Jauch counterpunches the movement to kill the DNR

A Wisconsin State Senate committee heard complaints from the public about the Department of Natural Resources, but State Senator Bob Jauch from northwestern Wisconsin questioned the committee’s motives. Nick Vander Puy from the Superior Broadcast Network spoke with the fiery senator.   Click here to hear the radio story. (5 minute "live" stream, no download necessary,)

 

Meeting in Arbor Vitae a Wisconsin State Senate committee heard complaints from the public about the Department of Natural Resources, but State Senator Bob Jauch from northwestern Wisconsin questioned the committee’s motives. Nick Vander Puy from the Superior Broadcast Network listened to the entire hearing and files this report.

 

DNR critics dominated the meeting.  Forty-three people spoke. More than a hundred people attended the meeting on reforming the DNR. 

 

The Senate select committee on DNR regulatory reform includes Senators Cathy Stepp, Dave Zien, Mark Miller, and Bob Jauch.  Senator Allen Lasee chaired the hearing.

 

“We have learned some things already from what people have testified. There seems to be a complete breakdown of communication between local governments and the state as it relates to wetlands, navigable streams, logging, you name it, and I think that’s an area we need to take a look at.”

 

There were complaints about timber wolves, as well as removing the Deerskin River dam. Timber management. Several citizens were concerned about unequal enforcement of wetland regulations, and  shore land building restrictions.  The focus: property rights.

 

“People believe when they buy a piece of property, when they have a home on a waterfront, they think they ought to be able to use to the highest and best use, and we’ve seen a number of situations when someone wants to improve a shoreline, for example, in front of their home, in front of their cottage, and yet they’ll bump into all kinds of regulations, from the DNR, to the point it’s almost impossible to do some things, as relates to beautification, and making their property worth even more.”

 

Around Wisconsin the DNR shoulders the responsibility to enforce the Public Trust Doctrine. Dating back to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and even further back  into English and Roman Common Law, the Public Trust Doctrine holds the State manages waters in trust for the Public. The lakes basically are public parks.  And Public rights now include hunting and fishing, natural beauty,  and the prevention of pollution.

 

But Senator Lasee challenges the DNR’s job.

 

“The DNR takes the position they they own the land, it belongs to the state, and therefore everything you do needs to have our blessing.  It’s pretty heavy handed and its hard for people to understand that.”

 

During the hearing Senator Bob Jauch, a Democrat from near Superior, defended the DNR.

 

“Bottom line is the Department is doing a better then they want to give them credit for…and the other bottom line is that some members of this committee want to minimize DNR rules and regulation because they want to minimize environmental protection.”

 

Senator Jauch thinks that some members of the DNR regulatory reform committee have ulterior motives.

 

“People move, live, and visit Wisconsin because of the quality of our life, our waters, our rivers, our resources, we have something to be proud of and frankly there is a legislative

motion, movement to erode that commitment, and that’s what this is all about.”

 

During the past several years the Lakeland Times newspaper in Minocqua has served as a rallying point for the private property rights movement.  The property rights movement is opposed to most DNR regulations. Some property rights spokesmen even deny the Public Trust Doctrine.

 

“Well, I think people ought to stop using the Lakeland Times as a Bible, and frankly discredit them.  They’re discredited anytime they suggest like they’ve suggested people in the Department of Natural Resources are terrorists, which is a term they’ve used because they are enforcing the laws of the land that have been passed by the State of Wisconsin and upheld by the courts.”

 

Lakeland Times publisher Greg Walker responds to Senator Jauch’s charges about editorials in the Lakeland Times.

 

“Senator Jauch says your newspaper characterized the DNR as terrorist. Is that accurate?  Maybe in editorials but not in news articles.”

 

On  June 4, 2004 Walker published an editorial, denoucing the environmental movement, and elites in the DNR, including local DNR waterfront enforcement specialist Liesa Nesta.   Walker labeled them  Orwellian thought control police.

 

Last week during the Arbor Vitae meeting Lakeland Times publisher Greg Walker testified about some local families who’ve experienced difficulties with DNR shoreland or wetland law enforcement.

 

 “Well, I think there’s a lot of upset people out there. I wasn’t here long enough to hear a lot of it. The lady that spoke in front of me had some good points.  I think we all need to listen to one another and get it figured out.  We need to have regulation, but we also need to be treated fairly.  On the things that I said about John Lych and Don Jones, those were cases where I don’t think those people were treated fairly.”

 

Thinking about threats to Northwoods lakes, Walker says the Lakeland Times  acknowledges the threat of invasive species. The Eurasian milfoil plant and others are being carried into lakes on boats and trailers.

 

“We’re going to try and hammer out a lot of key points on invasive species this spring, Nick, we gotta get on it.  We don’t take care that, we ain’t gonna have any lakes, PERIOD.”

 

I’m Nick Vander Puy for the Superior Broadcast Network. 

photos and web layout- Sandy Lyon

To visit the web site of State Senator Bob Jauch click here

Click Here to download this Radio Story as an MP3 file

Directions for Downloading This Radio Story
These stories have been compressed so that you can listen to them on your computer.
You'll need to download the story, however...a process that takes a few short minutes.
 Please read all directions before actually downloading.
 1. Hold cursor over link and click the right mouse button, then click "Save Target As" on the menu that pops up.
2. Then, select where you want to save the MP3 on your computer and click "Save".
A dialog box will pop up and the MP3 will start downloading. It will take a few minutes.
3. After it is done downloading click "Open" on the dialog box or go and open the MP3 from where you saved it.
4. Make sure your speakers are turned on and listen to the story. Enjoy!

 

 to view the editorial in the lakeland times written by greg walker click here