Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker said he put former GOP state senator and developer Cathy Stepp atop the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to bring a "chamber of commerce mentality' to the agency's work - - something we have tracked for years on this blog with considerable regret as the undeniable damage has cascaded.
Today we learn that in addition to her agency's long-standing failures to comply with the US Clean Water Act, to react quickly and adequately to groundwater pollution near big farms and feedlots, and contamination near frac sand mines while also green-lighting the politicized sale of state lands, the elimination of science inside the agency and the reduction of citizen input from there is yet another group of experts and policy-makers she has arrogantly disregarded:
The non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, an arm of the state legislature, along with the joint legislative audit committee overseeing it - - run by Republicans.
Turns out that the Bureau, along with the oversight committee, asked Stepp for a plan five months ago after an audit to comply with state wastewater standards and enforcement; Stepp, having not forwarded a plan, has asked for an extension without giving any reason why she needed more time.
Maybe too much time lost to her day job playing partisan introducer at Donald Trump rallies?
Here is the documentation of Stepp's latest arrogance:
Today we learn that in addition to her agency's long-standing failures to comply with the US Clean Water Act, to react quickly and adequately to groundwater pollution near big farms and feedlots, and contamination near frac sand mines while also green-lighting the politicized sale of state lands, the elimination of science inside the agency and the reduction of citizen input from there is yet another group of experts and policy-makers she has arrogantly disregarded:
The non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, an arm of the state legislature, along with the joint legislative audit committee overseeing it - - run by Republicans.
Turns out that the Bureau, along with the oversight committee, asked Stepp for a plan five months ago after an audit to comply with state wastewater standards and enforcement; Stepp, having not forwarded a plan, has asked for an extension without giving any reason why she needed more time.
Maybe too much time lost to her day job playing partisan introducer at Donald Trump rallies?
Here is the documentation of Stepp's latest arrogance:
November 1, 2016
Ms. Cathy Stepp, Secretary Department of Natural Resources 101 South Webster Street Madison, Wisconsin 53707
Dear Ms. Stepp:
On June 3, 2016, the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) published its audit of Wastewater Permitting and Enforcement (report 16-6).
The audit included 17 recommendations related to the administration of the wastewater program by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
In the audit, LAB also recommended that DNR report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee by November 1, 2016, on the status of its efforts to address the audit recommendations.
Yesterday afternoon, we received your letter asking us to extend this reporting deadline to November 18, 2016. Your letter offered no explanation as to why such an extension is necessary.
We are disappointed that DNR did not fulfill its responsibility to provide this information in a timely way. We expect that you will work diligently to ensure the information is received by the Committee on or before November 18.
Sincerely,
Senator Robert Cowles, Co-chair Joint Legislative Audit Committee
cc: Members, Joint Legislative Audit Committee
Joe Chrisman State Auditor