BOAR DIRECTOQS TIM JACOBSON President '3 - ARLEN CHRISTENSON Founding President DAN COLLINS Treasurer If {9.3 JIM GOODMAN DAVE CLAUSEN HELEN SA Vice President MELISSA SCANLAN Founder KELLY PARKS GORDON STEVENSON Secretary STEPHANIE TAJ V. STAFF KIMBERLEE WRIGHT ETSY LAWTON JIMMY PARRA Sin"? TRESSIE KAMP SARAH 37:5"; STACY HARBALJGH Tia-3321'" :r LAUREN RUDERSDORF F.- our JODI HABUSH SINYKI 'jf . a; Midwest Environmental Advocates August 12, 2015 BY US. AND ELECTRONIC MAIL Wood County Board of Supervisors Wood County Courthouse Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495 To the Wood County Board ofSupervisors: Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc., (MEA) supports the efforts ofWood County officials to enact a local ordinance that would protect the water resources ofyour county and acknowledge the importance ofwater quality for all Wisconsinites. MBA is a non-profit environmental law center that provides legal and technical assistance to communities and families working for clean air, clean water, and clean government. By enacting an ordinance to protect the public health ofWood County residents, your county would join other Wisconsin counties that have enacted protective ordinances without legal challenge. Indeed, your draft ordinance refers to numerous provisions ofstate statute and regulation that give local governments the authority to enact such ordinances. Furthermore, Wisconsin?s livestock siting law envisions areas oflocal control and expertise, and MBA urges Wood County officials not to respond to unsubstantiated concerns regarding legal challenge by abandoning your ordinance efforts. Instead, Wood County officials may refer concerns to resident sources of information such as your county conservationist and other local experts who have a breadth of pertinent knowledge. It is also important to call out as a falsity any argument that smaller farms are broadly exempt from water quality requirements such as nutrient management planning. County conservationists and staff from agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service are tasked in part with monitoring smaller farming operations? compliance with applicable local and state laws. Most significantly, MEA urges Board Supervisors to question general statements that water quality is not a concern in Wood County. Our understanding is that a committed, knowledgeable group ofWood County 612 MAIN STREEY, SUETE 302' P1 608.251.5047 608.268.0205 residents have proactively gathered monitoring data that demonstrates both a level and type ofcontaminants that cause concern regarding agricultural-related pollution. It is incumbent upon local officials such as yourselves to collaborate with your resident water monitors and discuss data gathered before arriving at a conclusion regarding the status of Wood County?s water quality. Opponents to the ordinance?s countywide applicability should review the approaches taken by other counties in response to similar arguments. It is simply not the case that the only alternative to a county ordinance is abandonment oflocal efforts to respond to the negative public health ramifications of poor water quality. Finally, MEA encourages you not to act upon blanket, unsupported statements that your ordinance efforts would result in negative economic impacts or local attempts at agricultural innovation. Indeed, other local Wisconsin governments are enacting protective ordinances for the very purpose ofguarding sustainable local economies. Please don?t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns. Sincerely, Tressie Kamp Staff Attorney MIDWEST ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES, INC.