WMC and aquatic professionals in Wisconsin testified in support of AB 318 before the Assembly Committee on Environment. This legislation would allow licensed applicators to treat invasive or nuisance weeds in small private ponds without a permit. All of Wisconsin’s neighbors already provide a similar permit exemption.
During the hearing, Scott Schara and Joe Gangl of The Pond People testified and highlighted how they are already regulated by both DATCP and U.S. EPA, and how the additional red tape imposed by DNR is a misuse of state resources. Brian Suffern with Solitude Lake Management provided background on his decades of experience with aquatic plant management, and how the current permit requirement simply delays treatment of ponds by licensed professionals. The DNR was the only entity that testified against the bill.
