Good to Know Info

The Department of Natural Resources has announced the roll-out of the draft Wisconsin River Basin Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan, which is set for Wednesday, February 21st.

The DNR will conduct a webinar at 1:00 p.m. on the 21st to provide the public with an overview of the TMDL and an outline of how the plan aims to reduce phosphorus loads in the waters throughout the basin.

The following public informational meetings will give more details of the TMDL and the ability to provide input:

• Monday, March 5th – Rhinelander: 1-4 p.m., at the Quality Inn (668 W Kemp St., Rhinelander, WI 54501)

• Tuesday, March 6th – Stevens Point: 10 a.m.-noon and 4-6 p.m., at the Portage County Courthouse Annex Building (1462 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point, WI 54481)

• Wednesday, March 14th – Portage: 10 a.m.-noon and 4-6 p.m., at the Portage Public Library (253 W Edgewater St., Portage, WI 53901)

For those unable to attend these meetings, email your comments on the draft TMDL plan released on February 21st to DNRWisconsinRiverTMDL@wisconsin.gov

or mail written comments to:

Kevin Kirsch
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
PO Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921

A project study area map can be found here.
 

In Progress Legislation

Tying It All Together

This past week a bill that I am proud to be a co-sponsor of received a bill number as all bills do. Unlike other bills, this bill will have a magnificent impact on rural WI. AB912 is known as the Rural Economic Development Fund. We heard in Governor Walker’s State of the State of his support for the concept of investing $50M into the economies of Rural WI. This bill is the start of a proposed 20-year fund totaling $1 Billion directed into rural areas of the state into programs run by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) A list of programs can be found at https://wedc.org/community/.

As you would see from that website programs that invest in the development of significant destination attractions, rehabilitation and reuse of underutilized or landmark buildings, historic preservation, infrastructure efforts, and mixed-use developments are among those projects eligible. Wood, Adams, Waushara and Portage County are all areas of the state that have ongoing projects fitting all the requirements of the bill. From the ongoing growth in Rome at Sand Valley and the industrial park, to the expansion plans of Stone Ridge Meats in Coloma and Wautoma, to the certified site in Wisconsin Rapids and the Idle Site project at the former Domtar paper mill in Port Edwards, this area can benefit heavily from this investment.

Sometimes it may be difficult to put together all the success of a legislative session piece by piece, but this development fund starts to tie it all together for our future success in Central WI. This session I have been proud to be a member of the Rural WI Initiative and of the success of this effort. You can follow the RWI here which has much more information about the proposals that have passed so far in this legislative package. The members of the RWI have been instrumental in bringing improved broadband access, increased rural school funds, advancements in the quality of rural health care, improved opportunities for workforce development and more.

The attention and time spent by the legislature this session on issues critical to rural Wisconsin will help continue to improve the desire of people to live, work, play and stay right here in rural areas of the state for a long time to come. Imagine a day when our children and grandchildren no longer feel the urge to head to places outside of Wisconsin after graduation, a day when holiday travels can take minutes instead of hours, a day when we become a brain gain state and leave our brain drain days behind. That time has arrived with the Wisconsin Works for Everyone agenda, the Rural Wisconsin Initiative, The Rural Economic Development Fund, the historic investments in K-12 education and of course the creation of a new high-tech manufacturing industry with the arrival of FoxConn and other related businesses. I’m proud we have been able to accomplish so much in this legislative session and there is more to come.

As always please feel free to call, email, text or visit me. I’m almost always available to talk or visit whether here at home or in Madison.

Scott Krug
State Representative 72^nd Assembly District.