In Wisconsin, legislation is moving through the statehouse that would roll back the state’s wetlands development regulations, according to The Cap Times. The bill was proposed by Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke and in its original form proposed opening up one million acres of wetlands to development. Pushback from conservation groups and Democrats has led to a modified version of the bill, which is making its way to a floor vote.
Wetlands comprise about one-seventh of Wisconsin’s acreage. The state regulates about 1 million acres of wetlands, which is what the original bill proposed opening up to development. The rest are regulated by the federal government. A revised version of the bill only opens 100,000 acres to development, but environmental advocates say the bill still threatens the state’s wildlife and natural resources.
Backers of the bill include developers, alongside the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, and the Wisconsin Realtors Association. Opponents include the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin Farmers Union, and several hunting groups.