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Meyer Critical Of Parts Of DNR Reorganization

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

The  D-N-R unveils a major reorganization this week that consolidates most air-and-water pollution enforcement into one division -- and moves hot-button issues to a new unit that supports businesses. Officials say the changes are designed to make the agency more responsive to all its users -- from business-and-farm permit applicants to hunters and anglers. It comes amid an 18-percent decline in the D-N-R's workforce over the past 20 years. The new Business Support and External Services unit is planned as a "one-stop" center for business help.

Former DNR Secretary George Meyer says while some changes made sense, he says this change has him concerned ....

".....stream and shoreline alterations, shoreland zoning, runoff pollution from agriculture to urban areas, wetlands protections, they're all being moved into a separate business outreach division, away from water pollution and water quality programs...."

 The unit also includes scientific research, which lost its own division in the new state budget with 18 employees cut. The combined air-and-water unit is designed to more closely align the agency with the federal E-P-A, which has said the state needs to work faster to update its air pollution rules.

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