DNR attorney will review sand plant permit ruling

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Department of Natural Resources attorney will decide whether the agency will honor a ruling that a Monroe County sand processing plant’s wetlands permit is invalid.

The DNR granted Meteor Timber a permit for the plant in 2017, spurring a contested case challenge from Clean Wisconsin and the Ho-Chunk Nation.

An administrative law judge ruled May 4 the DNR lacked enough information to grant the permit.
DNR Secretary Dan Meyer has the power to review contested case rulings and decide whether to abide by them. Meyer appointed DNR attorney Mark Herman as his designee in the sand plant matter on May 18 and ordered him to decide whether to launch a review by Thursday.

DNR spokesman James Dick said in an email that Herman will perform the review. No timetable exists for Herman to decide whether the DNR will abide by the ruling.