Weekly Republican Radio Address: Advancing Water Quality in Wisconsin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 16, 2018

Contact: Senator Robert Cowles: (608) 266-0484

Weekly Republican Radio Address:

Advancing Water Quality in Wisconsin

GREEN BAY– Senator Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) offered the weekly Republican radio address today.

The audio file of this week’s address can be found here:

Below is a written transcript of the address:

Hi, this is State Senator Rob Cowles from Green Bay. Wisconsin is blessed with some of the most abundant, accessible and pristine lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater resources anywhere in the nation. From the high quality trout streams to the more than 1,000 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and more than 15,000 lakes, water is part of Wisconsin’s identity and has been since well before our statehood.

As August is Water Quality Month, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the positive changes made in the past session to help ensure clean water for generations to come. Over the past two years, my Republican colleagues and I passed the Leading on Lead Act to help remove lead water pipes from our communities, provided $4.5 million to upgrade water infrastructure in our most popular State Parks, tripled the funding to water and soil conservation projects, and assisted homeowners with contaminated wells to have clean drinking water.

These changes have only been enhanced by legislative changes authored in previous sessions, including bills to ban plastic microbeads, combat the spread of invasive species, incentivize businesses to prevent phosphorus pollution, and ensure property remediation efforts in instances of lake and river contamination.

Wisconsin residents rely on clean and safe water not only for their health and safety, but also for recreation, which has a huge effect on our economy. While the Legislature has made progress towards this mission, water quality must be an ongoing priority for both myself and the entire Legislature. I’m proud to work with my colleagues and the experts in our state agencies to create action and provide even more drinkable, fishable, and swimmable water to Wisconsinites.

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