE GROUND, FRANKLY, THAN HAS EVER BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY, WHICH IS PARTNERING WITH PRODUCERS EARLY SO WE DON’T HAVE TO ENFORCE. ULTIMATELY MY GOAL IS TO HAVE ZERO INFRACTIONS, ZERO VIOLATIONS BECAUSE WHEN WE CAN DO THAT, THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE RULES, THEY’VE GOT THE TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES, THAT THEY’RE WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THERE’S SOME KIND OF A MISTAKE OR INTENTIONAL THING THAT MIGHT BE DONE ON THE GROUND. SO WE WANT TO BE THERE EARLY AND OFTEN AND AVAILABLE AS TECHNICAL EXPERTS, PARTNERS WITH PRODUCERS. AND I KNOW WHEN WE DO THAT WELL, THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO THE SUCCESSES WE CAN SEE, NOT JUST ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, BUT ENHANCEMENT AS WELL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT WATER QUALITY SAFETY IS AN ISSUE?

CATHY STEPP:

IN SOME PARTS OF THE STATES, WE HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS. I WILL ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A DIFFERENT WAY ON HOW IT IS THAT WE’RE REGULATING GROUNDWATER QUALITY, ESPECIALLY IN GEOLOGICAL SENSITIVE REGIONS OF THE STATE, THE KARST TOPOGRAPHY. WE’RE IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW WITH OUR BOARD. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT OPENING UP TWO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES – NR151, NR243 – BECAUSE I’M SURE EVERYBODY IS SO INTO THE NRs LIKE I AM. BUT IT’S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF – THE NON-POINT RULES. 243 HAS TO DO WITH CAFO SITES. SO IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE HOW FIRST OF ALL WE’RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IN THE SCIENCE THAT WE JUST NOW COMPLETED BY THE WAY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE REGULATORY DECISIONS BASED ON SOUND SCIENCE, NOT JUST HYPERBOLE. AND THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN ORDER TO BE AN EFFECTIVE REGULATOR, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM USING REAL SCIENTIFIC DATA WHICH WE JUST NOW COMPLETED WITH THIS RECENT STUDY WE DID IN NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.