By David Krier

Boscobel

To the Editor:

Last week, State Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Representative Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) held listening sessions in southwest Wisconsin promoting their bill that would require the approval of all cities, towns and villages within 90 days of a request by a developer to build a wind or solar farm. Their hypocrisy with regard to local control is mind boggling. Why? Because less than a year ago both voted to do the exact opposite when if comes to regulating Concentrated Animal Feed Operations, or CAFOs.

Both voted in support of the so-called Protect Our Farms act (AB957 and SB892) that would have prohibited local governments from regulating odor, pollution and other problems associated with factory farms. The bill passed both bodies, but was vetoed by Governor Evers.

With up to 1,750 hogs and 700 dairy cattle each, these are not your grandfather’s farm. There’s big money on the line by corporate stakeholders with deep pockets. In the past 10 years, the state’s agricultural industry has contributed $2.7 million to Republican lawmakers to help get their way, including $326,556 to Marklein. Since the law was vetoed, CAFO developers have turned to the courts to get their way, suing small towns through Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. Unable to afford these costly lawsuits, many municipalities simply drop their opposition to proposed CAFOs and their potential health and lifestyle costs.

No one wants new development moving in next door, be it a wind turbine, factory farm, or low income housing. But don’t let politicians tell you they’re promoting and preserving local control when they’re not. My property taxes have doubled in the past 10 years due to cuts in education and aid to municipalities. How about doing something about that?