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Wisconsin DNR Holds Early Talks On New Phosphorus Proposal

State Officials Might Want To Make Decisions Based On Local Water Body's Response

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algae on water
Wendy (CC-BY-NC-ND)

Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources begin a series of meetings on Thursday on three proposals to reduce water pollution, with one of the plans aimed at phosphorus contamination that can trigger lots of algae growth in lakes.

The Walker administration has been adjusting state efforts to reduce the amount of phosphorus coming off farm fields and out of sewage treatment plants.

DNR water quality specialist Kristi Minahan said her agency is trying to recognize that not all water bodies respond the same way to the chemical.

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“The new component with this rule would be to allow the department to make their decisions about whether a water body is impaired for phosphorus, based not only on the level of phosphorus in the water body, but also whether the water body is showing a response to that phosphorus through, for instance, algae blooms,” she said. “So then, in certain cases, we would be able create a site-specific criteria for phosphorus that might be more appropriate for that individual water body,”

For now, the DNR is just meeting with representatives of local governments, and well as business and environmental groups. Public hearings will be held next year.