Despite actual flooding, GOP rolls back wetland protections

Madison, Wisconsin, like the rest of the country, is experiencing more and more severe weather events. This trend is predicted to continue and get worse. In fact, floods were reported throughout southern Wisconsin at the same time Republicans in the state Legislature passed Assembly Bill 547, which guts state wetland protections.

Wetlands perform many critical environmental functions; namely, flood mitigation, improved water quality for surface waters and habitat for plants and animals. Flood management benefits afforded by wetlands are becoming increasingly important. These flood management services are most important in urban areas and in new developments as ground surfaces are increasingly covered over with impervious surfaces, such as buildings, parking lots and streets. Homes and buildings constructed on filled or drained wetlands will be more subject to future floods, as will downstream communities exposed to reduced benefit of upstream non-federal wetlands that are filled or drained.

That water must go somewhere. It will go into storm sewers and into rivers and streams; it will go into basements. It will go there faster and sooner without the benefit provided by wetlands.

Wisconsin has seen record levels of rain in recent years. Assembly Bill 547 leaves tens of thousands of acres of wetlands, over 3,000 in Dane County alone, vulnerable to destruction. By passing this legislation, the Republican legislature, once again, fails to meet our constitutional obligation to protect the waters of the state under the public trust doctrine.