August, 1999 
Vol. 3, No. 8
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Table of Contents

Gov. Thompson's Duplicate NRDA Wastes Money & Endangers River PCB Cleanup
Restoring the Fox River - The PCB Release and Pathways Report
What is an Environmental Group? Industry and Government Agencies try to impersonate Enviros
Characteristics of a Front Group
A Classic Front Group: Fox-Wolf Basin 2000
Does This Look Like an Environmental Group?
Characteristics of a True Environmental Group
Thompson's DNR excuses Fort James from Liability
What You Can Do

Gov. Thompson's Duplicate NRDA Wastes Money & Endangers River PCB Cleanup

Gov. Thompson's DNR is starting a duplicate Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) of the Fox River PCB sediment contamination, when a major federal assessment has already been underway for more than 3 years.

This is a clear duplication and waste of effort.  It sets up two competing Assessments, state vs. federal, which endangers the consistency of a legal case to 
enforce the cleanup.

Worse yet, the polluting industries have been allowed to select the consultants who will write the Assessment for Thompson's DNR, which will likely result in a biased Assessment.

Clean Water Action Council and Wisconsin's Environmental Decade have called on Gov. Thompson to cancel this duplicate state process, and instead work in a truly cooperative manner to help the federal goverment complete its Assessment. 

The Fox River cleanup is too important to be sabotaged by the state in this manner.

The state just announced it is asking people to review and comment on the first stage of their NRDA planning effort, with a comment deadline of Sept. 7th. 

This first stage was already completed for the federal NRDA long ago.  Several portions of the final federal Assessment have already been completed.

Our Concerns:

1.  Lack of cooperation and hostility from the state --- More than a year ago, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offered to expand its Assessment to include the state's involvement and issues, and even offered to give the state the leadership role, but the state rejected the offer --- pushing instead for total state control of the Fox River cleanup, in hopes of driving the federal agencies away.   Despite DNR's public claim to be working cooperatively with the federal government, this duplicate Assessment is another example of  Thomson's DNR's hostility to the federal government and their unwillingness to share responsibilities.  Gov. Thompson has repeatedly objected to the federal government's involvement in this problem, despite the multi-state, even international, impacts of the PCB contamination.

2.  Secrecy --- The state failed to notify its federal "partners" or the public about this state Assessment, until their surprise announcement --- even though they all participate in weekly conference calls to help coordinate federal and state work.     Such repeated surprises from Thompson's DNR drive a greater wedge between federal and state agency staff members who need to work with and trust each other on this important case.

3.  Duplication of effort --- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already has 90 experts involved in different technical aspects of the federal Assessment, and they've already completed several years of work and several reports to the public.   Why wouldn't the state take advantage of this major federal investment? Gov. Thompson is ignoring the clear financial, legal and technical advantages of working 
cooperatively with federal partners on the case.   The federal government has far more resources and experience in preparing and completing Assessments.  The state's actions are a classic example of government waste.

4.  Confuses the public --- The public is already confused about the differences between Superfund and the NRDA.  The state's unnecessary duplicate Assessment will further this confusion, which makes people feel inadequate and discourages citizen involvement.   This feeds the public's general distrust and dissatisfaction with the government.

5.  Wastes citizen involvement --Gov. Thompson is wasting citizens' time by forcing us to duplicate our volunteer time to study and critique an unnecessary lengthy technical document, and to attend duplicate public meetings --- a clear case of overkill which will discourage citizen involvement in truly important Fox River efforts yet to come.

6.  A corrupt "Sweetheart Deal" with the Governor --- This duplicate state Assessment is the direct result of a surprise announcement in January 1997, a secret deal between Gov. Thompson and the paper industries responsible for the PCB contamination.   That contract required the industries to provide $10 million for a demonstration project, studies, habitat work, and a state NRDA.   The 
contract gave the Fox River polluters unusual control over all these activities, and in many ways tied the hands of DNR staff.   All major state contracts of this sort must have the direct approval of the Governor.

7.  Campaign Contributions --We believe the Governor's decision was swayed by the $155,000 in campaign contributions he  received from the paper industry, plus millions of dolloars of donations from lawyers, insurance companies, bankers, and other businesses associated with the paper industry. This information was documented in a DNR Watch report last August, which is posted to our webpage  (under Fox River issues) at: www.cwac.net

8.  Biased consultants, dueling experts - Under Gov. Thompson's 1997 sweetheart contract, the Fox River polluters are the only parties allowed to nominate the consultants to write the state's NRDA.   This creates the high likelihood of a pro-industry, biased Assessment.   Worse yet, Thompson's DNR will give the industry consultants' opinions legitimacy through endorsement by the Wisconsin state government.   If the Fox River case goes to court, this means the state's (the polluters') experts could have widely different technical opinions and recommendations when compared with the federal experts, which could endanger the government's legal case for enforcing a cleanup.  Gov. Thompson deliberately created this major conflict. 

9.  No public consultation --- The Governor's 1997 sweetheart contract was a surprise deal signed without public or federal consultation, yet it is driving the most important efforts the DNR is making on the Fox River, including the recent DNR deal with Fort James Corporation to release the company from all liabilities as a result of a partial cleanup of their PCB hotspot in the river. (See related article on Page 8.)  This dictatorial style of decision-making should not be tolerated in a democracy.

Background on the NRDA

A Natural Resources Damage Assessment (under the U.S. Dept. of Interior -- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) identifies and quantifies potential injuries to natural resources from the PCB contamination of the Fox River and Green Bay sediments, including an economic damage assessment, and then determines actions and costs to restore contaminated areas.  Actions can include sediment cleanup, habitat restoration, other wildlife enhancement activities, human recreational enhancements, etc. The polluters are required to pay for the losses and help restore the natural resources through funding or direct action.  The NRDA can result in legal enforcement actions or lawsuits, but usually results in out-of-court settlements. 

Superfund, a different federal program under U.S. EPA control, only requires direct PCB cleanup, but includes human health as well as wildlife damage in its calculations, and money is provided up front to accomplish cleanup, regardless of whether a settlement with polluters has occurred yet.  The polluters are billed for the costs.

The two federal programs are complimentary and provide different kinds of information and different enforcement mechanisms.   The federal agencies work well together in their different roles.

What You Can Do

Please write to your elected representatives and tell them how you feel about this state NRDA.

Contact Wisconsin Governor Thompson

Governor Tommy Thompson 
Room 115 East, State Capitol 
P.O. Box 7863 
Madison, WI 53707 
Ph: 608-266-1212 
FAX: 608-267-8983 
wisgov@mail.state.wi.us
Contact your Wisconsin State Legislators Online & Toll-Free
Representatives: Email & Web Page Addresses and Toll-Free Numbers
SenatorsEmail & Web Page Addresses
Write a Letter to Your Wisconsin State Legislators
State Senator 
P.O. Box 7882 
Madison, WI  53707 

State Rep.    (Last Name, A thru L) 
P.O. Box 8952 
Madison, WI  53708 

State Rep.    (Last Name, Mc thru Z) 
P.O. Box 8953 
Madison, WI  53708 

(If you don’t know who your elected state representatives are, 
call the Legislative Hotline 1-800-362-9472  on weekdays.) 

Write to DNR

Please write also to DNR and tell them how you feel, because they are collecting the official comments on the NRDA startup plan.   Comments are due on September 7.

The plan describes how DNR intends to conduct the Assessment. It's available for public review at libraries from Oshkosh to Door County.  It's also on the DNR website: www.dnr.state.wi.us.

Write to:

 Mr. Greg Hill
 Wisconsin DNR, WT/2
 101 S. Webster Street
 P.O. Box 7921
 Madison, WI  53707-7921 

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Restoring the Fox River
The PCB Release and Pathways Report

One of a series of determinations from the federal Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) for the Fox River and Green Bay

Important Public Meeting about the NRDA

Come and learn how PCBs spread into the ecosystem, and about the impacts to fish, wildlife and humans of the Fox River, Green Bay and portions of Lake Michigan.

Monday, August 30

7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Brown County Library
515 Pine Street, downtown Green Bay

The library and parking are found on the northwest corner of Pine 
and Monroe Streets in downtown Green Bay, east of the 
Fox River, near Hwy 29 downtown

Scheduled speakers include:  David Allen, NRDA specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office --- plus Updates from Fox River Intergovernmental Partners (U.S. EPA, Wisconsin DNR, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Menominee 
Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin).

For more information contact:
Larry Dean, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 612-713-5312
David Allen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 920-465-7407

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What is an Environmental Group?
Industry and Government Agencies try to impersonate Enviros

"If you can't shut them up, just replace them with a domesticated group under your own control."    In recent years, this seems to be the new method of attack on citizen environmental groups. 

Unfortunately, the method is so subtle that many citizens fall for the trick, and buy into the arguments of the new "environmental" groups, which are actually front groups for industry, government agencies, or other anti-environmental interests. 

Characteristics of a Front Group

1.  Questionable Money --- Funded primarily by those who benefit from the groups actions. Polluting industries might benefit financially.  Government agencies might get more public support for the agencies' chosen priorities, or divert attention from their inaction or less-popular policies.

2.  Questionable Leaders ---Controlled by a Board of Directors favorable to the founders who will benefit.

3.  Hidden Agenda --- Serves the founder's agenda, not necessarily the public's best interest.

4.  Good-Ole-Boy Politics --- Works with politically powerful community and business leaders and avoids association with activist citizen groups. 

5.  Displaces Enviro Efforts --- May take over popular activities which had traditionally been done to build support for true non-profit citizen environmental groups.

6.  Contradicts Enviros --- Publicly contradicts the policy positions of true environmental groups, which confuses the public and news media, and undercuts support.

7.  Direct Financial Competition --- Uses generous government or industry funds to flood local residents with multiple attractive mailed membership appeals done with professional artwork and high quality paper.   These appeals promise to work on a wide range of popular issues, while claiming that the group works solely for the public interest and the betterment of the environment. Meanwhile, many legitimate local citizen groups can't afford to match this effort, so they're swamped-out.

8.  Numerous Paid Staff --- Run by numerous well-paid full-time staff. Most true local environmental groups operate without secretarial or professional assistance, and often without pay. They often have other jobs to make ends meet, and can't match the sheer work output of the front groups.

9.  Useless Activities --- Love to waste people's time with feel-good but empty meetings and committees which bring together dozens of different interests with little hope of significant improvement for environmental issues. They emphasize "partnerships," "cooperative approaches," "consensus-building," "dialog," and other "inclusive" processes.   They schmooze with everyone, just like bad politicians, while taking only middle-of-the-road positions on controversial issues.  They change their positions to suit the person they're talking with at the time.

Some front groups divert public attention to tame activities or popular issues which can't hurt the founders in any way.

Meanwhile, true environmental groups use the proven and time-honored democracy techniques of public education, outspoken advocacy, public testimony, media coverage, petitions, letters, direct lobbying, and occasional lawsuits.

10.  Some Positive Activities --- Includes some positive work which helps the front groups establish credibility, which they then use to promote anti-environmental positions on other critical issues.

11.  Character Assassination --- Makes frequent disparaging remarks about true environmental groups.   Calls citizen groups "confrontational," "adversarial," or "extreme,"  in order to discredit citizens who are legitimately outraged by serious pollution and government inaction.   At the same time, front groups claim to  represent the new wave of smarter, more reasonable, "moderate" environmentalists. Spreads discontent and falsehoods about environmental leaders.

The Outcome

Obviously, the tactics listed above starve legitimate local environmental groups and render them less effective.   The front groups marginalize, undercut and replace legitimate citizen input.  A great deal of citizen energy and money is diverted to supporting the front groups.  Innocent people think they're doing the right thing, when in fact they're being used for a hidden agenda.

A Classic Front Group: Fox-Wolf Basin 2000

Fox-Wolf Basin 2000 was established about 9 years ago by a coalition of industry and government agencies to find "cost effective" approaches to river cleanup.   The group put its money and focus on non-point pollution (land run-off) and fertilizing nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, in part to draw public attention away from PCBs and other toxic pollution of local dischargers, and also to allow industries and sewage treatment plants like Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District to shift blame for excess waterborne pollutants to farmers, homeowners and livestock. 

This is not to say that nonpoint pollution isn't important.  It is, but in this case the 
messenger's motives and activities are highly suspect. 

Fox-Wolf Basin 2000 built support by providing generous grants to  local university professors to get them involved in legitimizing the effort.   They also recruited government agencies working on non-point pollution to its Board of Directors, to give it more credibility.

The non-point focus allows Fox-Wolf Basin 2000 to argue repeatedly that "we're all responsible" (which may be true for non-point, but not for PCBs.)  They've helped Fox River wastewater dischargers orchestrate public perceptions and have succeeded in shifting entire government processes, such as the 14-year Remedial Action Plan process, to educating the public primarily about non-point pollution and personal responsibility. 

But nonpoint pollution work can't hide FWB2000's anti-environmental positions on PCB cleanup in the Fox River.

Diversionary Tactics

We've heard from several reliable sources that Bruce Johnson, FWB2000's executive director, is lobbying decision-makers and saying the PCB issue is "overblown" and that non-point pollution is the only important Fox River issue to address.  We know of no true environmental group in Wisconsin which would deliberately downplay PCB cleanup of the Fox River.

This creates a strange competition between two fundamentally different kinds of serious environmental concerns: toxics and excess nutrients.  Johnson's argument is like saying a man's right leg is more important than his left leg.   Even if non-point pollution problems were addressed, the Fox-Wolf ecosystem would not be healthy (and duck- and fish-eaters would still be at serious risk) as long as the system holds elevated toxics.   Unfortunately, we've heard several local officials repeat FWB2000's claims, so they have had an effect.

FWB2000 also contradicts the Fox River and Green Bay Remedial Action Plan released in 1988, which chose 5 high-priority issues, including "Reduce Availability of Toxic Chemicals from Contaminated Sediments" and "Eliminate Toxicity of Industrial, Municipal and other Point Sources."

Misleading Donors

FWB2000's lobbying position also violates the trust of hundreds of citizens lured by direct mail appeals into donating to the organization.   Their appeal states, "The threats facing all or portions of the waters of the Fox-Wolf Basin are many..."  and claims a long list of problems FWB2000 supposedly addresses, including "PCB contaminated sediments." 

We have observed several years of Johnson's work on PCBs, and he has never seemed a strong advocate, preferring instead to quietly sit in the middle of the issue as the supposed "environmental" representative.   In fact, at a recent meeting of DNR's new Contaminated Sediment Advisory Committee in Madison, Bruce occupied the one "environmental" slot on the committee and didn't say a word all day.   He allowed the paper industry lawyers to dominate the discussion without comment.   And he missed the second meeting entirely.

We doubt this is the kind of environmental advocacy citizen donors expect when they send their hard-earned dollars to FWB2000.

Supports Anti-Federal Industry Position

Bruce Johnson claimed recently that FWB2000 has no official position on Superfund, but his actions say otherwise. In addition to the private lobbying cited above, he has frequently said publicly that he supports a "local solution" which is political double-speak for opposition to federal involvement and Superfund.     Winnebago County Board members supported FWB2000's bid for the EPA $50,000 TAG grant specifically because FWB2000 was considered anti-Superfund.  The Board members wouldn't have stated this understanding in the news media if they didn't have grounds for this belief. 

At press conferences and public forums organized by the Fox River Coalition, Johnson implied FWB2000's opposition to the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and his support for a "local cooperative approach" to the problem. His position deliberately contradicted numerous resolutions and positions taken by legitimate environmental and conservation groups from Northeast Wisconsin.  He sounded exactly like his 
industry funders. 

In fact, Johnson chaired the public relations committee of the Fox River Coalition, which issued false press releases claiming that the river cleanup was already underway back in 1995. 

Useless Mediation Push

More recently, Johnson has pushed pointlessly to make himself the centerpiece of a "third party mediated negotiation process on PCB contaminated sediments" which everyone has rightly ignored because the technical issues and proposed plans need to be fleshed out before worthwhile negotiations can occur.   The bottom line is that negotiations will occur whether Johnson is involved or not, so his actions serve no purpose other than to confuse the public and claim success once the negotiations start.

Timing is Everything

FWB2000's counterproductive actions come at a critical time, when the river PCB cleanup plan is due to be finalized this coming year and widespread public input and support is needed. 

Attacking Enviros

To top this off, Johnson has gone out of his way to publicly discredit Clean Water Action Council, and our Executive Director Rebecca Katers personally.  He has repeatedly discounted us as "confrontational," "adversarial," and "extremist" at public and private meetings. 

This continuous character assassination is highly unusual for a group claiming to be 
"environmental."   FWB2000 recently devoted 7 pages of its 12 page newsletter to criticizing Katers and Clean Water Action Council.  In the newsletter, FWB2000 implies that Clean Water Action Council consists of  "just an elite few who 
seek to impose their will on others, unmindful of the consequences."   This noxious 
piece was undoubtedly sent to thousands of people in our area. 

Replacing Enviros

FWB2000's President, Bruce Bushweiler, is quoted in a recent newsletter claiming that his "vision for Fox-Wolf Basin 2000 is to become the umbrella organization for all environmental issues in the Fox-Wolf Basin."   Bushweiler is a government employee working for the Waupaca Co. Land & Water Conservation Department.
Imagine an industry and government alliance pretending to speak for all citizen 
environmentalists in Northeast Wisconsin.

Direct Financial Sabotage

Now, we've been told by the Green Bay Community Foundation that they, and other Fox River Valley foundations, might have been interested in supporting us with grants in the future, but because of Bruce Johnson's recent lobbying visit to their office, and his negative comments about us, they would not fund Clean Water Action Council. 

Needless to say, we don't appreciate being sabotaged in this way, and view this as a direct industry and government attack on the viability of our organization.

TAG Complaints

In addition, every time we turn around, we hear about complaints from FWB2000 
supporters who object to our receiving the EPA Technical Assistance Grant.  They continue to contest the EPA's grant decision, because FWB2000 didn't get the grant.   Now they want to increase our workload by demanding ongoing paperwork about every expenditure we make under the grant (on top of the detailed government reporting we already have to do, and the $2,000 formal audit we must perform --- at our cost --- at the end of the year.)   It seems that FWB2000 and its powerful friends intend to continue this petty harassment throughout the grant period.

Government Funding Used to Attack Enviros

The truth is, we could ask the same accounting questions about the hundreds of thousands of dollars of government support FWB2000 has received.  These taxdollars are being used to attack us, and we have every right to know how each penny was spent to promote industry arguments and undercut citizen involvement.    We'll be filing Freedom of Information Act requests with all FWB2000 funders shortly, asking for the details of how government funds were used, and how much money and staff time government agencies are using to promote FWB2000 and to disable legitimate citizen groups.

We Have to Respond

We have tried for years to ignore FWB2000, and just let the group work on non-point pollution, but it's clear now we must defend ourselves.  The situation has become intolerable. 

FWB2000 is a classic front group for industry, and part of a dangerous international corporate trend.   These groups are popping up all over the world to neutralize and eliminate the efforts of legitimate citizen groups.

It's extremely important to expose front groups like FWB2000 before more serious damage is done. 

Please spread the word....

Does This Look Like an Environmental Group?
 
Fox/Wolf Basin 2000 has been funded as follows
$617,026
Fox River Dischargers:
(Fort Howard or Fort  James Corp., Menasha  Corp., Green Bay 
Metropolitan Sewerage District)
64%

 
$142,530
Government
(including the Cities of  Green Bay, DePere, and Appleton, the Oneida Tribe, DNR, EPA, Manitowoc County, and theWis. Dept. of Ag., Trade and Consumer   Protection)
15%
$65,903
Business and Consulting 
Contracts (not including Fox River Dischargers)
6.8%
$78,794
Foundations
8.2%
$13,500
Lawsuit Settlement with Shade-Allied
1.4%
$15,175
Interest/Other Income
1.6%
$8,449
Report Sales, Program  Fees, Events
0.9%
$11,300
Major Donors (unknown)
1.2% 
$14,477
Individual Donors (unknown)
1.5%
$967,154  TOTAL

  Source:  Fox-Wolf Basin Link, a quarterly publication of 
Fox-Wolf Basin 2000,  Vol. 2, No. 1, page 3, 1999


Fox/Wolf Basin 2000 is controlled by people 
with the following affiliations:

  Executive Committee
3   Government agencies or local elected officials 
4   Business & industry, including 2  Fox River Dischargers (Menasha Corporation and Green Bay Metro Sewerage District) 
1   University/college professor
1   Unknown affiliation
  Board Members
4   Government agencies or local  elected officials 
4   Business & industry, including 4 Fox River Dischargers (Appleton Papers, Green Lake Sanitary District, Minergy, and 
Wisconsin Public Service)
1   University/college professor
1   Environmental? Group
1   Boating Group
1   Unknown Affiliation
  Legislative Liaisons
4   Republican Legislators
  Agency Liaisons
9   Government Agencies
  Board Members Emeritus
1   Government official
4   Business & Industry, including 1 Fox River Discharger  (Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District)
  Advisors
3   Chamber of Commerce (Business & Industry)
1   University/College Professor

Source: Fox-Wolf Basin Link, a quarterly publication 
of Fox-Wolf Basin 2000, Vol. 2, No. 1 , page 9, 1999

Characteristics of a True Environmental Group

1. Funded primarily by a large number of small private citizen donations and independent foundation grants. 

2. Controlled by a Board of Directors made up of several independent private citizens who have few or no ties to the governments, industries, or other potential environmental threats the group is supposed to be watchdogging.

3. Serves the public interest and promotes citizen rights and involvement, with no intent to promote self interests or private financial gain. Operates as a non-profit public service group.

4.  Works cooperatively with and supports other non-profit public interest groups and avoids publicly criticizing other legitimate citizen groups.  Tries not to waste citizen efforts by duplicating, contradicting or replacing work already being done by other legitimate groups.

5.  Uses money efficiently.  Pays only modest or no salaries.  Targets funds toward direct actions with maximum impact.

6.  Speaks out publicly in support of strong pro-environmental actions, though this may irritate government officials, industry, or other responsible parties.   Doesn't cut deals which compromise public health or the environment.   Doesn't sit in the middle of issues and doesn't mediate, but rather acts as a strong advocate for positive change.

7.  Maintains credibility by being honest and upfront about the group's position on issues.  Checks facts being presented, and admits mistakes when they're made.   Doesn't pretend to be friendly with opponents, and doesn't try to present a false image to the media.

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Thompson's DNR excuses Fort James from Liability

Thompson's DNR recently announced a new secret deal with Fort James Corp. in Green Bay.   In exchange for another $2 million towards the "demonstration"  project at the 56/57 PCB hotspot in the Fox River downstream from their mill, the DNR signed a contract releasing the company from any future cleanup liability at that site. 

Our concerns:

1.  No Public Consultation  --- This is another secret Thompson deal with no prior notice and no public discussion.   This is not the project which was taken to public hearings over the past year --- there was no mention at those hearings that Fort James would get this liability exemption.  How can Thompson change the project so drastically after all the public comment periods have ended?

2.  Worst Hotspot 1/3 Excused --This is the most concentrated PCB hotspot in the entire 39 miles of the Fox River.   It contains 120,000 cubic  yards of contaminated sediments, but the "demonstration" project will take out only 80,000 cubic yards --- leaving one third of the hotspot behind.   For a project costing $9 million, this liability waiver may equal roughly a $3-4 million avoided cost for Fort James Corp.

3.  Cheap Project Now Cheaper --- We had already opposed this project because they weren't trying to detoxify the worst PCB sediments.  DNR wanted to keep costs down.

4.  Who Cleans Up Next? --- When a 10 foot deep hole is cut in the middle of a flowing river, the sediments will shift and fill the hole again.   Since all the sediments in this stretch of the river are contaminated, this means the hotspot will require dredging again as part of the overall river cleanup.  In fact, serious hotspots upstream may simply shift down into this hole --- but Fort James will no longer be held responsible.   So who will pay for this?  Taxpayers? 

5.  Final Cleanup? --- We've protested this project from the beginning, but were always told this was not the final cleanup of this site.   Now Thompson's DNR seems to be saying they have no intention of coming back for the rest of this hotspot. This may be all we get.

6.  Precedent for the Whole River?  It might seem that the other six paper companies responsible for the PCBs might be upset about this deal, because they might have to cover Fort James' portion of the rest of the hotspot liability --- but  if one company can escape 1/3 of its responsibility for the worst hotspot in the river, what does this say about DNR's intentions for the rest of the river.?  Perhaps the other companies expect to reduce their liabilities by1/3 now. 

7.  Federal Options?  It's not clear how the deal affects the EPA's and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's river cleanup efforts.  They may still be able to enforce a total cleanup of the 56/57 hotspot, if the river gets the Superfund designation

8.  Lies from Public Officials --- It's outrageous that we can't trust our state government to tell us the facts and their true intentions before they sign contracts. DNR Secretary Meyer claimed the remaining 1/3 of the sediment met DNR's cleanup target of .25 ppm PCBs average --- a glaring falsehood.  If DNR is fudging such obvious numbers, how can we trust anything else they say?

What You Can Do

Contact Your Elected Officials

Contact Wisconsin Governor Thompson

Governor Tommy Thompson 
Room 115 East, State Capitol 
P.O. Box 7863 
Madison, WI 53707 
Ph: 608-266-1212 
FAX: 608-267-8983 
wisgov@mail.state.wi.us
Contact your Wisconsin State LegislatorsOnline & Toll-Free
Representatives: Email & Web Page Addresses and Toll-Free Numbers
SenatorsEmail & Web Page Addresses
Write a Letter to Your Wisconsin State Legislators
State Senator 
P.O. Box 7882 
Madison, WI  53707 

State Rep.    (Last Name, A thru L) 
P.O. Box 8952 
Madison, WI  53708 

State Rep.    (Last Name, Mc thru Z) 
P.O. Box 8953 
Madison, WI  53708 

(If you don’t know who your elected state representatives are, 
call the Legislative Hotline 1-800-362-9472  on weekdays.) 

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