Bills to Watch: Tar Sealants, Conservationist Staff Funding, Nitrate Contamination

AB-797 / SB-716

Prohibition of tar sealants

This bill – part of a water-quality package released by the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality and authored by Rep. Joel Kitchens – would prohibit the sale and use of tar sealants in Wisconsin. Coal-tar sealants are the jet-black coatings put on many driveways and parking lots. They are dangerous because of the amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that they release into the environment, and PAHs are toxic compounds known to cause cancer. The bill was unanimously approved in an executive session of the Assembly Committee on Transportation on Feb. 11.

AB-790 / SB-723

County conservationist staff funding

This bill increases the funding for county conservation staffing under the soil and water resource management program by $2,960,900 from the general fund in fiscal year 2020-21. Current state law regarding staffing levels functions as an unfunded state mandate. This proposal was one of several supported at the 2019 Door/Kewaunee Legislative Days. The Assembly Committee on Agriculture unanimously recommended passage of the bill Feb. 6. 

AB-796 / SB-718

Nitrate-contamination pilot program

This bill would fund $1,000,000 for a nitrate-contamination pilot program for agricultural producers to adopt practices that will reduce nitrogen contamination. The Assembly Committee on Agriculture unanimously recommended passage of the bill Feb. 6.