One Wisconsin Now

WMC's ground attack on the ability of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to regulate mercury is built on a "mountain of falsehoods" as far as environmentalists are concerned.

It all started back in 2006, when Governor Doyle called on the DNR to develop a rule that would reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent. After listening to Doyle and the citizens of Wisconsin, the DNR drafted a rule that would cut emissions from the largest power plants by that amount, but WMC and other corporate interest groups recently filed a lawsuit to halt the DNR's rulemaking process. It appears the falsehoods have been stacking up ever since.

Take a look at how the WMC claims stack up against the facts, provided by the Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter:

WMC: The DNR is “moving forward with a very costly mercury regulation without providing proper notice to the public.”

Sierra Club: Wisconsin DNR has published numerous notices for the public, provided a full public comment period, and even extended the public comment period at the request of WMC.

WMC: Complains that it has been denied the ability to “meaningfully participate in the public hearing and comment process associated with this rule.”

Sierra Club: WMC had as much opportunity as the rest of the public to participate. In fact, the public comment period was extended to accommodate WMC.

WMC: Claims to “support mercury regulation” by urging Wisconsin to adopt the “federal rules that ultimately reduce mercury pollution by 70 percent statewide.”

Sierra Club: The conservative United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down these Bush Administrative rules preferred by WMC as illegal.

For more on the facts versus WMC’s fiction, go to WMCWatch.org.