The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service say they’ve reached an agreement to speed up reviews of water projects in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Among all the trees, the Chequamegon-Nicolet also has numerous waterways. When road culverts or boat landings are proposed, they need state permits under the Clean Water Act. A new agreement will reduce duplication in the proposals and reviews done by federal and state staff.
The DNR’s John Gozdzialski said streamlining won’t mean a decline in state standards.
News with a little more humanity
WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.
“We will set up a system where annually, we’ll set a team together — a couple biologists from Forest Service and our biologists — and do compliance checks,” he said.
Gozdzialski said there’s a similar process in place for reviewing management practices for forest water quality. Chequamegon-Nicolet Supervisor Paul Strong said the agreement will also speed up work on watershed restoration and water quality improvement projects.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2025, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
