Water Quality Matt tt Krueger ueger Executive Director April 3, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality

Matt tt Krueger ueger

Executive Director April 3, 2019

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

County land and water conservation departments play a unique role that in unmatched in the public sector

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

Groundwater and drinking water contamination are emerging public health issues

Source: Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council Report to the Legislature 2018, (DNR)

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

The polluted runoff issue is not new, but has not yet been solved

Source: Food, Land, and Water: Moving Forward, (WI Land+Water), Nov. 2017 (Rev. 1)

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

• We do not adequately fund water quality initiatives

STATE

• DNR/DATCP 2019 Joint Allocation - $20,929,915
• County staffing - $8,964,100
• Bonding cost-share - $3,455,000
• Nutrient mgmt cost-share - $2,234,476
• DATCP FY 2017-18 Farmland Preservation tax credits - $17,204,000

FEDERAL

• 2018 conservation progs (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) - $62 million

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

Agriculture contributes to our water quality challenges, but is also part of the solution

Source: Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Annual Report, (DATCP), 2017

Water quality issues from the county conservation perspective

The status quo is not working for agriculture, nor for water quality

Food, Land, and Water Project

• Consensus exists that we must do a

better job

• Our funding of conservation is

insufficient

• Water quality not the sole

responsibility of agriculture

Long-term recommendations

Wisconsin must make a serious commitment to funding conservation and water quality initiatives

Minnesota’s Clean Water, Land, & Legacy Amendment

• Generated $2.6 billion (2010-present) in four

categories; leveraged an additional $2.5 billion in non-state investment

• Paid for by increasing state sales tax by 3/8 of

a cent, for 25 years

• Approved 56-39% by voters during Great

Recession, with approving majorities in all congressional districts

• 2017 polling shows support increased to

75% support

• Guidelines specified by state constitution;

appropriations overseen by legislative and citizen councils

Long-term recommendations

Launch a robust effort to obtain a comprehensive and verifiable picture of conservation and water quality programs across the state, and across agency programs, optimizing and aligning all programs that affect water quality

Short-term recommendations

Fully fund DATCP county conservation staffing and support grants at a baseline of $12.4 million annually

Short-term recommendations

Provide adequate financial support to groundwater mapping, outreach, and education

Short-term recommendations

Support clean water initiatives in Governor Evers’ proposed budget

Source: Wisconsin Conservation History, (NRCS), 2010

Source: Wisconsin Conservation History, (NRCS), 2010

Questions

Matt Matt Krueger ueger

matt@wisconsinlandwater.org 608-441-2677