Long summer days spent enjoying Dane County’s lakes may feel like a distant memory, but fall is budget season for the county and our lakes are front and center in my 2015 budget.
My 2015 budget puts more than $10 million into targeted measures and collaborations in the fight against lake-polluting phosphorus so we can take the next steps in the county’s leading role to clean up the Yahara chain of lakes. From addressing agricultural runoff to stemming pollution from urban streets and lawns, our plan is based on working together toward a common goal.
Dane County’s innovation and partnerships continue to develop solutions that can serve as a national example.
To protect our waters, Dane County will continue and enhance key strategies that have been shown to have maximum impact.
For example, my 2015 budget includes: community manure storage grants, testing new technology to eliminate 100% of phosphorus from manure at an area digester, new soil conservationists funded through a partnership with Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District and $1 million for urban water quality grants to address pollutions from stormwater outfl ows that discharge directly into our lakes.
Across this community, the list is growing of the partners stepping up to work with the county to clean up our lakes. Whether its agricultural, business, environmental or public sector interests, we have a ‘can do’ coalition committed to reducing phosphorus and protecting and restoring our lakes.
There’s no single fix, but as I have done in each one of my budgets, I am increasing county government’s commitment to confronting this challenge. Together, with our partners, we are turning the tide and taking continuous action to clean up our spectacular lakes.