I am passing on news of this great victory for isolated wetlands in
Wisconsin.  Hopefully the WI legislation will spur other states to protect
their isolated waters as well.
From Ami Grace at Clean Water Network, forwarded by Jane Clark


Governor Signs New Wetlands Law!

At 9:00 am today, Governor Scott McCallum signed a new wetlands law that
restores protection to over 1 million acres of our state's vital wetland
resources. This new law was signed exactly four months following the
Supreme
Court decision that eliminated federal and state jurisdiction over
"isolated" wetlands.  See the Governor's press release copied below, and
attached.

Wisconsin Wetlands Association applauds the Legislature and Governor for
their strong leadership on wetlands protection, with special acknowledgment
of the tireless effort of Senator Jim Baumgart and his staff.  This is the
first state law in the country that fills the gap created by the Supreme
Court decision.  Our elected leaders listened to the citizens of the State
who asked for prompt and complete protection of our wetlands.

We wish to acknowledge the strong and effective coalition of diverse
organizations that, working together, have contributed considerable
effort
in securing this favorable outcome.  Among our closest collaborators
were:
Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Wisconsin
Council of Trout Unlimited, River Alliance of Wisconsin, 1000 Friends of
Wisconsin, Defenders of Wildlife-Wisconsin, Wisconsin's Environmental
Decade, Wisconsin Stewardship Network, Madison Audubon Society and Wisconsin
Audubon Coucil, Ducks Unlimited-Wisconsin, League of Conservation
Voters-Education Fund, Dane County Conservation League, and many more.

This effective coalition will serve as a model for other resource
conservation
issues that will arise in the future.

Wisconsin Wetlands Association
222 S. Hamilton, Suite #1
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 250-9971
fax (608) 256-4562
http://www.wiscwetlands.org

----- Original Message -----
Subject: wetlands release
> For Immediate Release - May 7, 2001
> Contact: Lisa Hull (608) 266-8110
>   Debbie Monterrey-Millett (608) 266-9806
>
> GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL PROTECTING WETLANDS
> Wisconsin first state in nation to respond to Supreme Court ruling
>
> MADISON - Gov. Scott McCallum today signed Special Session Senate
Bill 1, a measure that he had sought for the protection of isolated wetlands
throughout Wisconsin that were potentially left unprotected as a result of a
ruling earlier this year by the U.S. Supreme Court.
>
Wisconsin is the first state in the nation to respond to the January 2001
U.S. Supreme Court decision, which narrowed the water and wetland areas
subject to federal regulation.
>
Gov. McCallum worked closely with state lawmakers to develop consensus
legislation on wetlands protection. Once the bill was finalized, Gov.
McCallum called the Legislature into special session last week to address
the measure. Both the Senate and Assembly passed the bill unanimously.
>
"I am pleased that lawmakers were able to put their differences aside to
pass this very important bill," Gov. McCallum said. "This is
proof that all sides can work together to do something great for Wisconsin."
>
Gov. McCallum said that the wetlands protection measure has widespread
support from the Department of Natural Resources, environmental groups and
the business community.
>
"Protecting our precious wetlands became a priority from the moment the U.S
Supreme Court ruling came down and I said early on that it
would be a priority for my administration," Gov. McCallum said. "Wisconsin's
wetlands are vital for flood control and for keeping our lakes and rivers
clean, as well as for protecting fish and wildlife."
>
Gov. McCallum said that the bill he signed today gives the Department of
Natural Resources comprehensive regulatory authority over isolated,
intrastate wetlands that are free from federal regulation as a result of the
High Court's ruling.
>
The measure will allow the DNR to regulate certain types of wetlands that
are off limits to the Army Corps of Engineers. It also sets time
lines for processing, approving or denying water quality certifications for
non-federal wetlands.
>
The U.S Supreme Court decision also narrowed the areas and activities the
Wisconsin DNR protects through its water quality certification, potentially
leaving vast portions of Wisconsin's wetlands unprotected from being dredged
or filled, including wet meadows, forested wetlands, ephemeral ponds and
bogs.
>
> *****************
> Debbie Monterrey-Millett
> Governor's Press Secretary
> 608-266-9806 (o)
> 608-770-0248 (cell)

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