[CPEO-MEF] Action Alert!

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[This was submitted to the list by Laura Olah, olah@speagle.com]

Action Alert!

As you know, the U.S. Army has announced the 7,354-acre Badger Army
Ammunition Plant is no longer needed for military purposes.  Located at 
the base of the Baraboo Hills and adjacent to Devil's Lake State Park, 
local government ­ including the townships of Sumpter, Merrimac, 
Westfield, and Greenfield, the City of Baraboo, Village of Prairie du 
Sac, and Sauk County ­ have passed resolutions supporting exclusive 
agricultural and conservation zoning at Badger.  With zoning in place, 
we are now prepared to begin the county's stakeholder land use planning 
process, scheduled to begin in July.

Recent proposals by the federal government, however, may destabilize and 
undermine confidence in this local consensus process.  The U.S. Army is 
considering a lease with Continental Nitrogen for an ammonium nitrate 
transloading operation to be used for explosives for gravel pits.  Phase 
two of Continental's proposal requests a 25-year lease and involves the 
reopening of three old acid plants and the construction of an ammonium 
nitrate plant.  At the same time, early transfer of property, including 
1700 acres to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is also under 
consideration.

Impending reindustrialization and land transfer at Badger Army
Ammunition Plant will certainly create preconditions that will
complicate the creation of a good comprehensive plan.  We believe it
very important for this cooperative effort by community members and
local government be successful and unencumbered.

Please contact your Sauk County Board representative as soon as possible 
and support a moratorium on land transfers and non-agricultural leases 
until the Sauk County Reuse Committee has completed its mission. Written 
comments may be sent to: Timothy  Kabat, Administrator, Sauk County 
Planning & Zoning, West Square Building, Room 248 Baraboo, WI 53913.  If 
you are not a Sauk County resident, comments may be sent to:
Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Second District - Wisconsin, 10 E Doty,
Suite 405, Madison, WI 53703

--
Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
E12629 Weigand's Bay South
Merrimac, WI  53561
phone (608)643-3124
fax (608)643-0005 alt fax (608)643-2682
Email: olah@speagle.com
Website: http://www.speagle.com/cswab

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