LRB-5337/1
CMH:skw
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
January 6, 2022 - Introduced by Representatives Billings, Tranel, Petryk, Doyle,
Oldenburg, Pronschinske, Andraca, Cabral-Guevara, Considine, B.
Meyers, Milroy, Novak, Ohnstad, Pope, Shankland, Shelton, Subeck and
Vruwink, cosponsored by Senators Smith,
Agard, Carpenter, Jacque,
Larson, Pfaff and Ringhand. Referred to Committee on Rules.
AJR104,1,3
1Relating to: supporting the efforts by the State of Wisconsin and others in the
2Mississippi River Basin to work together to achieve the goals of the Gulf
3Hypoxia Action Plan and a reduction of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
AJR104,1,64
Whereas, the loss of phosphorus and nitrogen into Wisconsin rivers, lakes, and
5streams in the Mississippi River Basin is causing water quality problems that affect
6the recreational use and fisheries of these in-state waters; and
AJR104,1,107
Whereas, excess amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen that reach the
8Mississippi River are causing overgrowth of duckweed and filamentous algae on
9backwater lakes of the Mississippi, creating low oxygen levels that are unhealthy for
10fish and other aquatic life and inhibiting recreation; and
AJR104,1,1211
Whereas, these nutrient losses contribute to the continued formation of a large
12area of hypoxia, or low oxygen levels, in the northern Gulf of Mexico; and
AJR104,2,213
Whereas, the State of Wisconsin has been a participant in the cooperative effort
14to address this problem through the federal-state Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico
1Watershed Nutrient Task Force since 1997, and the Action Plan for Reducing,
2Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico since 2000; and
AJR104,2,63
Whereas, these efforts have engaged 12 states along the Mississippi and Ohio
4rivers, along with federal agencies and private stakeholders, in a collaborative effort
5to reduce the average size of the annual hypoxic zone through conservation,
6ecosystem restoration, and nutrient management and reduction programs; and
AJR104,2,107
Whereas, Wisconsin created a state nutrient reduction strategy that is being
8implemented by state and federal agencies, municipalities, county land and water
9conservation departments, farmer-led watershed groups, lake management and
10watershed associations, industries, farmers, and landowners; and
AJR104,2,1511
Whereas, Wisconsin and the task force are working with partners such as
12Mississippi River Basin Land Grant Universities, including the University of
13Wisconsin-Madison, and programs such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
14Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative, which has developed projects
15in watersheds across Wisconsin, in cooperation with farmers; and
AJR104,2,1716
Whereas, the citizens of Wisconsin support efforts to restore and protect waters
17of state and national significance; now, therefore, be it
AJR104,2,22
18Resolved by the
assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin
19Legislature urges and requests continued support for the efforts by our state and
20others in the Mississippi River Basin to work together to achieve the goals of the Gulf
21Hypoxia Action Plan and a reduction of the hypoxic zone in the northern Gulf of
22Mexico.