Developed by our Legislative/Administrative Committee, these are the long-term guiding principles we support as an organization, identified by major policy area. These principles are reviewed every two years.
Nonpoint Pollution Performance Standards
- Support science-based minimum state nonpoint pollution performance standards for both agricultural and non-agricultural sources to meet clean water goals.
- Support targeted performance standards in areas where implementation of nonpoint pollution performance standards has not resulted in achievement of water quality goals.
- Support other approaches toward meeting water quality goals, such as Total Maximum Daily Loads and phosphorus compliance tools (watershed adaptive management, nutrient pollutant trading, Multi-Discharger Variance, etc.).
- Support continuous peer-reviewed research, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of state nonpoint pollution performance standards at meeting clean water goals.
County Land and Water Resource Management (LWRM) Plans
- Support the LWRM Plan as a locally led foundational planning tool for county conservation program planning, including the implementation of nonpoint pollution performance standards.
- Promote maximum flexibility in LWRM Plan content and format as long as they meet minimum state planning standards
Program Implementation
- Promote cost-effective conservation laws and program policies that recognize and support the diversity of conservation issues and priorities that exist throughout the state.
- Encourage the integration of federal, state and local program implementation efforts into a seamless conservation program at the local level, including data sharing.
- Support maximum local control in implementing conservation programs, including voluntary and regulatory approaches.
Conservation Program Funding
- Promote a sustainable funding source for county conservation programs.
- Promote grants for county-led conservation programs such as watershed protection, nonpoint pollution prevention and abatement, surface/groundwater monitoring, point/nonpoint pollutant trading, invasive species control, shoreland corridor management and restoration, farmland preservation, woodland management, wetland restoration, wildlife habitat management, wildlife damage and abatement, storm water management, mine reclamation, conservation education, and conservation professional training.
- Support designated funding sources (including non-bonding sources) to bolster county conservation program implementation efforts statewide.
- Support the existing state statutory goal of providing minimum base level funding for an average of three conservation staff per county at a cost-share rate of 100/70/50% to implement county LWRM plans [per s. 92.14(6) Wis. Stats].
- Support only policies that promote equitable distribution of funding across counties, and oppose any policies that benefit certain counties at the financial expense of others.
- Support additional “new” funding sources for specific counties, once statutory funding obligations have been satisfied.