Under pressure from residents and environmental groups, the 'chamber of commerce mentality' managers like agency Secretary and former developer Cathy Stepp whom Gov. Walker installed atop the Department of Natural Resources are finally looking into metallic water pollution linked to frac sand mining.
The agency was reluctant to begin addressing frac sand issues broadly - - because that's how a 'chamber of commerce mentality' department works.
But before you get too giddy over the DNR's planned activity, read further into the story and discover that its response comes three years after the discovery of heavy metal contamination in water near the mining, and the projection that further actions might wait until 2021.
Do not be surprised, because:
A) The DNR said it knew its frac sand mining regulation was inadequate but kept on issuing new mining permits. True story.
B) It's disregard was evident even earlier. Nearly five years ago, the DNR's then-Deputy Secretary Matt Moroney - - now a special assistant to Gov. Walker on his personal staff - - announced there would be no regulation initiative aimed at the rapidly-growing frac sand industry:
That's the way a 'chamber of commerce mentality' DNR works.
The agency was reluctant to begin addressing frac sand issues broadly - - because that's how a 'chamber of commerce mentality' department works.But before you get too giddy over the DNR's planned activity, read further into the story and discover that its response comes three years after the discovery of heavy metal contamination in water near the mining, and the projection that further actions might wait until 2021.
Do not be surprised, because:
A) The DNR said it knew its frac sand mining regulation was inadequate but kept on issuing new mining permits. True story.
B) It's disregard was evident even earlier. Nearly five years ago, the DNR's then-Deputy Secretary Matt Moroney - - now a special assistant to Gov. Walker on his personal staff - - announced there would be no regulation initiative aimed at the rapidly-growing frac sand industry:
MADISON - Wisconsin's DNR has re-affirmed that it will not draft new regulations for the frac-sand mines that are popping up mainly in the western half of the state.
An official told the Natural Resources Board last week that new rules were not needed - and current regulations were adequate. Now, Deputy Secretary Matt Moroney gave the same reply to a group of residents who petitioned his agency in November for regulations on dust particles.I have cited this disclosure several times, and included it in a longer piece about the DNR's laissez-faire approach to multiple sand mining issues.
That's the way a 'chamber of commerce mentality' DNR works.