This is the rejection letter received on May 11, 2016, from Susan L. Sylvester, Director of Water Quality Bureau/Water Division of the WDNR. COLA and the LCO Tribe requested the emergency rulemaking at the same time they jointly submitted their SSPC proposal on March 30, 2016, for a more protective phosphorus standard on Lac Courte Oreilles.
COLA Asks Wisconsin DNR to Initiate Emergency Rulemaking
This announcement of COLA’s Site Specific Phosphorus Criterion proposal to the WDNR outlines why the new phosphorus standard for LCO is needed, why it has taken eight years to get to this point, what the current roadblocks and timing delays mean for the lake and what the WDNR is expected to do about it. Includes (1) Petition with 5 Claims to WDNR and (2) Rejection Letter from WDNR.
COLA Submits Letter to WDNR Director of Water Quality Bureau / Water Division
COLA submits letter with Site Specific Phosphorus Criterion proposal to Susan L. Sylvester, Director of Water Quality Bureau/Water Division of the WDNR, with copies sent to 16 other individuals and entities.
COLA and LCO Tribe Sumbit Joint Petition to WDNR
Both COLA and the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa Indians jointly submitted the Site Specific Phosphorus Criterion proposal to the WDNR to reflect their long-standing relationship, mutual efforts, and ongoing work on behalf of the health and future of this lake.
Site-Specific Phosphorus Criterion Proposal Developed
A Site-Specific Phosphorus Criterion Proposal for reducing the phosphorus level in Lac Courte Oreilles to 10 parts per billion was developed by LimnoTech, an independent water environment research and engineering firm that regularly assists federal and state agencies, including the WDNR, to develop plans to restore and protect lakes and streams across the country. Submitted with the SSPC, COLA also submitted a request that the WDNR initiate emergency rulemaking within 60 days of receipt of the Site Specific Phosphorus Criterion proposal.
"Video": What Happens in Musky Bay Happens to the Rest of the Lake
LimnoTech has developed a video--hydrodynamic model--of Lac Courte Oreilles to show the amount of mixing between bays and basins in LCO and the rest of the lake. The animation shows the water movement and mixing that occurs between Musky Bay and the rest of LCO and confirms that LCO is one integrated aquatic system. In other words, what happens in Musky Bay happens to the rest of the lake.