Nearly two years after Governor Evers appointed her to serve on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, Sandra Naas will finally be able to occupy her rightful seat on the board. The resignation last month of embattled former chair Fred Prehn will allow Naas to participate for the first time when the board meets this week in Madison. Sandra Naas, an Ashland resident, has over 30 years of conservation experience.
Naas and fellow NRB members—including Viroqua dairy farmer Paul Buhr, who was appointed last month by Governor Evers after Bill Bruins resigned—will have their work cut out for them in the months ahead. They face a backlog of updates to environmental regulations, including regulations for PFAS and approximately 20 other substances that are hazardous to human health.
Going forward, NRB members will also have to move past the partisan dysfunction brought about by Prehn’s refusal to step down and his coordination with politicians and lobbyists. Meanwhile, a Dane County judge is considering evidence in a pending lawsuit MEA filed against Prehn for violating Wisconsin’s Public Records Law. A decision in that case is expected soon.
