Doyle vetoes DNR reform legislation

Though not surprising, Gov. Jim Doyle’s veto of a bill that would strip future governors of the power to name the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources is truly disappointing. In explaining his veto, Gov. Doyle said:

“The major environmental measures we’ve taken in the past seven years, from working to remove mercury from our air, expanding the stewardship (land conservation) program, passing the Great Lakes Compact, moving toward energy independence and reforming our regulatory process, could not have (been) achieved by a board-appointed secretary alone,” Doyle said in a statement. “But working with a direct line to the governor, major environmental progress is possible.”

While there may be some truth to Gov. Doyle’s statement, the reverse could also be true, in that working with a direct line to the governor, major environmental progress can be undone. After all, it’s not hard to imagine that a Republican governor would appoint a DNR secretary who may not be as concerned about environmental stewardship as a more independent and less politically concerned DNR secretary.

James Rowen has more.