Conservation Lobby Day February 25th! This info was forwarded on to me... I felt others may also be interested, so I am sharing the email here

Join us at the state Capitol on February 25, 2009 for Conservation Lobby Day, an empowering experience where hundreds of citizens from across the state gather to emphasize that bills that protect our lakes and natural resources are important to constituents. This event is free and you can register online at www.conservationvoters.org (RSVP by Feb 13th).

On Conservation Lobby Day, you will speak to both your state Representative and state Senator about key conservation issues. In addition, you will receive skill and issue trainings that you can take away and apply when advocating back home. You will also have the opportunity to meet and network with others that share your conservation values.

By taking the time to communicate with your legislator you have the opportunity to educate your legislator about the details of lake related bills, how those bills will affect the resources and people in their district, and ask for their support and vote for Conservation Priority issues.

This year's Wisconsin Conservation Priorities feature four issues that are important to the future of Wisconsin's lakes:

Preserve groundwater
Restore an independent DNR Secretary
Regulate industrial waste spreading
Take action on global warming

Preserve groundwater

Declining water levels on many Wisconsin lakes across the state have prompted increasing concern over groundwater management and high capacity well pumping. Whether these wells are located near or far away from the lake, they can dramatically influence the groundwater flow through the lake, affect lake water levels, and impact water quality and lake ecosystems.
Groundwater feeds most of our lakes, rivers and streams. Groundwater plays a major role in seepage and groundwater drainage lakes, supplying all or most of the lake's water. Other types of lakes may have other sources of water besides groundwater,—including rain and snowmelt, runoff, and streams and rivers (which may be sourced by groundwater themselves)—but groundwater affects all lakes.

But Wisconsin's current groundwater law fails to protect 99% of the state’s lakes, 97% of springs, 92% of rivers and streams, and 100% of wetlands. Under current law, only those lakes designated as ORWs (there are no lakes designated as ERWs) are covered under the statute. Currently there are 97 lakes and 6 flowages designated as ORWs.
Our goal is to pass legislation revising current groundwater law that ensures the protection of Wisconsin surface waters (lakes, rivers, wetlands, and springs) while balancing competing demands (drinking water, industry, and agriculture).

Independent DNR Secretary

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes supports the return of appointment authority for the DNR Secretary to the Natural Resources Board. It is in the best interest of lakes and all the people who enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and living on lakes to have the DNR Secretary held solely accountable to the needs of the resource, the mission of the Department, and the guidance of the Natural Resource Board. Our lakes need effective leadership over time. Improving Wisconsin natural resources management means entrusting decisions to professional natural resource managers. Restoring the independence of the DNR Secretary is one needed step to ensure natural resource management decisions are made without undue political influence.

Regulate industrial waste spreading

The practice of spreading industrial and municipal waste on to farm fields can lead to contaminated drinking water and pollution making its way into our lakes from groundwater or runoff. In some areas of the state, farm fields sit on top of fractured, porous rock (Karst) that act as direct conduits to send industrial waste into our drinking water supplies.
Wisconsin’s regulations governing the land application of waste are among the weakest in the Midwest. Some industries are using our land as their dumping grounds and industrial waste is even being imported from other states to be spread over Wisconsin land. Existing regulations need strengthening and lands with high risk of groundwater contamination need to be mapped to avoid problems in the most sensitive areas.

Global Warming

Scientific observations indicate that global warming may already be having an observable effect on local lakes. Our lakes are freezing later and thawing earlier, more unusual and extreme events are occurring, and there's greater variability in water levels. Wisconsin does not need to be a passive victim. But it does mean we have to act now. Failure to do so may well mean acceptance of the direst consequences that will befall the future of our fish and waters in a changing climate.