Wisconsin is home to a wealth of natural resources, spanning the Driftless Area bluffs to the shores of two of the Great Lakes. Responsibly managing these resources is a daunting task for the state Department of Natural Resources. Gov. Jim Doyle’s veto of Assembly Bill 138 has compounded these challenges.

AB 138 once again would have allowed the Natural Resources Board to appoint the DNR secretary. Instead, partisan politics will continue to grab power within the agency.

The public has grown doubtful of the DNR’s ability to manage the state’s resources because of the rise of political influence in recent years. Doyle’s veto guarantees that future governors also will be able to inject their political agendas into the DNR through the secretary.

Natural resources policy should not be allowed to sway with the political pendulum. The DNR always should represent science and reason in policy debates that affect natural resources.

Overriding Doyle’s veto of AB 138 will go a long way toward restoring the DNR’s integrity.

A secretary chosen by the Natural Resources Board would provide the agency with continuity in its leadership regardless of which political party holds the governor’s office. The DNR could once again speak as one voice on behalf of natural resources.

Michael Kuhr
Milwaukee

Your Opinions – JSOnline.