After 8 years, Scott Walker decides he wants to Fight CWD to get reelected.

Better late than sorry?

Frustration with weakened state environmental protections is causing some Republican voters in Wisconsin to ponder something that was unthinkable 10 years ago — voting for Democrats.

Hunting and fishing enthusiasts, lakefront property owners and neighbors of large farming operations are among those who have grown unhappy with the long list of changes enacted by Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the GOP majority in the Legislature.

Dwindling numbers of deer hunters and deer killed are hard to hide:

Alan Hovarth, a retired paper mill manager who lives in Superior, said he has watched in dismay as a politicized DNR muzzled its scientists while avoiding tough decisions about the spread of chronic wasting diseasethrough the deer herd and hazardous pollution from the expansion of animal feedlots.

“I supported Gov. Walker initially — I was a strong supporter — but I’ve come to view some of these things that are being done as being detrimental, and that is of great concern to me,” Horvath said. “Their agenda is more important to them than allowing a healthy discussion.” Horvath said he will look more carefully at Democratic candidates than ever before

Here a look at 8 years worth of Walker's environmental teardown: Pretty much under the direction of the Assemblies environmental wrecking ball, Tom Tiffany. Keep in mind, this list is from October 2015:

(1.) Make it easier to destroy wetlands. (2.) Block homeowners’ ability to challenge large farms and frac sand mines when they believe a cluster of their high-capacity wells is drying up lakes, streams or drinking water. (3) Seek federal approval to extend by up to 20 years the deadlines for full compliance with limits on phosphorus discharges that promote weed and algae growth in lakes and streams. (4) Slow purchases of conservation lands while mandating land sales and banning local zoning rules that are more limiting than state standards for shoreline development. (5) Insisted it can’t legally limit the expansion of mega farms despite an order to do so from a judge who said ”massive regulatory failure” had tainted Kewaunee County drinking water. (6) Reduced the number of pollution violations it sends to state lawyers for court action and the number of wildlife citations it issues. (7) Delayed for years studying how small dust particles from the frac sand industry affect the health of neighboring residents. (8) Written emergency rules to decrease analysis of potential environmental harm and public hearings on sources of pollution when reviews of similar projects have been done. (9) Received warnings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that air and water quality protections are inadequate or out of date.

But here's the clincher and focus of this post:

Allowed deer herd growth favored by hunters in areas with chronic wasting disease despite the advice of some scientists who say less deer density will slow the disease’s spread.

Scott Walker Checks off another Failure on his Reelection Repair Checklist: More study, and more watching and waiting. Walker still doesn't plan to do anything, but this do-nothing CWD plan sure comes across like he's trying:

Increased surveillance, increased sampling, carcass movement restrictions and local community involvement are just some the goals outlined in the recently updated Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources CWD Response Plan. Implementation of the plan as part of Gov. Scott Walker's Chronic Wasting Disease Initiative has already begun. The updated plan will be the guide for CWD response and management over the next five years. 

CWD Spreading...where's the Deer Czar Now? Since the DNR no longer relies on science, Walker is depending more on local volunteers to simply help out...:

...promote voluntary landowner surveillance testing permits, encourage the reporting of "sick deer" at the local level...

Hunters Start to Panic!!!: Gee, ya think? At least their "small government" pal Scott Walker is saving them a few bucks on their tax bills: 

The Tomahawk meeting (came) just a month after CWD was found in a wild deer in Lincoln County. It was killed in between Rhinelander and Tomahawk and it is the only wild one in North Central Wisconsin testing positive for CWD. "Obviously I'm concerned," said Jim Blankenhein, who lives just a few miles from where the deer was killed. "It makes me a little nervous." Blankenhein was one of about 50 people who showed up to the meeting. When it's been established in a population for any length of time, population's really drop off," said Chuck McCullough, a DNR Wildlife Supervisor. "If you have CWD in a population of wild deer it seems like it's a one-way trip downhill."

And then there's this additional Walker precaution:

They're hoping to have the help from private land owners along with collecting road kills and being notified about sick deer. The DNR is doing the collection in March to test them as soon as possible.

Previously I wrote this...This was Scott Walker's plan by design way back in April 2015:

Governor Scott Walker doesn't want the state to pay to remove deer carcasses along state highways, which means counties could have to foot the bill. Last year the DNR removed nearly 24,000 deer carcasses from state highways across Wisconsin.

The Governor's proposed budget eliminates $700,000 a year for the DNR to remove the carcasses statewide. Under the proposal, responsibility for clearing the deer would fall to whatever government agency is in charge of the roadway. Or they may be left uncollected. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau cautions, "dead and decaying deer on the roadside are unsightly ad can dampen Wisconsin's reputation as a tourist destination."

Walker posted the following budget veto, because thanks to tax cuts, we don't have enough money to fund removal of these disease-spreading carcasses...nevermind putting off road repairs: