Dear DNR God...

Here's a letter to the editor my mom wrote re: the DNR's incompetence and neglect that resulted in a massive fire at a tire recycling facility near her farm. I had posted info about the fire shortly after it happened here .

Anyway, here's the letter. I thought some of you might identify with her frustration-induced humor.

What I want to know is, “Who died and made the DNR God?”
Not a God most of us would worship, mind you, but a force to be reckoned with, none the less. Our country is based upon the notion that our government is of the people, by the people and for the people. Just who was the DNR level of our government for when they allowed a situation to develop that led to a 3rd fire at the Watertown Tire Recycler LLC? Keep in mind that the DNR never once cited Watertown Tire Recycler for noncompliance. Who amongst us benefited from the blaze that was seen by NASA satellites?

The DOJ indicates that in order for the DOJ to bring any enforcement action for violations of state environmental laws, they need a request from the DNR and a referral package that describes the evidence in support of a prosecution.

Let us pray: Dear DNR God, please look compassionately upon your humble servants, those of us who suffered toxic inhalation, endured risk of evacuation, and feared for the lives of our neighbors, animals and the environment. We humbly beseech You to look kindly upon the public You serve and bestow upon us Your mercy. This, given the fact that we can’t vote You out of office, since You hold the almighty non-elected positions which are paid for by us, the lowly taxpayers.

To join the congregation of citizens who share their missives upon the DNR, please call the Governor’s Office (Monday – Friday, 8-5) at 608 266-1212. State your name (bless you) and address and speak slowly:

“I am calling to ask the Governor’s Office to put PRESSURE ON THE DNR to do the following in regards to the Watertown Tire Recycler:
1. Make a request to the DOJ to bring enforcement action for violations of state environmental laws and
2. Supply the DOJ with a referral package that describes the evidence in support of prosecution.”

Amen.

***If you live in Wisconsin, and care about the environment and where your tax dollars are going, PLEASE stop by the website we made, download a petition, have your family & friends sign it and send it in. Unfortunately, only the signatures of WI residents will be recognized because of political bs. I would GREATLY appreciate any support that anyone can contribute.

Thank you.
Paul

LOL, great letter Paul!

I've been wondering what has come of that whole mess....has ANYTHING been cleared up with that so-called recycler?

Your mother has an excellent way with words. I especially love the part where the prayer begins with "Dear DNR God". What excellent sarcasm.

I would love to call the Governor's office about this matter but I'm sure it wouldn't do any good since I'm in Missouri. I really hope a lot of people who live there do call and/or write.

What I see a lot of times in cases such as this is, that if it doesn't harm people directly then they will not get involved. Only the people who live within a mile or so of the tire plant will call or write and no one else will. Therefore the Governor thinks people really don't care because so few people commented on it and the ones who did were the ones who are living right there and are directly involved.

I guess they finally have most of the debris from the fire cleaned up. Nope, it didn't get recycled, it got added to a landfill. There had been a HUGE pile of already-shredded tires that was next to the stuff that was burning. Fortunately it didn't catch fire too, but UNfortunately it got hot enough to melt together into a solid rubber mountain, and was also redered useless and had to be landfilled as well.

The main issue is that it was the DNR's responsibility to keep him in check. The DNR did not. The DNR answers to the atty general, but she doesn't get involved unless the DNR asks her to. Have they done that? Nope. The DNR admits that he has been out of compliance for YEARS, yet they have NEVER once issued him a single citation. We have a public affairs attorney working on the case, and he believes that the petition is the best way to get it pushed to the next step.

SO, I will politely ask again, IF ANY WISCONSIN RESIDENTS ARE READING THIS, PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DOWNLOAD A PETITION, SIGN IT, AND MAIL IT IN. I will be eternally greatful.

There is a situation here in Herculaneum, MO with a lead smelter. This lead smelter has been in compliance with the DNR air quality regulations only 2 months out of the last 5 years! I just heard that on the radio last week. It's sickening. Nothing is being done about that.

The roads, plants, cars, houses, Mississippi River, etc. all around the smelter are covered in lead dust and the people who live near the smelter were tested and all had high levels of lead. After those tests were done and published in the paper, the the DNR made stifferer regulations for The Doe Run Company, owner of the smelter. Nothing has been done to ENFORCE those regulations and I doubt anything WILL be done about it. If I lived there, I'd move. Few people speak out about it.

I really hope people get involved and try to help change the tire recycling plant. This lead smelter has been there for around 100 years so it's kind of an institution and hard to change.