Here & Now

Wisconsin Look: State Bill Aims To Loosen Well Regulations

Frederica Freyberg:

Environmental news now in our “Wisconsin Look” segment. A bill that would loosen regulations for industrial wells is making its way through the state legislature. Members of the Assembly this week dropped a provision expanding citizens’ ability to sue owners of wells used for industry or farming. Conservationists link the large scale pumping of groundwater to problems in lakes, streams and residential wells in certain parts of the state. The bill now matches its companion measure in the Senate paving the way for the legislature to allow the drilling of industrial wells without review by the state if they replace existing, permitted wells.