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Senate passes Job Creation Act, paving way for environmental reform

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A bipartisan majority in the state Senate passed the Job Creation Act Tuesday night by a 27-6 vote, allowing the legislation to be signed into law by Gov. Doyle today. The legislation, which eases some environmental requirements for businesses and landowners, has received both Republican and Democratic support. Gov. Doyle is a major supporter of the legislation as well, claiming it will bring jobs to Wisconsin while maintaining the state’s high environmental-protection standards.

“I am pleased that both houses of the Legislature have given their strong bipartisan approval to the environmental regulatory reform bill, which will better protect our air, water, and public lands while creating jobs in Wisconsin,” Doyle said in a written release.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice and environmental groups, however, disagree with the governor’s claims about the legislation. They argue the law works as a deceptive ploy to camouflage the erasing of years of environmental protections under the guise of job creation.

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager insists that the bill’s vague language gives too much freedom to businesses, making permit requirements difficult to enforce.

Clean Wisconsin, a state environmental organization, claims that the governor has compromised Wisconsin’s natural resources by supporting legislation written by corporate interests and Republican legislators.

“The governor negotiated with the businesses on this bill,” Derek Scheer, water policy director of Clean Wisconsin, said. “That was his first mistake. He was negotiating with those people who wrote the bill.”

The act has flown through both houses of the state Legislature, passing the Assembly easily by an 80-14 vote Jan. 13. Doyle is expected to sign the bill into law today, just hours before his State of the State address. It is anticipated that the governor will point to his part in passing the bill during his speech as proof that his policies are helping the Wisconsin economy grow.