2011-08-30 Senate Journal

The Groundwater Coordinating Council (GCC) is pleased to release its 2011 Report to the Legislature. The GCC was formed in 1984 to help state agencies coordinate non-regulatory activities and exchange information on groundwater. For the past 27 years, the GCC has served as a model for interagency coordination and cooperation among state agencies, the Governor, local and federal government, and the university. It is one of the few groups in the nation to effectively coordinate groundwater activities in its state from an advisory position.

S430 This report summarizes and provides links to information on GCC and agency activities related to groundwater protection and management in FY 11 (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011). The links also provide information on the condition of the groundwater resource. At the end of this report are the GCC's recommendations titled Directions for Future Groundwater Protection. (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/gcc/rtl/2011/Report/Recommendations.doc). The report and supporting materials will be made available online at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/gcc/rtl/gccreport2011.htm.

Highlights of the State's groundwater protection activities this past year include:

Research and monitoring contributing to our understanding of many groundwater issues including: nitrate, mercury methylation, biofuel cropping, antibiotics, climate change, water use, and fecal contamination.

Implementation of the Great Lakes Compact (2008 Wisconsin Act 227).

The Water Resources Library made considerable progress in providing full-text reports of UWS and DNR groundwater monitoring and research projects through the UW Ecology and Natural Resources Digital Collection at http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/EcoNatRes.Groundwater.

We hope you will find this report to be a useful reference in protecting Wisconsin's valuable groundwater resource.

Sincerely,

Ken Johnson

Chair

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Advice and Consent of the Senate

State of Wisconsin

Office of the Governor

August 26, 2011

The Honorable, The Senate:

This letter is to remove the following appointment from consideration for confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate:

LANDreMAN, STEVEN, of Kenosha, as a member of the Earned Early Release Review Commission to serve for the term ending March 1, 2013.

Respectfully submitted,

SCOTT WALKER

Governor

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Referrals and Receipt of Committee Reports Concerning Proposed Administrative Rules

The committee on Natural Resources and Environment reports and recommends:

Senate Clearinghouse Rule 07-082

Relating to ambient air quality standards and affecting small business.

No action taken.

Neal Kedzie

Chairperson

Referred to joint committee for review of Administrative Rules, pursuant to 227.19(5)(a),Wisconsin Statutes.