2-3-16 well regulations

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Assembly Republicans have asked Wisconsin’s attorney general for an opinion on state environmental officials’ authority to regulate high-capacity wells.  The Assembly Organization Committee voted 5-3 Tuesday to ask Brad Schimel for his thoughts on conflicting court opinions on the Department of Natural Resources’ authority.  A state appeals court ruled in 2010 that the DNR has broad authority to consider how high-capacity wells might harm state waters. Republicans reacted by passing a law in 2011 that prohibits agencies from imposing permit regulations that aren’t explicitly laid out in state law.  Two months later the state Supreme Court ruled the DNR has a general authority to police wells but didn’t consider the new law. In November an Appleton judge ruled the DNR does need explicit authority to impose conditions on high-capacity wells.

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