Wisconsin Republican Lawmakers Look to Join Environmental Lawsuits
Wisconsin Republican legislators want to join two lawsuits before the state Supreme Court that will determine the extent of environmental regulators’ powers.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Joint Committee on Legislative Organization is voting by paper ballot Thursday on whether to hire attorneys to intervene in the cases. GOP leaders didn’t say who they want to hire or how much the attorneys would be paid.
One case centers on what requirements the Department of Natural Resources can include in a permit for a Kewaunee County dairy operation. The other concerns whether the DNR can consider cumulative effects high-capacity wells will have on nearby waters when granting permits.
Both cases involve a Republican-authored law that supporters argue blocks regulators from imposing conditions beyond what’s spelled out in statute or administrative code.
