Governor hopefuls will need to address more than the budget for the upcoming elections; serious environmental issues also loom on the state’s horizon.

The issues will have a significant impact in the gubernatorial race due to prominent environmental problems such as chronic wasting disease and the issues surrounding the Crandon mine.

Each candidate for governor has a different solution to handling these issues.

Chronic wasting disease is a disease that affects elk, mules and white-tailed deer. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called prion, in infected animals’ bodies.

Since 1999, the Department of Natural Resources has tested more than 1,500 deer in Wisconsin and found 31 deer in eastern Dane and Iowa counties infected with CWD, according to the DNR website.

The DNR website also said the World Health Organization has not found evidence that CWD can infect humans, but that infected deer should not be eaten.

Greg Matthews, regional public affairs manager for the DNR, said government and legislation have taken appropriate steps to help the DNR solve the problem.

“The governor and legislation [have] given us all of the tools that we need,” Matthews said.
Matthews said hunting licenses sales are 20 percent below last year’s sales at this time, but he expects sales to increase before hunting season begins later this month.

Gubernatorial candidates Ed Thompson, Jim Doyle and Scott McCallum said they believe CWD will have an economic impact on the state.

At a debate held Friday, McCallum and Doyle discussed CWD’s effects on Wisconsin.
Doyle said CWD introduces concerns regarding economic and safety issues.

“Unless a hunter can have confidence that the venison of the deer that he or she gets is edible, that many fewer hunters are going to hunt,” Doyle said.

Doyle also expressed a desire to see the state help private labs with funding to ensure all meat is safe and to continue to find a solution to the problem.

Another concern Doyle cited was overpopulation of deer decreasing the safety of Wisconsin roads and highways.

McCallum said he has worked efficiently to help Wisconsin prepare for deer hunting season. So far, his plan has earned $3 million for a center in Madison to test approximately 50,000 deer.

“This is a very serious concern for the state of Wisconsin and for our heritage,” McCallum said. “It cuts deeper than just tourism or hunting.”

Thompson’s response to CWD is to take a bite into it. In September, he ate bratwursts and sausages from the counties where the infected deer were found. Thompson noted that no one has gotten sick from venison and CWD has been around for 40 years.

Josh Morby, media director for the Ed Thompson campaign, said Thompson was disappointed in the way McCallum responded to CWD by stating that he would not eat venison from the affected area.

“That struck fear in the hearts of hunters and sporters,” Morby said. “It wasn’t a common-sense move.”
Thompson agreed with the other candidates that loss of hunters due to fear that CWD would negatively impact the state’s economy.

According to Matthews, the DNR has provided training for people to collect samples from deer. The DNR plans to sample 500 deer from each county in Wisconsin; a total of 50,000 deer will be sampled.

The question of the proposed Crandon mine, which has endured much opposition from Wisconsin citizens who fear the mine would cause pollution, is another issue the candidates must consider. At question is whether the state should purchase the mine or leave the mine in its current state.

Doyle is the only candidate who said he would consider purchasing the Crandon mine.

“I don’t think the mine is a good idea for Wisconsin,” Doyle said. “I think that the long-term economic benefits to this state really depend on clean air, clean water and a beautiful environment, and I don’t believe the mine as proposed would further that.”

Doyle said he was disappointed McCallum shut the buying discussion so quickly.

McCallum said he did not purchase the Crandon-mine property, because it would deplete the state’s environmental fund.

“I am proud of my environmental record,” McCallum said. “To purchase the land and mineral rights when the state is not going to run a mine is beyond what any tax payer ought to expect to take place in the state, and, furthermore, [it] would have depleted our environmental fund.”

Morby said Wisconsin buying the Crandon mine would be a bad idea because the state should not bail out private enterprises. Instead, Thompson proposed making sure the mine is safe before making a decision.

Morby said Thompson does not take special-interest money, which would mean that he would be able to make his decisions on the citizens’ viewpoints rather that the interests of groups that have supported him.

“Ed’s not indebted to special-interest groups,” Morby said.