Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearings

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will once again offer their annual opportunity for the public to provide input on a variety of natural resource-related questions with an in-person opportunity Monday, April 14, 2025, at 6:00 PM in each county or online starting at 7:00 PM, Monday, April 14 through 6:00 PM on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

There are several important environmental related questions this year including PFAS, pipeline spill notifications, pollution from the spreading of manure/fertilizer, habitat stamp, phasing out lead in fishing tackle and ammunition, state-owned campground cabin accessibility, Sandhill crane stamp.
For a preview of the questions and more info, visit dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/springhearing.html

Item 1. Allow nonedible parts of deer, bear and elk to be left in the field after harvest

• • Wisconsin’s current deer quartering rule requires all deer parts (minus the entrails) to be removed from the field after harvest. . . . Many western states have successfully adopted regulations allowing hunters to quarter or completely debone harvested game and leave “non-edible” carcass material at the site of harvest. [Abbreviated]
  • Question 1: Do you support allowing hunters who quarter their deer in the field to leave nonedible parts at the site of harvest?
  • There is concern that allowing portions of carcasses to be left in the field (which may contain small fragments of lead ammunition) exposes scavengers (including eagles and other birds of prey) to lead. Small quantities of lead ingested are a serious issue for birds.

Item 45. Statutory Exemption from Wis. Stats. s. 227.139 (the REINS Act) for PFAS Rulemaking

• During the rulemaking process, every agency is required to produce an economic impact analysis, estimating the implementation and compliance costs of the proposed rule. Under Wis. Stat. s. 227.139 (adopted as part of 2017 Wisconsin Act 57, commonly known as the REINS Act), if the costs of a proposed rule exceed $10 million in any 2-year period, the department must stop rulemaking and wait for legislative approval to continue. The statutory requirements for an economic impact analysis do not allow the department to take into account the financial benefits of a proposed rule. The department has proposed rulemaking to adopt groundwater quality standards for certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The economic impact analysis determined that the costs of the proposed rules would exceed $10 million in a 2-year period. However, there are many potential economic benefits that could results from the rules, including decreasing the risk of costly illness and disease. PFAS regulations could also encourage brownfield restorations, support water technology industries in the state, protect Wisconsin residents relying on private wells in rural areas, and enhance the state’s ability to attract and retain businesses that rely on clean water sources. Section 227.139(4) currently contains an exemption for proposed rules regarding air quality.
  Adding an exemption from section 227.139 for rules regulating PFAS in the environment would require DNR to do an economic impact analysis, but would allow DNR to continue with rulemaking without legislative approval if the proposed economic impact of the rule exceeds $10 million in any 2-year period.
• Question 45. Do you support an exemption from Wis. Stat.s. 227.139 for rules regulating PFAS in the environment?
• Human and wildlife health are harmed by PFAS in our environment. Supporting an exemption allows regulation of PFAS to keep moving forward.
  

Item 46. Require pipeline owners/operators to submit federally required spill notifications to the DNR Remediation and Redevelopment program

• When a discharge of a hazardous substance (or spill) to the environment occurs in Wisconsin, with few exceptions, the responsible party is required under state statute to report the spill through an initial notification to the DNR. Currently, after the initial notification, additional spill updates to the DNR are not required under state statute or rule even though the volume of the spill may have increased. An extensive network of pipelines carry various materials, including petroleum and other products, throughout the state. At times, spills may occur and only an initial notification is required. The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requires reporting of spill incidents. PHMSA requires an initial notification and additional reporting related to a spill incident within 30-days of an incident and a written report within 1 year of the incident.
• Question 46. Do you support the legislature providing DNR statutory authority to require submittal of the same federal PHMSA reports to the Department for additional spill notifications?
• Support of this item would allow for the public to be made aware of  such spills.

Item 47. Elimination of lead ammunition and fishing tackle (130624)

• As a result of decades-long reliance on lead ammunition, susceptible wildlife falls to the debilitating and lethal effects of lead poisoning. Mammals, eagles, waterfowl, corvids, even songbirds as tiny as chickadees, routinely feed on the remains of harvested animals. Ingesting a small amount of animal tissue with lead can result in prolonged suffering and death for wildlife that feeds on the remains that are left behind. Today’s non-toxic bullets, shot and fishing weights are widely available and often comparable in price to lead. Lead poisoning is preventable and can be eliminated.
• Question 47. Would you support phasing out uses of lead so that it is not left behind on our lands and in our waters?
• Ingesting even a tiny particle of lead is enough to be lethal. Bald Eagles, Common Loons, Trumpeter, Swans, and other species face the risk of lead poisoning when they unintentionally ingest lead tackle or ammunition while foraging for food.

Item 48. Protection of lakes, streams, and their fish, and wildlife from pollution caused by animal manure and commercial fertilizer (560324)

• Pollution of Wisconsin lakes and streams by phosphorous and nitrogen from surface run-off from agricultural fields fertilized with animal manure or commercial fertilizer is a widespread threat to their ecological health. . . . Protecting our waters from pollution caused by run-off from agricultural fields will require adequate funding for changes in the regulation of controlled animal feeding operations and the spreading of manure on agricultural fields. Current practices are promoting pollution which may be getting worse and be ecologically unsustainable. Current non-point source pollution control practices are not meeting the state’s public trust responsibilities to protect our water, lakes and streams. Surveys show that clean water has broad support and improvements will be popular. [Abbreviated]
• Question 48. Would you support increasing funding for nonpoint source pollution control and the establishment of an independent team of experts to recommend changes that protect our water, lakes and streams from pollution by spreading animal manure and commercial fertilizer?
• Pollution in our lakes and streams from animal manure and commercial fertilizer damages Wisconsin’s ecosystems and poses serious health risks. Clean water benefits birds and people alike.

Item: 56. Habitat stamp (requires legislation) (640224)

• Currently, cold water projects are funded by the trout stamp and waterfowl habitat work is funded by the waterfowl stamp. However, projects to remove invasive plants and animals, restore critical habitats, create new habitats and maintain existing habitats are currently underfunded. On average, 1.2+ million people annually purchase a license or licenses to hunt, fish or trap. Requiring each customer to purchase one $5 stamp per year would raise more than $5 million to fund habitat work for our uplands, warm water lakes and streams. Such a stamp would also provide a way for non-consumptive users such as: hikers, nature observers, canoeists, kayakers and recreational boaters to help protect and enhance the resources they are enjoying.
• Question 56. Would you support legislation establishing a $5 annual habitat stamp to fund upland, warm water lakes and streams habitat projects?
• A stamp like this could raise significant fund for habitat restoration and protection, and provides a way for birders, hikers, canoe and kayakers to help protect birds and habitats.

Item 60. Build accessibility cabins in state owned campgrounds (160124)

• Currently (2024), there are only ten accessible cabins in Wisconsin State Park and Forest campgrounds. Of those, eight are full amenity cabins and two are rustic cabins. Full amenity cabins have an accessible shower, electricity, bed with lift, an accessible kitchen, table, and bed with lift. . . . Therefore, seniors, and thousands of others struggling with mobility, are not able to camp in our state parks due to the lack of accessible cabins. Under this resolution, the Wisconsin DNR would be encouraged to build a site appropriate cabin per campground they manage throughout the state, thus giving additional camping opportunities to those with disabilities. [Abbreviated]
• Question 60. Would you support having the Wisconsin DNR’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation build additional site appropriate camper cabins in campgrounds to allow more opportunity for those with physical disabilities to go camping?
• These measures would increase access for birders and nature lovers who have disabilities.

Item 62. Sandhill crane stamp to help farmers experiencing crop damage (390124)

• Wisconsin hosts a large population of sandhill cranes each year. The 2021 fall count for the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes, which includes birds in Wisconsin, was 90,029 sandhill cranes, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The native birds provide value to wildlife watchers and as members of the state’s ecosystem, but they also cause crop damage, the most common and economically important crane management problem. Cranes eat planted seeds, especially corn, and can cause substantial damage in springs the birds gather in germinating agricultural fields. In 2019 USDA Wildlife Services in Wisconsin received 162 complaints regarding sandhill crane damage to crops, with reported damage estimated at $1.2 million, according to the agency. No program currently exists in Wisconsin to assist farmers with crop damage caused by sandhill cranes. Prior to planting, corn can be coated with a product (one commercially available product is called Avipel) that has been proven to deter sandhill cranes from eating the kernels. To help farmers pay for the cost associated with treatment this resolution suggests creating a Sandhill Crane Stamp. Funds raised by stamp sales or donations to the crane stamp program would be used to compensate farmers for treating their corn with a crane deterrent or purchasing pre-treated corn. Stamp purchases would be voluntary and available to the general public.
• Question 62: Would you support legislation that creates a Sandhill Crane Stamp to help farmers reduce crane-caused crop damage?
• Funds raised by stamp sales or donations to the crane stamp program would be used to compensate farmers for treating their corn with a crane deterrent or purchasing pre-treated corn. It provides a way for birders and crane lovers to help protect birds while supporting a responsible and effective solution for Wisconsin’s farmers dealing with crop damage.

The questionnaire will be available online beginning April 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM and remain open through April 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM, so you can make your voice heard even from home.

For more info, visit dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/springhearing.html