There are many issues that will make headlines - big cuts to education, big changes for the university system - but down in the details are very troubling proposals that need to brought into the light of day:
No Props for P Policy
First, you've heard a lot from us about a set of groundbreaking rules, approved just last year with much public input and broad support, to control how much phosphorus can run off farm fields and flow out of wastewater pipes. Phosphorus, the leading cause of stinking, pea green water, is in fertilizer, manure, wastewater from cheesemakers and paper companies, and in municipal wastewater. The new rules set limits on how much phosphorus would be permitted to run off farmland and be discharged through pipes, and set the stage for allowing farmers and factories or cities to work together to get the most phosphorus reduction in the most cost-effective manner. These rules haven't even been given a chance to work, and the proposed budget blows them up.
Runoff Controls Run Away Too
Another big piece of the stormwater runoff pie is reducing the dirt and toxic chemicals that run off roads, roofs and parking lots in cities. Since 2002, state rules have required cities to work toward reducing these pollutants, and many have been diligently installing big stormwater settling ponds, increasing street sweeping and taking on a variety of pricey projects to meet the requirements. Just last year, NR 151, the state's polluted runoff (e.g. fields, parking lots, roads) rules, were revised to give cities more time and flexibility to achieve required reductions, but the proposed budget eliminates the requirement! Many cities have made a lot of headway (and spent a lot of money to get there), but all those that have lagged behind are suddenly off the hook.
Exits Even More Crowded at DNR
Besides these major shifts in water quality laws, the proposed budget includes big cuts to staff at DNR, the people we all depend upon to make sure our water quality laws are followed, big changes in how money for improving failing water and sewer systems is distributed, and a number of other nicks and cuts to important programs.
After all the heavy stuff facing the conservation community lately, we deserve a little fun. Come experience magnificent caverns, see the world through the eyes of a world-class nature photographer and discover the joy of tumbling down a river in a wetsuit at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. Get your tickets today! 
Stop by our booth at the Alliant Energy Center to say "Hey!" then cruise on over to the Clarion to check out our panel "Cows & Canoes: What do 50K More Cows Mean for Wisconsin's Rivers and the People That Paddle Them?" on Saturday. Panelists include: farmer Rick Adamski of Full Circle Farm, a managed grazing dairy operation; Sandy Larson of Larson Acres Dairy, a large dairy farm in Evansville; and Gordon Stevenson former Runoff Management Section Chief at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Denny Caneff will be the panel moderator. 