While Wisconsin’s natural resources are undoubtedly some of the state’s most important revenue sources, Gov. Scott Walker’s latest proposed budget could result in major funding cuts to runoff pollution programs. These programs are extremely influential in preserving the quality of water in this highly agriculture and environment dependent state.
According to the National Water Quality Monitoring Council’s glossary, nonpoint pollution is, “A contributory factor to water pollution that cannot be traced to a specific spot; for example, pollution that results from water runoff from urban areas, construction sites, agricultural and silvicultural operations, and so forth.” Pollution is a big concern in Wisconsin because the state’s economy is highly dependent the quality of our natural resources.
Agriculture is one of the major sources of runoff pollution in the state, and, therefore, Wisconsin’s water quality should be continuously monitored and maintained due to the large number of farms in the state.
It is clear natural resources are one of the driving forces of the Wisconsin economy and the quality of these resources influences everything from farming to tourism revenue.
For starters, the most famous thing to come out of Wisconsin is our cheese. It’s the trademark of this state, and the dairy farms responsible for supplying the milk used in cheese production are dependent on natural resources.
Each dairy cow needs large amounts of fresh water to drink, along with substantial quantities of feed to produce quality milk. Without clean water and other quality resources, Wisconsin farms would have a very hard time producing the cheese and other dairy products this state is known for.
Another significant supplier of Wisconsin revenue is tourism. Whether it is hunting in the north woods, fishing in the many lakes and rivers or even just sightseeing this state’s natural landscape, tourism is very important to Wisconsin’s economy. In fact, $57.5 million worth of tourism sales were related to agriculture, fishing and mining in 2013. Environmental programs are a great assistance for these resources to stay up to the standard that attracts tourists from all over the country.
That being said, Walker’s latest budget plan calls for $5.7 million in funding cuts to initiatives for clean water. These cuts primarily target programs that help control runoff pollution, which is one of the major forms of water pollution in this state.
I have to question Walker’s thinking on this issue. It is plain to see Wisconsin is a state of natural resources. I mean, come on, our claim to fame is cheese. I’m assuming this budget plan is meant to improve the state’s economy, but making cuts to programs that maintain the quality of the very foundation of our economy doesn’t make much sense. Clean water is essential for maintaining the quality of Wisconsin’s agriculture and tourism, which are both major revenue contributors, and yet Walker’s plan could result in huge funding cuts to these programs in order to improve the economy. Can somebody say counterintuitive?
What I’m trying to say is cutting funding for programs that are essential to the maintenance of the quality of the natural resources in order to make up for budget shortfalls is not one of the better ideas I’ve heard. I don’t know what the answer is, but I do know Walker needs to understand the importance of the quality of Wisconsin’s natural resources to the livelihood of the people he represents.
Phillip Michaelson (pmichaelson
