Wisconsin Supreme Court Hears Environmental Cases
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in a pair of far-reaching environmental lawsuits that could define the state Department of Natural Resources’ ability to regulate factory farms and high-capacity wells as well as how far state agencies can go when interpreting state law. Clean Wisconsin filed a lawsuit in 2015 arguing the DNR can require factory farms to monitor groundwater impact and limit the number of animals. The advocacy group filed another lawsuit in 2016 arguing the DNR must consider high-capacity wells’ cumulative effects on area groundwater. Republican legislators argue a 2011 state law prohibits agencies from implementing standards not explicitly laid out in statute. The court will hear arguments in both cases Monday morning.