Walker carves out wetland exemption for donor

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker has proposed exempting a parcel of Brown County wetlands owned by a Republican campaign donor from water quality standards.

Walker, a Republican, included the exemption in a bill he released on Tuesday that would give his office the final say on state agency rules.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper reports car dealer John Bergstrom owns the wetlands and has been working on a retail project there for about a year. Bergstrom’s attorney tells the newspaper the Department of Natural Resources has approved the project but environmentalists oppose it.

The newspaper reports that Bergstrom gave $1,000 to the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate and $500 to the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee last fall.

Walker said in a statement the bill is meant to reduce overregulation on businesses.

Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com