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[clears throat]

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So this meeting is live streamed um and
is recorded.

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Is it recording?

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Good evening. We are now on the record.
The purpose of the hearing is to receive

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comments and provide information
specifically regarding to the pending

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permanent application for wetland
impacts submitted by Waste Management of

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Wisconsin. Waste Management applied for
a wetland individual permit to impact 11

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wetlands totaling approximately 7.66
acres of permanent wetland fill for a

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proposed landfill expansion. The project
is located in the northern half of

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section 31, Township 5, range 21 east in
the city of Franklin, Milwaukee County,

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Wisconsin. Thisformational hearing was
requested by the city of Franklin

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pursuant to statutes 28136.
The hearing today is non-adversarial in

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nature and is not intended as a Q&A
session. It is designed to provide you

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an opportunity to submit your oral or
written input and comments on the

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proposed project. Speakers will not be
subject to cross-examination.

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This is not a contested case hearing as
no decision has been rendered on the

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permit. This meeting is being recorded
and all testimony is public record along

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with any written comments received.
We will start with a brief presentation

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by the consultant representing the
applicant who will describe the proposed

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project. Then DNR water management
specialist Sonia Ponzi on behalf of

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Michelle Soderling will explain
Wisconsin DNR's permit and review

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process along with the preliminary
decision. I will then call upon those

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who have indicated on their appearance
slips that they want to provide oral

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comments to come to the front of the
room or the microphone

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for speaking. Please say your name and
give your statement at that time. All

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comments will be recorded. If you have
not submitted an appearance slip, but

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wish to make a statement before the
hearing ends, you may also have that

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opportunity once you provide me with
your appearance slip. I will need all

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slips prior to you leaving today so that
we will have it as a matter of record.

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In addition to formal oral statements or
written comment slips given at the

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hearing today, you can also submit
written comments by email to travis t r

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a v i s period shrader s c h r o e
disconsin.gov

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or by US mail to Travis Shrader,
Wisconsin DNR, room 180,

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141 Northwest Barstow Street, Wauaaw,
Wisconsin, and that's 53188.

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Any comments should be submitted no
later than Friday, September 4th, 2026,

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close of business. You can also use an
appearance slip to submit a written

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comment or your position on the proposed
resource impacts of the project. Written

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comments receive the same weight and
effect as all oral comments submitted

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into the record today.
All comments will be summarized and

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taken into consideration in the review
and decision on the permit application.

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The permit decision is appealable and
the appeal procedure will be listed on

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the permit decision document. At this
time, I will ask the applicant to give a

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brief background on the proposed
project.

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» Thank you, Travis. Thank you everybody
for coming. Um, introduced myself

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earlier. I'm Tyler Field. I'm
accompanied by Betsy and Jeff. They'll

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be presenting the project here to you
tonight. Um, just to give you a a

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project description and objective, the
the main objective that WM wanted to

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achieve with this project was to
continue to provide disposal services

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for the community. The landfill's been
in the community providing a a

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beneficial disposal service for the
community for up around 50 years. Um the

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proposed project includes constructing
an expansion of that facility of

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approximately 72 acres to the north and
to the east of the existing active fill

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area. Um this arrangement, this designed
arrangement was consciously contemplated

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to maximize layover and re reduce the
impacts to wetlands and the land use

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that that's there currently. So, we've
we've really spent a lot of time laying

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out this landfill, laying out the
expansion to maximize airspace to

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achieve the project goals, which is to
provide a long-term ongoing disposal

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service for the community while
minimizing the impacts to the land.

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Additionally, the area we selected has
already been zoned and approved by the

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local community for landfilling
activities. So, it fits well within the

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land use the community has already
designated for this area. Um Betsy is

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going to talk a little bit more about
how we uh went through the deciding the

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project's purpose and need and how we
met the goals of the per purpose and

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need through our designed expansion
process.

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» Thank you. So this project is in
response to a real and documented need.

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Um, waste management serves over uh 1.5
million um people in the regional area

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and um they are required by uh statute
to demonstrate that need as part of this

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process um for the landfill permitting
and as a result of that evaluation

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uh the regional disposal capacity and
the service area. So that includes waste

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disposal capacity from other landfills
that accept waste from from this

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regional area is expected to be um
depleted in 2033 and specifically at

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Metro by 2030.
So there's a need for more disposal

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capacity in the service area with the
estimated 14.7 million cubic yards of

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extra waste capacity that this expansion
would provide. that would extend Metro

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site life by an estimated 11 and a half
years, which is less than the maximum

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allowable 15 years um that is allowed
for either an expansion or a new

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landfill in Wisconsin.
Um, and the one of the keys to this is

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that it's uh it's taking advantage of
continuing landfill operations on a

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property that currently has landfill
operations and industrial uses at it

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rather than creating a new landfill on a
a brand new property that doesn't

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currently have those types of activities
occurring at it. So, there's three three

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primary objectives that this project
will achieve. The first again is that it

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utilizes maximizes the efficiency at an
existing site that has a landfill on it,

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has industrial uses. It allows the uh
waste management to be able to take

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advantage of that existing
infrastructure, site access, and the

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environmental controls and monitoring
systems that are already at this site.

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The second one is that it adds that kind
of long-term regional waste disposal

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capacity that we've just talked about as
a demonstrated need. Um and then the

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third is that it does retain key wetland
areas. There's five wetlands that will

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be um completely preserved. Um Jeff will
talk more about those in just a moment

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here. Um but what what I would like to
say about that is that um from the

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onset, Waste Management decided that
they would um preserve those five

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wetlands in entirety. So there's a
portion of them that just can't be

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impacted um because they are navigable.
But there are portions of those wetlands

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that are also not navigable. So the
waste management could have presented an

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option to um impact those non-navigable
portions of those five wetlands, but

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from the onset chose not to made a
conscious decision to maintain all of

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those and preserve all of those in their
in their entirety, which reduced the

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overall capacity that they could have
asked for right from the onset. This

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shows some meaningful avoidance that
waste management took and those

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constraints um have an impact on the
operational efficiency and the capacity

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that's provided by this but um waste
management has accepted those

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constraints with the selected
alternative.

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Um and then so this process requires us
to look at several different footprints

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that could be considered for this um
alternative

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um that would help to try to you know do
document that uh achieving that waste

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disposal capacity that's needed for this
region. Um and so there were like seven

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different alternatives that we evaluated
and revisions to a couple of them. So

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you know even I could say like maybe
like nine overall um alternative

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footprints that were looked at. One of
them, the the single one that would mean

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that no wetlands on the site would be
impacted, has a 3.6 million um cubic

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yard capacity, that's about a 75%
reduction of the 14.7 million cubic

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yards that are provided by this selected
alternative. Um and so that does not

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meet the the regional waste disposal
capacity needed. Um so so I just want to

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point that out. So the 10.21 is what
will be maintained. Those are those five

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that I've talked about. 7.66 66 will be
directly impacted by this. More so more

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were um maintained than than are
proposed to be impacted. And I think

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waste this this kind of selected
alternative really provides that balance

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of providing meaningful avoidance while
also meeting the project purpose and

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providing the waste disposal capacity
needs for this region. Um so now Jeff

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will kind of talk more about the the
wetlands themselves.

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» Thank you. Uh one of the first steps in
the planning process for this project

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was to identify and assess sensitive
resources and regulated resources. Um

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that includes wetlands. Um so wet the
wetlands on the property were all

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assessed, mapped, and delineated
um in the early planning stages so that

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we knew where where they were located,
what their quality was um and how they

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affected the planning of the project. um
uh detailed botanical surveys to

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understand the uh types of wetlands that
are present and the diversity of those

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wetlands were completed. Uh we completed
uh what are called functional value

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assessments of those wetlands proposed
to be impacted. So that is a process

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where we look at um ecological,
hydraological

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uh water quality, humid use uh functions
of those wetlands. Um uh we evaluated uh

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the presence of threatened and
endangered species within the project

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footprint. Uh we also evaluate just
historical land use in this area and on

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the project area to understand past
impacts and how they uh how those shaped

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the wetlands that are there today.
uh we had coordination and consultation

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with the US Army Corps of Engineers to
understand what federal regulations

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applied uh to the wetlands on site. Um

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as mentioned there uh 7.66 acres of
wetlands proposed to be impacted. The

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wetlands that are are proposed for
impacts are predominantly distur

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disturbed common wetland types. of wet
meadow, shallow marsh, uh lots of

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invasive species that dominate these
wetlands such as reed canary grass,

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cattails, and fragmitees.
Um most of the wetland functions of of

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those proposed for impacts rated as low
low functions. um water quality

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protection and storm water storage were
typical moderate functions of these

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wetlands uh just based on landscape
position and and no threatened or

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endangered species were identified
within the project area. Um those

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wetlands uh that were avoided as Betsy
mentioned uh those wetlands actually

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have some higher functioning resources
associated with them. they have greater

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plant and habitat diversity and several
of them have public water bodies

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associated with those wetlands that are
being avoided. Um just uh briefly on the

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historic context of the site uh just
looking at some of the older air photos

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before the the existing landfill was
present. This property was an

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agricultural use. Um it was regularly
rowcropped. There was drainage

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activities.
um there really wasn't much for

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functioning vegetated wetlands present.
Uh when the landfill became established

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on site, those land disturbance
activities ceased and and these wetlands

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started to develop, redevelop and
reveate on site. Um I think the

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important context from that is that
these are not intact remnant wetland

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communities. These are uh highly
historically disturbed wetlands that

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have had some amount of recovery uh
since the landfill has been associated

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with the property.
Um some of the uh protections that are

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uh in place for those wetlands that are
not directly impacted. Uh we have 50

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foot setbacks from from wetlands in
place to buffer uh those from the

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landfill. Um there are erosion and
sediment controls and operational

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protections in place um to avoid
secondary impacts. uh Waste Management

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submitted with their permit application
a a long-term wetland monitoring and

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management plan that would be able to
identify early potential unintentional

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secondary impacts and then has methods
and means for uh ceasing those impacts

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and remediating those. Um the storm
water management grading plans

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conveyance features are designed not
only to control runoff and treat it from

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the landfill, but they're actually
specifically designed to avoid

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hydraologic and sediment impacts to the
wetlands that remain on site.

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Um and I guess lastly for the
unavoidable wetland impacts that are

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proposed with this permit application
compensator compensatory wetland

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mitigation was proposed and that is
essentially offsetting each acre of

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wetland impacts with restoring wetlands
at another location within the same

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watershed.
Um so together these measures protect

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and retain wetlands and compensate for
those unavoidable losses.

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Thanks, Jeeoff. So, I'll bring it home.
So, folks, as you can see, we we put a

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lot of thought and effort into the
design and the layout of this expansion

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project. Um, I think you heard Betsy and
Jeff, there's there wasn't a there was a

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conscious effort to understand what we
have for wetland um, inventory out on

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our facility and on our available
property to expand to understand the

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impacts that we have and how we can
develop an expansion that minimizes the

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those direct impacts while protecting
the secondary impacts for the remaining

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wetlands. that was included in our
application. And the selected

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alternative that we've designed, we feel
minimizes those direct impacts, controls

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the secondary impacts to those wetlands,
and provides a service that that the

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community needs in a long-term disposal
outlet that protects human health and

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environment. Appreciate you guys coming
out tonight. I'll turn it back over to

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Travis.
>> Thank you, Tyler. At this time, Sonia

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will now talk about the department's
permit review process and preliminary

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decision.

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The Department of Natural Resources
reviews permit applications for wildland

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impacts under section 281.36 of
Wisconsin state statutes. The purpose of

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reviewing projects through an
application and permitting process is to

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ensure projects are in compliance with
statutory criteria for wetland impacts.

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State and federal regulations require
that the project demonstrates that

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avoiding wetland impacts was the first
step as the project is being designed.

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If the project cannot avoid wetland
impacts, this is described and

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documented in the applicant's
application materials. If it is

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adequately demonstrated that wetlands
cannot be avoided, the applicant

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thoroughly reviews alternatives and the
preferred alternative has to minimize

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wetland impacts to the greatest extent
practicable. In this case, the applicant

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is also required to mitigate wetland
impacts through the purchase of wetland

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mitigation credits. The department's
preliminary decision is to tenatively

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deny the permit for the proposed wetland
impacts.

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At this time, it is your opportunity to
provide formal oral comment or statement

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regarding the wetland permit application
under review. I will work through the

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list of hearing slips that have been
submitted

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00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:08,880
and I will call on you. When I call your
name, please come up to the front of the

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room. State your name, address, who you
represent or position if any, and the

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00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:15,319
content of your comment or concern.

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00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:24,240
» John Nelson,
uh, Mayor Nelson, I'm sorry.

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00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:28,240
» That's fine. Well, good evening and I
thank everybody for coming out today

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00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:32,960
because this is an extremely extremely
important thing for our community. And

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00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:39,120
looking back at the at the history on
this, I see the former mayor Tom Taylor

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00:17:36,799 --> 00:17:46,559
and the former alderman Ken Skaransky
who authored this. And this was part of

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00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:53,080
a Franklin undertaking an expansion with
a very long-term goal and vision in

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00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,080
mind.

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00:17:53,440 --> 00:18:01,760
What we look at now
as far as a fiscal impact

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00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:06,160
in the city of Franklin, we've got five
taxing entities that make up your tax

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00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:10,240
bill. For the Franklin residents that
are in here, there's five. So, you've

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00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:15,600
got MMSD,
Milwaukee County,

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00:18:12,559 --> 00:18:20,880
okay? You've got MATC,
schools, and the city of Franklin. So

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00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:29,600
the city of Franklin portion of your tax
bill makes up about 24% of the pie.

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00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:38,000
Okay? Now that 24% 80% goes to staff.
When you look at the fiscal impact of

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what the city of Franklin gets,
for example, last year ending 2025,

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00:18:43,039 --> 00:18:56,000
I'm glad you're all seated.
$3.3 million we got for that year.

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00:18:51,919 --> 00:19:05,320
This year projected 3.4.
Next year estimated 3.6 million. We get

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00:19:01,679 --> 00:19:05,320
notice the trend.

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00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:13,520
What we're looking at so far, what we've
collected is about $29.4

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00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:17,039
million that came to the city of
Franklin.

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00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:22,080
That's what balances budgets. That's
what makes things happen. That's what

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00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:27,440
keeps our financial stability. So we can
look at you taxpayers and say, you know

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00:19:23,919 --> 00:19:32,000
what, we offer a top tier community A1
services, fire, police, DPW, and you

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00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:37,120
know what? Your Franklin portion of your
tax bill went up 2.8% last year on

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00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:42,720
average. 2.8%.
I can't speak to the other four

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00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:48,160
entities, but 2.8%.
This is huge for our city as we continue

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00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:55,520
to plan our future
and this is vital vital when we come to

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00:19:52,400 --> 00:20:00,880
balancing our budgets, our expectations
of our finances and to make sure we

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00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:04,960
continue to provide top tier. I like
saying that term top tier because it's

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00:20:02,559 --> 00:20:13,760
true. We live in a booming community but
a aside from that what makes it balance.

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00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:19,039
This is vital to making it balance.
Thank you.

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00:20:15,679 --> 00:20:22,440
» All right. Thank you, [clears throat]
>> Robert Whiti.

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00:20:23,554 --> 00:20:25,574
[clears throat]

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00:20:28,139 --> 00:20:30,159
[clears throat]

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00:20:31,919 --> 00:20:35,159
» We came.

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00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:44,440
» No. Uh, we'll take care of it. Thank
you.

251
00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:44,440
» Thanks for coming.

252
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:57,200
» Okay. Uh, my name is Bob Whitkkey. I am
the state assembly representative for

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00:20:55,039 --> 00:21:02,640
63rd assembly district which you are
sitting in. The landfill is also in my

254
00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:10,400
district. I represent two host
communities, the city of Franklin and um

255
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:16,960
the village of Raymond as well. So, u I
will also uh just to set a few facts

256
00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:21,280
straight, uh I have been out to the
site. I have met with uh waste

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00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:26,320
management and their people to talk
about what they want to do, reviewed the

258
00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:32,320
site. Uh and I've also had a follow-up
call with your department after that to

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00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:37,039
gain more information on permit.
So, I I appreciate the opportunity to

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00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:42,320
provide testimony tonight um regarding
this proposed expansion. Uh I want I

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00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:47,520
want to make sure this is clear. I am
here today to express my strong and

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00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:51,760
undying support for the proposed
expansion and to respectfully ask the

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00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:57,200
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources to reconsider its tenative

264
00:21:53,840 --> 00:22:02,000
determination to deny the wetland uh
individual permit and I've got the

265
00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:05,120
number in case you want uh because
that's the information we got. It's

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00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:08,120
IPSSE
202441-03989.

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00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:16,559
Um, Waste Management uh currently owns
and operates the Northern Expansion West

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00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:22,480
Landfill at the Metro Recycling and
Disposal Facility. Metro RDF provides an

269
00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:27,120
important waste disposal resource for
southeastern Wisconsin, receiving

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00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:31,120
commercial, industrial, municipal, and
permitted special waste from

271
00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:35,280
municipalities,
businesses, and industries throughout

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00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:40,559
the region, not simply serving one
community. And I think that should be

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00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:44,880
underscored as well because by denying
this permit, denying this expansion in a

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00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:51,440
time when everybody talks about
affordability, you are potentially

275
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:56,799
opening up residents from throughout
Milwaukee County uh and in northern Rine

276
00:22:54,320 --> 00:23:03,039
County to additional costs. As John
said, um trying to hold the line on

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00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:07,679
property tax, uh if this would not be
here, um that it would potentially lead

278
00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:11,120
to additional costs for each
municipality.

279
00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:15,360
The proposed Oakwood expansion would
provide additional capacity through both

280
00:23:12,799 --> 00:23:19,280
the horizontal and vertical expansion of
the existing facility. The horizontal

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00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:24,799
expansion would encompass approximately
72.25 additional acres. proposal would

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00:23:22,799 --> 00:23:30,480
directly impact um and I think you saw
that in the presentation. I have 11

283
00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:35,919
wetlands but I'll defer if I was too
heavy on the investment involving

284
00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:43,280
approximately 7.66 acres of permanent
wetland fill.

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00:23:38,799 --> 00:23:48,640
I recognize um as uh representative of
the state that Wisconsin has a pro

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00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:54,240
responsibility to protect its wetlands
and that any proposal in involving

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00:23:50,799 --> 00:23:58,960
wetland impacts deserves careful
scrutiny. Thi that responsibility is

288
00:23:57,039 --> 00:24:03,600
precisely why I believe the department
should fully evaluate the public need

289
00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:08,720
for this project, the applicant's
proposed measures to avoid and minimize

290
00:24:05,919 --> 00:24:13,679
impacts and any required mitigation
before making a final decision. We

291
00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:18,960
should not lose sight of the larger
public interest question before us.

292
00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:26,400
The state government should work for its
constituents to minimize cost and to

293
00:24:22,799 --> 00:24:33,039
serve their interests instead of making
determinations that are contrary to what

294
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:37,200
the community wants. Metro RDF provides
disposal capacity for municipalities and

295
00:24:35,039 --> 00:24:42,000
businesses across south uh eastern
Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wakaan, Rine

296
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:46,880
counties uh generate substantial amounts
of waste every day. that waste does not

297
00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:52,559
disappear simply because landfill
capacity becomes more difficult to

298
00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:58,240
permit. If existing properly regulated
facilities cannot expand to meet

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00:24:55,200 --> 00:25:02,880
demonstrated regional needs, the waste
must be transported somewhere else

300
00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:09,120
potentially increasing transportation
distances, costs, traffic and place a

301
00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:15,600
burden on the communities involved. Fact
of the matter and John mentioned this

302
00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:21,679
that well we have uh the overall impact
is about 5 million in annual revenue and

303
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:24,960
that's to uh all the host communities.
Question before the department therefore

304
00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:29,679
should not be whether the wetlands are
important. they are. The question is

305
00:25:27,679 --> 00:25:34,320
whether this expansion with appropriate
environmental safeguards and mitigation

306
00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:39,760
can be permitted while balancing wetland
protection with the very real need for

307
00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:44,880
reliable regional waste disposal
capacity. I believe the balance is

308
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:49,679
possible and as I said, I've been out to
the site. I have talked to waste

309
00:25:46,799 --> 00:25:55,360
management. Um though I'm not an expert
in landfill expansion, um I I know more

310
00:25:53,039 --> 00:26:00,240
than I probably should. The Oakwood
expansion is an expansion of an existing

311
00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:06,080
established waste management facility
rather than the creation of entirely new

312
00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:10,320
landfill in another location.
That distinction matters. Existing

313
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:15,600
infrastructure, established
transportation routes and an existing

314
00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:20,480
operational framework can provide
significant public benefits compared

315
00:26:17,679 --> 00:26:25,520
with for forcing future disposal
capacity to be developed elsewhere. I

316
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:30,240
also believe the department should
consider the consequences of denying

317
00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:34,480
this application. Southeastern Wisconsin
will continue to generate commercial,

318
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:39,679
industrial, municipal, and permitted
special waste. The need for responsible

319
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:43,840
disposal will not disappear with a
permit denial. Instead, the pressure

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00:26:41,919 --> 00:26:48,880
will shift to other facilities and other
communities. As the department conducts

321
00:26:46,559 --> 00:26:53,760
its review under Wisconsin statutes
administrative code, I urge the DNR to

322
00:26:51,919 --> 00:26:58,720
consider the complete public interest
picture, including the regional need for

323
00:26:56,159 --> 00:27:03,440
disposal capacity, the benefits to
Franklin and Raymond and other host

324
00:27:01,039 --> 00:27:07,760
communities, the economic and practical
needs of southeastern Wisconsin

325
00:27:05,279 --> 00:27:11,919
businesses and municipalities, and the
applicant's ability to meet all

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00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:16,960
applicable environmental requirements
and mitigation standards. And I'll make

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00:27:14,559 --> 00:27:21,760
a comment on the historical side that I
was given when I was out at the

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00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:26,480
property. It appears that uh Waste
Management has been a good business

329
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:31,120
partner with the communities with the
constituents that reside here and I

330
00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:36,320
believe that that should be an
overwhelming consideration as to how you

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00:27:33,919 --> 00:27:40,159
work through this. I respectfully ask
the Department of Natural Resources to

332
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:45,039
reconsider its tenative determination to
deny the wetland individual permit and

333
00:27:42,799 --> 00:27:50,559
give the Oakwood expansion a thorough
and fair evaluation based on the full

334
00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:55,520
record, including the testimony
information uh presented at this public

335
00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:59,039
information hearing tonight. Uh thank
you for your consideration and I

336
00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:05,520
appreciate all those that came in
support for this. Um, like I said, state

337
00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:11,080
government should be working for us, not
putting roadblocks in between. Thank

338
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,080
you.

339
00:28:11,229 --> 00:28:13,249
[applause]

340
00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:20,520
» Thank you, Bob. Danielle Kenny,

341
00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:32,880
thank you.
Good evening. My name is Danielle Kenny

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00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:38,240
and I serve as the district 6 alderwoman
for the city of Franklin and I'm also a

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00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:42,720
member of the finance committee and the
waste manage management facility sits in

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00:28:40,559 --> 00:28:48,000
my district and I rep where I represent
and I actually live 1.2 miles away from

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00:28:44,799 --> 00:28:51,679
it. Waste management has been a
responsible business in our community

346
00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:55,279
for decades and as a neighbor I can
vouch for the responsiveness

347
00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:59,520
responsiveness to issues as they arise.
Anytime that I've called with a problem,

348
00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:03,520
somebody calls me back immediately. And
to me, that speaks volumes about

349
00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:07,760
whatever mitigation that they have
planned and their follow through and the

350
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:12,159
responsiveness to whatever it needs to
be addressed. I wanted to begin by

351
00:29:10,559 --> 00:29:16,000
acknowledging something important.
Wetlands have value. I don't believe

352
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:19,919
Franklin's financial interests should
simply override environmental

353
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:24,000
protections. And I'm not asking the DNR
to disregard the quality of these

354
00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:27,600
wetlands. I'm asking the the department
to consider the full picture before

355
00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:32,480
denying the permit.
This is an expansion of an existing

356
00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:37,679
regulated waste disposal facility that
already serves a significant portion of

357
00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:41,520
southeastern Wisconsin. Like uh Bob
Witkkey said, it doesn't disappear. It

358
00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:45,600
has to go somewhere. So, we're putting
in money to move it somewhere else and

359
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:52,880
have different environmental needs
there. What I would like to know is um

360
00:29:50,399 --> 00:29:57,840
if the wetlands that are the problem are
considered high quality, what does the

361
00:29:55,279 --> 00:30:02,799
the department account for these
wetlands sitting at the base of the

362
00:29:59,679 --> 00:30:09,039
existing facility for decades and how
how does that impact the quality of

363
00:30:05,679 --> 00:30:13,200
them? Also, the DNR previously allowed
more than eight acres of wetland impact

364
00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:17,760
associated with an expansion of this
same facility with compensatory

365
00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:23,200
mitigation in the past. And I'm
wondering what's material materially

366
00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:28,240
different with these 7.66 acres that
makes it unacceptable. Now,

367
00:30:26,399 --> 00:30:32,240
there's a substantial public interest
component to this decision. Franklin

368
00:30:30,399 --> 00:30:36,720
receives, as you've heard, approximately
3 million annually in landfill sighting

369
00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:40,559
revenue. Losing it would create a
significant funding gap that would

370
00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:44,480
ultimately mean additional borrowing,
delayed infrastructure,

371
00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:48,559
reduced services, or an increased cost
to taxpayers.

372
00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:52,640
Franklin has hosted this regional public
necessity for decades. Our community

373
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:56,960
accepts the trucks, environmental
impacts, monitoring, and long-term

374
00:30:54,480 --> 00:31:01,840
responsibility that come with it.
I respectfully ask the DNR to consider

375
00:30:59,279 --> 00:31:06,320
and the entire public interest, the
actual quality and function of these

376
00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:09,600
wetlands, the feasibility of mitigation,
regional waste disposal needs, the

377
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:13,520
environmental consequences of sending
that waste elsewhere, and the

378
00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:17,520
significant impact denial would have on
the host community and the surrounding

379
00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:20,919
communities. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Danielle.

380
00:31:22,799 --> 00:31:26,120
Ken Scoransky.

381
00:31:30,351 --> 00:31:32,371
» [laughter]

382
00:31:33,919 --> 00:31:37,559
» No, no, no, no, no.

383
00:31:38,399 --> 00:31:44,360
» Okay.
>> Oh, no.

384
00:31:45,519 --> 00:31:48,840
» Please don't.

385
00:32:01,279 --> 00:32:06,432
No problem.
>> Come back. [laughter]

386
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:12,360
» All right. Somebody else.
>> You're good.

387
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:17,760
» Mr. Chairman, I can go in his place if I
can give him some rest.

388
00:32:17,039 --> 00:32:20,640
» Okay.
>> Yeah. Okay. All right. We can

389
00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:26,919
» Tom Taylor.
>> All right.

390
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,919
Okay, let me see if I can

391
00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:31,440
» Tom Taylor.
>> Yeah, Tom.

392
00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:35,197
» Thank you very much.
>> Happens to me, too. I lose the

393
00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:41,747
circulation in my legs these days.
[snorts] Um uh I'm Tom Taylor. I'm the

394
00:32:38,159 --> 00:32:46,000
former mayor um city of Franklin.
[snorts and clears throat] I've served

395
00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:49,279
as the um as a chairman of the IC
elected by the mayors and village

396
00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:52,399
presidents of Milwaukee County and 19
municipalities.

397
00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:56,720
served as the director of human
resources for Milwaukee County and I

398
00:32:55,120 --> 00:33:03,679
served as the vice president of
Milwaukee District Council 48 ASME at

399
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:09,360
one time. Um I also was alderman for
approximately five years.

400
00:33:06,799 --> 00:33:15,120
I was intimately involved in the
negotiations

401
00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:21,120
of the waste management contract met
here and many other places with the uh

402
00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:25,200
other communities. Raymond, Norway,
etc., etc., etc. I think when it was all

403
00:33:23,919 --> 00:33:30,240
said and done, it was something like
nine years that went into the

404
00:33:28,159 --> 00:33:36,720
negotiations that led to the final
contract. My recollection is Franklin

405
00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:44,960
did not want any expansion of the
landfill at all. Um, but under state

406
00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:52,640
law, you must negotiate in good faith or
you lose uh any negotiating ability that

407
00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:57,519
you have. So we did negotiate and we
came up with a settlement offer. Well, I

408
00:33:55,519 --> 00:34:02,159
understand that waste management and
Mike who used to be out there, we worked

409
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:05,279
with him and he was pretty good with uh
you know the uh the dump site and

410
00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:12,480
everything.
Um well it's good we were not the city

411
00:34:09,359 --> 00:34:16,800
was not in favor of any expansion at
all. So, we came up with this

412
00:34:14,399 --> 00:34:24,159
compromise. And the compromise basically
is you got to stay in the box. You can't

413
00:34:20,399 --> 00:34:29,040
go uh past 112th. You can't go past
124th. You can't go past Oakwood Road.

414
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:34,399
And you can't go past South County Line
Highway. You have to stay in the box.

415
00:34:31,839 --> 00:34:39,679
But, Mr. Chairman, there's a flyer that
has been distributed widely throughout

416
00:34:36,879 --> 00:34:45,599
the community. I've I've been told it's
actually emanated coming from the dump

417
00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:50,480
site. It's being passed out by waste
management. I I don't know if this is

418
00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:56,639
true or not, but in that document,
it's basically saying that if they don't

419
00:34:53,200 --> 00:35:04,000
get the wetland expansion,
then the tipping fees and the ability to

420
00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:07,920
dump at the site and all of the other
things that were negotiated in the

421
00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:14,000
contract will basically disappear.
And that's not the case at all. As I

422
00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:21,359
understand it, 77 acres you're not
contesting for the expansion. What waste

423
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:26,880
what the DNR is contesting is the 7 odd
acres of wetland.

424
00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:30,400
And so that flyer that's out there, I
think has misled many in the public that

425
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:36,880
they won't be able to take their
trailers like I do out there and dump uh

426
00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:42,800
or that the city is going to be
restricted in getting the money that it

427
00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:47,920
has been gained that has it has gotten
over the years and it's a substantial

428
00:35:45,359 --> 00:35:53,760
amount of money. But I I also have to
tell you that when I was in there and

429
00:35:50,480 --> 00:36:00,000
Ken was an alderman, the money that w
that came from the from the landfill, it

430
00:35:58,079 --> 00:36:05,599
was the policy decision that those
monies be only used for capital

431
00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:12,000
projects. And the reason for that is
when the landfill was finally

432
00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:17,200
uh filled in the box, I'll say, and it
stopped and the money stopped pouring in

433
00:36:15,359 --> 00:36:22,640
that you would not have to raise the
taxes in Franklin by 20 or 30%. you

434
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:25,920
would just simply the capital projects
you would have to go out maybe at a

435
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:30,720
referendum maybe you'd have to go out
for borrowing but the money was never

436
00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:34,560
intended to be used for the general fund
to pay off let's say the police contract

437
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:40,640
or the fire contract or anything like
that and so I think it's it's important

438
00:36:37,359 --> 00:36:44,800
to note that well waste management I
have to say very professional but it

439
00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:49,760
wasn't out of the kindness of their
heart that they did all these things it

440
00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:55,440
came through really hard hard
negotiations. And just so you know, this

441
00:36:52,800 --> 00:37:01,359
gentleman up here and I met with three
county executives. We met with three

442
00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:05,520
secretaries of the DNR. I took the
proposal along with Mr. Wesalowski to

443
00:37:03,839 --> 00:37:10,400
the mayors and village presidents, which
at that time included Scott Walker and

444
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:17,680
Tom Barrett,
and to get their support to support us

445
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:21,520
on keeping the expansion within the box.
and we were eventually successful in

446
00:37:19,599 --> 00:37:26,960
that, but it was very, very hard
negotiations. Almost fell apart a

447
00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:31,000
hundred times. So, with that, I thank
you for allowing me to speak.

448
00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:36,640
» Thank you, Tom.
Doug White. Oh, Ken, are you

449
00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:39,359
» That's right. That's right.
>> Ken, you got the microphone in your hand

450
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:44,000
if you're Are you comfortable?
>> Anybody else can speak? I got it. No, I

451
00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:47,920
should. Okay. Thank you very much and I
apologize. my leg is getting better and

452
00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:55,440
fell asleep and everything everything
else. So, uh I'm Ken Skansky. Uh I'm a

453
00:37:52,560 --> 00:38:01,040
resident. My residents when I first came
to Franklin was part of the landfill

454
00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:05,280
that they own now. And since then, they
have done a tremendous job. They've been

455
00:38:03,359 --> 00:38:11,839
very cooperative
uh all the way along and then I became

456
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:15,680
the alderman for the area and
it never changed. They were always very

457
00:38:13,599 --> 00:38:20,560
cooperative. They got things done. They
listened to the common council, the

458
00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:25,520
mayor, uh the citizens. They were here.
Their heart was here. They get things

459
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:29,599
done and get things done right. So,
there's a lot of negotiations that

460
00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:37,520
nobody ever sees or does. Tom and the
mayor, great job uh getting this things

461
00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:45,200
accomplished. And uh I'm for uh
accepting the waste management's

462
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:51,280
proposal. uh have the DNR uh help
receive this and get it done. Uh I was

463
00:38:48,240 --> 00:38:56,400
there when a lot of that wetland wasn't
there. So I don't know how it it it got

464
00:38:54,240 --> 00:39:00,640
a little extra land changes a little
bit, but they've always been very

465
00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:07,520
professional in getting things done and
I I admire them for it because it's is

466
00:39:04,079 --> 00:39:14,320
quite a task. So, I can I can't say
anymore that the other uh people have

467
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:17,200
said it's all been very good. Uh and I
don't want to take up any more time or

468
00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:22,480
stumble around. My league is finally
getting back awake. So, I thank you very

469
00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:30,720
much and thank the DNR for being here
and Mayor Nelson and Mayor uh Taylor. Uh

470
00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:36,520
it's always been very good uh to serve
the city of Franklin. Thank you.

471
00:39:33,119 --> 00:39:36,520
» Thank you, Ken.

472
00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:49,599
Doug,
>> this Doug.

473
00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:52,839
» Yes. Okay.
>> Doug, what

474
00:39:53,599 --> 00:39:59,947
I'm Doug White. I'm [clears throat] the
president of the village of Raymond. Uh

475
00:39:57,839 --> 00:40:02,400
Raymond strongly supports responsible
[clears throat]

476
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:06,320
environmental stewardship and the
protection of wetlands.

477
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:09,839
But we also believe that environmental
decisions should evaluate the full

478
00:40:08,079 --> 00:40:14,720
consequences of of the alternatives
before us.

479
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:17,839
This is not simply a Franklin landfill.
DNR's own notice states that the

480
00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:23,200
majority of the waste received in the
metro comes from Milwaukee, Walka, and

481
00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:27,520
Rine counties. Metro currently handles
hundreds of thousands of tons of waste

482
00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:32,560
annually and reportedly only has 3 to 5
years remaining of capacity. If Metro

483
00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:37,040
closes, that waste does not disappear.
It must be transported to other disposal

484
00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:40,880
facilities for Raymond. This has very
very real consequences.

485
00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:44,400
Our village currently receives about
$325,000

486
00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:48,480
uh annually associated with this
facility. For a small community that

487
00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:52,920
represents a significant operating
effect, that's 15% of our budget.

488
00:40:52,960 --> 00:41:00,560
But my concern goes beyond the revenue.
In southeastern Wisconsin's waste must

489
00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:05,359
instead travel greater distances. Those
additional truck miles have consequences

490
00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:10,480
and additional fuel consumption,
emissions, traffic, and wear on the

491
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:14,079
roads that those trucks use. Rural
communities like Raymond ultimately bear

492
00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:17,920
part of the burden for that extra
infrastructure.

493
00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:23,359
The proposal before the DNR involves
approximately 7.66 acres of permanent

494
00:41:20,319 --> 00:41:27,680
wetland impact within a roughly 72 acre
horizontal expansion. Wisconsin's

495
00:41:25,839 --> 00:41:33,040
permitting process provides mechanisms
for avoidance, minimization, and

496
00:41:30,240 --> 00:41:37,760
compensatory mitigation. Therefore, I
respectedly asked the DNR to consider

497
00:41:35,119 --> 00:41:41,839
the complete environmental equation. Has
the DNR compared the environmental

498
00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:45,280
impact of mitigating these wetlands
against the impact to the environment of

499
00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:50,400
transporting hundreds of thousands of
tons of waste across southeast Wisconsin

500
00:41:48,079 --> 00:41:55,359
to another facility? Has the department
exhausted reasonable opportunities to

501
00:41:52,800 --> 00:42:00,800
redesign, minimize, mitigate the wetland
impacts before concluding the outright

502
00:41:57,040 --> 00:42:04,720
denial is is the appropriate result?
Raymond is not asking the DNR to

503
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:08,960
disregard Wisconsin's wetlands. We are
asking the DNR to consider whether an

504
00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:12,800
environmentally responsible expansion
with appropriate avoidance,

505
00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:16,640
minimization, mitigation may produce a
better overall environmental and public

506
00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:23,640
outcome than simply moving the region's
waste, truck traffic, and environmental

507
00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:23,640
impact. somewhere else. Thank you.

508
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:27,379
» Thank you, Doug. [applause]

509
00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:33,800
» Vince
Trippy.

510
00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:33,800
» Trippy. All right.

511
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:41,280
» Thank you. Vince Trippy, 6910 South
Lovers Lane Road, Franklin. I've lived

512
00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:44,640
in Franklin or Greenfield my whole life.
I got my degrees from University of

513
00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:49,040
Wisconsin Milwaukee. Environmental
scientist for a career. I worked for the

514
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:52,240
Center for Great Lakes Studies for four
years before I went into envir

515
00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:56,640
environmental engineering. I worked at
the largest environmental engineering

516
00:42:54,000 --> 00:43:02,240
system in the world. I worked on dozens
of landfills in the 42 states and Canada

517
00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:07,520
and Mexico. And it doesn't make sense to
me to develop a new landfill when we

518
00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:12,560
have a functioning quality landfill in
existence and working. The word

519
00:43:09,599 --> 00:43:19,520
mitigation means to make a deal to
offset costs, benefits, and trade to

520
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:25,839
make a a project go forward. It doesn't
mean that it's a stop dead rationale to

521
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:30,720
the project. So, I'm in in favor of
moving forward with the the mitigation

522
00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:36,155
of the wetland to let the expansion go
forward. Thank you.

523
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:36,155
» Thank you, Vince. [applause]

524
00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:43,319
Joe Walter Spear Jr.

525
00:43:54,800 --> 00:44:01,599
» Uh, the card said, my name is Joe Spear.
I am the landfill compliance officer for

526
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:05,680
the city of Franklin and have been for
over 20 years. But I'm standing here to

527
00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:10,079
speak as a professional in the industry
and everybody has covered so well how

528
00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:14,000
important it is that this landfill
exists and others. So I'm going to ask

529
00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:18,720
the DNR to take a look at something that
I've me mentioned before in swana

530
00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:23,760
conversations and so on. We are at a
point now where we have not done our due

531
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:26,880
diligence. We never reinstalled the
bands for cardboard. We haven't done

532
00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:30,960
anything to reduce the waste going into
our landfills. And now we're talking

533
00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:36,560
about not expanding.
So, we now need to consider airspace as

534
00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:42,079
a natural resource. And we are running
out of airspace. And this landfill, I

535
00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:47,280
always joke in Emerald Park, God said
put it here. Here's a big plug of clay.

536
00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:51,440
Big plugs of clay have wetlands. You
find a site without wetlands, you're

537
00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:56,079
going to have soil problem.
And oh, I have one question. If I write

538
00:44:53,760 --> 00:45:03,119
the DNR, can I get a list of reasons why
they're considering denial? It was a

539
00:44:58,319 --> 00:45:07,280
statement, not a not supported.
>> So, we can you'll see in the decision

540
00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:11,119
all of those reasons. It'll be written
out. We can get you a copy of the

541
00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:15,720
decision. Absolutely.
>> Thank you, Joe. Joe,

542
00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:18,920
just

543
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:30,520
Billy Faze.

544
00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:48,720
Okay,
I kind of got sid sidetracked when uh

545
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:57,760
Tyler made a comment about 50 years. So,
I want to Tyler, I think you're a little

546
00:45:50,960 --> 00:46:03,440
bit off on that because the word has it
old man Knight tried starting that

547
00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:09,520
landfill 1938.
Okay, there's got to be somebody around

548
00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:15,321
here that knows Rolley, you
>> Can you back me on that one? Roly,

549
00:46:13,301 --> 00:46:15,321
[laughter]

550
00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:27,040
» Harvey, you've been around too, but
I do believe, if I remember right,

551
00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:30,880
Waybot Metro
1984,

552
00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:35,359
83ish.
So, this landfill has been around a long

553
00:46:33,440 --> 00:46:41,839
time.
I'm 60 years old

554
00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:49,200
and I'm trying to look to see I might be
one of between Harvey Sitzer and I we're

555
00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:54,079
probably the closest to the landfill
where we live.

556
00:46:51,440 --> 00:47:01,520
Been there for 60 years.
My family been there. My uncle bought

557
00:46:58,560 --> 00:47:05,520
the farm in 1946 when he got home from
World War II.

558
00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:10,960
Uh
he made a comment

559
00:47:07,839 --> 00:47:16,160
one of the last times maybe 30 years, 25
years ago when we have to come to this

560
00:47:13,839 --> 00:47:20,160
to support the landfill.
He said,

561
00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:25,839
"You know what?
Everybody's arguing about that landfill.

562
00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:31,040
Everybody should be responsible about
their own garbage. Maybe they should

563
00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:35,119
back or bury it in their backyard.
And I'm thinking, boy, uncle, you're

564
00:47:33,280 --> 00:47:38,960
getting old that doesn't make sense. But
you know what? It kind of does make

565
00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:44,160
sense. Everybody should be responsible
their own garbage and bury it in their

566
00:47:40,960 --> 00:47:49,680
own backyard. Very easy for him to say.
He had 80 acres behind his house. What

567
00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:56,000
do you do with the land? What What do
you do when you live in the city? Where

568
00:47:52,079 --> 00:48:02,319
does the garbage have to go?
So why don't we just leave it there? Let

569
00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:06,560
him expand
because

570
00:48:04,079 --> 00:48:10,640
can I ask Tyler a question and can he
answer it?

571
00:48:08,880 --> 00:48:16,960
» Tyler, [clears throat]
>> if they if if they say you can't build

572
00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:21,040
no more, where do you go to find land?
>> Do you look at a subdivision and go,

573
00:48:19,359 --> 00:48:26,400
we'll do it here. we're going to knock
all these houses down or do you go to a

574
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:32,640
farm and say we'll buy up your farm and
we'll put the landfill here.

575
00:48:30,079 --> 00:48:35,920
Doesn't that mean how ridiculous is
that?

576
00:48:34,319 --> 00:48:41,200
Now
you can see all these data centers going

577
00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:46,480
up. They're taking up a lot of land
farmland.

578
00:48:43,839 --> 00:48:51,839
We're going to run out of food to feed
not just America but the world.

579
00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:55,359
They're already making meat in
factories.

580
00:48:53,839 --> 00:49:00,240
Think about it. Next time you go to
McDonald's,

581
00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:04,079
six billion hamburgers served a day. Now
we're going to [sighs] get rid of a

582
00:49:02,559 --> 00:49:10,480
landfill
to eat up more farmland.

583
00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:15,440
Well, I'm sorry, but I like to eat. You
can see.

584
00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:21,440
Think about that. I bet you every one of
you up there like to eat. I bet you

585
00:49:17,839 --> 00:49:27,280
everybody in this room likes to eat.
Think about burning up more

586
00:49:25,280 --> 00:49:32,000
farmland
when we got a night. The land's right

587
00:49:29,839 --> 00:49:37,520
there.
Why?

588
00:49:34,079 --> 00:49:40,760
Let's just leave it. Leave it there.
Thank you.

589
00:49:40,939 --> 00:49:49,000
[applause]
Thank you, Billy.

590
00:49:45,119 --> 00:49:49,000
Kevin Lele.

591
00:49:56,160 --> 00:50:04,640
» Thank you. Uh my name is Kevin Lele. I
am a resident in the village of Raymond.

592
00:50:01,040 --> 00:50:10,000
I um on purpose came here as a civilian.
I didn't but um I'm also the assistant

593
00:50:07,359 --> 00:50:14,400
chief on the fire department. So came to
assist uh this gentleman here as he fell

594
00:50:12,319 --> 00:50:20,000
on the floor. So was happy to get him
back in this chair. So

595
00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:25,839
um a lot of people today waste
management representative Whitkkey um

596
00:50:21,920 --> 00:50:29,440
the mayors my village president have
said way more than what I have in my

597
00:50:27,440 --> 00:50:34,400
notes what I have in my notes and then
more said I'm here in strong support.

598
00:50:32,079 --> 00:50:39,839
Um, the only thing I had to say for the
DNR, they they're doing a good job of

599
00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:45,359
the wetlands management and that in fact
the tile system in the area, you know,

600
00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:50,559
for the farmers that was put in over a
100 years ago is failing and the

601
00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:56,720
wetlands are in fact growing. um delin
the lination where the make the mark the

602
00:50:53,040 --> 00:51:00,480
wetlands is growing and
if the DNR took a look all the wetlands

603
00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:03,680
are
growing and you know there's more of

604
00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:08,240
them and if the waste management is
willing to

605
00:51:05,440 --> 00:51:13,119
help with that process and offset the
the waste the wetlands that they're

606
00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:19,839
taking away I just believe that that's a
a no-brainer for the DNR to use this

607
00:51:16,800 --> 00:51:23,599
existing property and expand it and kick
that can down the road before we have to

608
00:51:21,359 --> 00:51:27,705
take away another farm. Thank you. My
name's Kevin Lele.

609
00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:29,725
» Thank you, Kevin.
[applause]

610
00:51:30,319 --> 00:51:35,559
» Uh, and I had one person that was
undecided, Suzanne.

611
00:51:38,720 --> 00:51:46,319
I'm Suzanne Mayor. Uh, 9733 West Ryan
Road, Franklin. So, I'm 2 miles from

612
00:51:44,720 --> 00:51:53,920
the,
um, facility. Um, I was actually I'm

613
00:51:50,480 --> 00:52:00,640
here because I live close by and I'm
always interested in the landfill. Um,

614
00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:06,160
I was actually very surprised at the
fact that we learned that you're in

615
00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:11,359
you're considering denying
the proposal. Um,

616
00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:16,960
surprises me because I kind of thought
that it we were all here to discuss what

617
00:52:14,559 --> 00:52:24,240
the expansion was actually going to be.
Um, this map wasn't gone over. I don't

618
00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:29,760
know why. Um, kind of seems like that
showed maybe what the plan was supposed

619
00:52:26,240 --> 00:52:34,760
to be or is supposed to be. But I do
want to just say um

620
00:52:36,319 --> 00:52:45,520
I would be in favor of the expansion
with the understanding of what um Mayor

621
00:52:43,359 --> 00:52:53,640
Taylor had said that it doesn't go
beyond those um parameters originally

622
00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:53,640
set in place. Um

623
00:52:54,800 --> 00:53:03,520
the only thing that I do have a question
about is actually to the city of

624
00:53:00,240 --> 00:53:08,400
Franklin and that is to say why would we
think that this is a vital

625
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:14,960
part of our budget. This cannot be a
vital part of our budget. This does come

626
00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:22,480
to an end at some point. um whether it's
you know 3 to 5 years from now or what

627
00:53:18,079 --> 00:53:30,480
is it 11 or 15 years from now it
that is scary to me as a resident. Um

628
00:53:27,359 --> 00:53:36,000
and I think that that is the biggest
question that we need to that we need to

629
00:53:33,040 --> 00:53:42,880
solve. But I am definitely um not
opposed to expan this expansion. Um I

630
00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:47,280
would be very curious to um Danielle's
um question as to what the what's the

631
00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:53,599
difference between these wetlands and
the wetlands from before that you know I

632
00:53:51,280 --> 00:53:59,200
have had experience with the DNR just
blowing past wetlands when they want to

633
00:53:56,800 --> 00:54:04,880
and making a big deal out of them when
um

634
00:54:01,599 --> 00:54:09,839
it's fits their purpose I guess. Um,
this is within a dump. The the city of

635
00:54:07,920 --> 00:54:15,520
Franklin
set this up. It's within a parameter.

636
00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:21,559
These are the wetlands that are in this
um facility. And if they're not

637
00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:29,839
really great, I don't really know what
the what the problem is. And there are

638
00:54:27,440 --> 00:54:36,000
already ones that are being set aside to
protect. So just a lot of questions

639
00:54:33,520 --> 00:54:42,160
brought up because I did not know a lot
coming into this meeting. Um now I know

640
00:54:39,760 --> 00:54:45,572
a lot. So thank you.
>> Thank you Suzanne. [applause]

641
00:54:46,880 --> 00:54:53,720
» Is there anyone else wanting to change
their mind and provide an oral comment

642
00:54:50,720 --> 00:54:53,720
today?

643
00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:03,559
All right.

644
00:55:03,760 --> 00:55:07,760
» If you've changed your mind, then
>> Yeah.

645
00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:09,680
» You need my form.
>> Did you fill out one?

646
00:55:09,200 --> 00:55:13,119
» Yeah. Okay.
>> I walked in late and

647
00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:15,920
» Okay. If you have one, I'd love to get
it just so I have your name so I can

648
00:55:14,480 --> 00:55:19,680
take notes on what you say.
>> Okay. You need name, address.

649
00:55:18,559 --> 00:55:24,920
» Yeah.
>> Can you give the form?

650
00:55:21,280 --> 00:55:24,920
» Can you give me the form?

651
00:55:30,400 --> 00:55:33,559
Thank you.

652
00:55:43,200 --> 00:55:46,200
Oh.

653
00:56:09,839 --> 00:56:16,520
No, the the slip just so we have a
>> she's working on it. Yeah,

654
00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:24,119
» sorry.
>> Yeah, it just helps me keep track of

655
00:56:20,559 --> 00:56:24,119
what you say and

656
00:56:24,799 --> 00:56:28,119
» that's all right.

657
00:56:30,160 --> 00:56:38,160
Hi, my name is Mera Cresvic. I am the
district 4 alder. I also sit on the

658
00:56:36,079 --> 00:56:45,040
finance committee and I've lived in
Franklin since 1971.

659
00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:52,319
Um, the landfill has been here and I do
consider myself an environmentalist.

660
00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:59,040
I do believe that it makes more sense to
expand the existing landfill than to

661
00:56:55,920 --> 00:57:03,040
create a new one elsewhere. The
wetlands, as were discussed, I was

662
00:57:01,040 --> 00:57:07,680
listening on the way over. If I
understood correctly, were previously

663
00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:13,599
farmed
and we all know what chemicals do in

664
00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:19,520
farmland. You had stated there's a lot
of invasive species there. You had

665
00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:25,280
stated that the are lowquality wetlands.
So I failed to understand

666
00:57:22,559 --> 00:57:28,000
adequately why this would be denied.
Thank you for your time and allowing me

667
00:57:26,799 --> 00:57:31,319
to speak.
>> Thank you, Mera.

668
00:57:35,520 --> 00:57:41,640
Is there anyone else?
Sir

669
00:57:49,599 --> 00:57:53,000
Thank you, sir.

670
00:57:54,160 --> 00:58:01,280
» Ron Dretzka, did I get it right?
>> All right, good.

671
00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:06,079
» I had one question. I I did what didn't
hear it mentioned, but I remember years

672
00:58:03,119 --> 00:58:12,720
ago that what they down there they had
to uh eliminate houses that the water

673
00:58:09,599 --> 00:58:17,440
wells got poisoned. Is that a concern?
Now,

674
00:58:15,200 --> 00:58:25,359
you know, you're expanding.
Now, what happens when that expansion

675
00:58:21,520 --> 00:58:30,240
reaches wells that are still
that people don't have city drinking

676
00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:36,960
water? They still got wells. I got a
still got a well. What does that do to

677
00:58:33,359 --> 00:58:41,200
my well? Anything. I live on 94th and
Ryan.

678
00:58:38,720 --> 00:58:45,359
How far does that go? because I know
those houses had to be removed. People

679
00:58:43,119 --> 00:58:51,839
had to move from there to my
neighborhood which is on 94th and Ryan.

680
00:58:49,440 --> 00:58:58,559
They had to be bought out.
So, a lot of these older guys probably

681
00:58:54,240 --> 00:59:02,880
know that. They know this. So,
so

682
00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:06,960
sorry guys
you young guys. But yeah, I mean just

683
00:59:05,599 --> 00:59:13,119
something to consider and I haven't
heard it in this meeting at all but

684
00:59:10,559 --> 00:59:17,680
Is that a consideration in your
assessments? And when you check the

685
00:59:15,359 --> 00:59:21,119
ground and all that, how far does that
travel?

686
00:59:19,359 --> 00:59:27,440
Because you're talking about toxics and
whatever comes to the dump go leeches

687
00:59:23,520 --> 00:59:34,480
into the ground. How far does that go
into the ground to other pe to people's

688
00:59:29,839 --> 00:59:39,680
wells or or uh places of where they
live? I mean, is there some way to

689
00:59:37,280 --> 00:59:42,319
measure that? It's not really a part of
>> this review. Y

690
00:59:41,280 --> 00:59:46,319
» isn't. Okay. I'm sorry.
>> Appreciate Ron. No, I your comments well

691
00:59:44,799 --> 00:59:49,760
received. It's not part of the wetland
process, but there is another part of

692
00:59:47,599 --> 00:59:53,599
our solid waste permitting process that
will address your concerns. There's a

693
00:59:51,599 --> 00:59:58,720
extensive hydrogeeologic study that we
have to perform as part of a different

694
00:59:56,079 --> 01:00:02,960
process than what Travis Travis is
talking about tonight that looks at the

695
01:00:01,040 --> 01:00:07,280
groundwater flow patterns underneath our
proposed expansion. We design a robust

696
01:00:05,359 --> 01:00:11,920
monitoring system and a robust liner
system that goes through a DNR peritting

697
01:00:09,680 --> 01:00:16,000
solid waste permitting process, okay, to
ensure that those protective measures

698
01:00:13,760 --> 01:00:22,000
get first put in place and then that
there's a monitoring system beyond those

699
01:00:19,440 --> 01:00:26,079
that liner system to ensure that if
there was a leak in that system, we

700
01:00:24,319 --> 01:00:30,640
would detect it prior to it meeting a
downstream receptor like a private. So

701
01:00:28,559 --> 01:00:34,319
that that that process will
>> okay

702
01:00:30,960 --> 01:00:38,480
» unfold if if part of if if we can get
through this process which is we have to

703
01:00:36,720 --> 01:00:41,200
understand if the area we proposed for
this expansion we can receive the

704
01:00:40,160 --> 01:00:43,839
wetland fill permit.
>> Okay.

705
01:00:41,599 --> 01:00:46,319
» So good comment not related to what's
being talked about tonight but it will

706
01:00:45,200 --> 01:00:50,559
be addressed.
>> Um I assure you.

707
01:00:48,400 --> 01:00:55,760
» Okay. Thank you.
>> All right. Thank you Ron. Is there

708
01:00:52,640 --> 01:00:59,040
anyone else? Thought I saw a hand. Just
want to make sure.

709
01:01:06,079 --> 01:01:12,880
All right,
with that I'll start the closing

710
01:01:09,920 --> 01:01:16,640
statement. Uh,
I would again like to remind you that

711
01:01:14,640 --> 01:01:22,079
written comments may still be submitted
to me, Travis Rder, no later than

712
01:01:19,119 --> 01:01:25,520
Friday, September 4th, 2026. and all
written comments submitted will have the

713
01:01:23,920 --> 01:01:28,960
same weight and effect as the oral
comments and statements given at the

714
01:01:26,880 --> 01:01:32,720
hearing today. If there are no further
comments, I truly want to thank you on

715
01:01:31,119 --> 01:01:37,559
behalf of the Wisconsin DNR for your
attendance here today. The hearing is

716
01:01:34,319 --> 01:01:37,559
now over.