>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," WE
FOCUS THE PROGRAM ON THE TOPIC
OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR STATE.
AND THE BEATING OUR ROADS,
HIGHWAYS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY
HAVE TAKEN DUE TO YEARS OF
RECORD FLOODING AND STORMS.
ZAC SCHULTZ TAKES US TO SAWYER
COUNTY TO MEET PROPERTY OWNERS
AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO SEEK
MORE THAN A QUICK FIX IN THE
AFTERMATH OF STORM DAMAGE.
STATE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY
DESIGNEE CRAIG THOMPSON IS HERE.
AND THE BAYFIELD COUNTY HIGHWAY
COMMISSIONER TALKS ABOUT A U.S.
SENATE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT
HE'S WORKED ON WITH SENATOR
TAMMY BALDWIN.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
AUGUST 16TH.
>> FUNDING FOR HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED IN PART BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
?
[MUSIC]
>> A FIRST LOOK TONIGHT AT THE
COST OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
IF YOU'VE TRAVELED, VISITED OR
LIVED IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS,
YOU'VE SEEN DESTROYED ROADS AND
HIGHWAYS, RUINED HARBORS,
DAMAGED HOMES AND EVEN
FATALITIES.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF REPEATED
TORRENTIAL RAIN AND FLOODING
EVENTS, AND LOCALS IN THAT PART
OF THE STATE CONTINUE TO
STRUGGLE TO REBUILD
INFRASTRUCTURE.
TONIGHT, WE TAKE A DEEP DIVE
INTO THE ISSUE STARTING WITH
REPORTING FROM OUR PARTNERS AT
WISCONTEXT.
JOURNALIST WILL CUSHMAN TRAVELED
THE REGION.
THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO THESE WERE EVENTS FROM
2012, 2016 AND 2018.
WHAT COUNTIES SUFFERED?
>> RIGHT.
IT'S SEVEN COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN THAT WOULD BE DOUGLAS
COUNTY WHICH INCLUDES SUPERIOR
AS WELL AS BAYFIELD AND ASHLAND
AND IRON COUNTIES, AND THEN A
LITTLE BIT FARTHER TO THE SOUTH,
SAWYER, WASHBURN AND BURNETT
COUNTIES.
>> SO WAS NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
HIT HARDER THAN OTHER REGIONS?
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION
AND I THINK PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
STATE WHO HAVE DEALT WITH FLASH
FLOODS ALSO ASKED THAT QUESTION.
THE THING THAT'S DIFFERENT IN
NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN IS THAT
THESE FLOODS HAVE BEEN REPEATED,
AS YOU SAID, THERE'S ONE BIG ONE
THAT HIT SUPERIOR PRETTY BADLY
IN 2012, AND THEN 2016 AND 2018.
>> NOW, THESE EVENTS ARE
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THIS PART OF
THE STATE OR ANY PART OF THE
STATE HAS SEEN IN THE PAST, IS
THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH, UNPRECEDENTED RAINFALL
IN SOME LOCATIONS FROM ALL OF
THE FLOODS.
THE 2016 FLOOD WAS PARTICULARLY
BAD IN SOME REGIONS.
THE BAD RIVER WHICH DRAINS A
LARGE PART OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN
INTO LAKE SUPERIOR REACHED
RECORD LEVELS THAT WERE 50%
BEYOND THE PREVIOUS RECORD, JUST
A HUGE 1,000-YEAR FLOOD THERE.
>> SO WHAT WERE THE COSTS OF
THIS?
>> IN THE TENS OF MILLIONS.
JUST TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
ALONE.
SO IN 2016, THAT ESTIMATE WAS AT
ABOUT $38 MILLION TO PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE 2018 STORM CAUSED AN
ESTIMATED ABOUT $13 MILLION AND
THEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE IN
2012.
>> INTERESTINGLY, YOUR REPORTING
SHOWS THAT HIGHWAY
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT PART OF
THE STATE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY
UNDERBUILT.
WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?
>> YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT WAS
PRETTY FASCINATING PART OF THIS
REPORTING.
SO HIGHWAY ENGINEERS USE LIKE A
100-YEAR STORM STANDARD OFTEN TO
SIZE CULVERTS, WHICH ARE THE
PIPES THAT RUN STREAMS
UNDERNEATH ROADS AT STREAM
CROSSINGS.
NOT ALL HIGHWAY ENGINEERS DO
THAT BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE
COMMON STANDARD, SO THEY WERE
USING, UP IN THE REGION AND
EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY,
STANDARDS THAT WERE DEVELOPED IN
THE MID 20TH CENTURY FROM
PRESCRIPTION DATA FROM THEPRECIPITATION DATA.
THAT MADE OFFICIALS REALIZE THAT
THEY WERE REALLY UNDERESTIMATING
THE SIZE OF STORMS SO,
THEREFORE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN
PARTICULAR THE CULVERTS WERE
WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR SOME OF
THESE REALLY MAJOR STORMS THAT
WE'RE NOW SEEING.
>> MEANWHILE, ONE OFFICIAL SAID
IN YOUR REPORT THAT THERE IS
SIMPLY NO MONEY FOR THIS.
WHY IS THAT?
>> YEAH, I TALKED TO TOWNSHIP
AND COUNTY OFFICIALS ALL OVER
THE REGION AND THEY ALL SAID
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
SOME TOWNSHIPS SAW DAMAGE THAT
COST, FROM A SINGLE STORM, MORE
THAN THEIR ENTIRE ANNUAL BUDGET,
AND THEN I TALKED TO OFFICIALS
IN DOUGLAS COUNTY WHO ALSO
BLAMED STATE IMPOSED LEVY
FREEZES THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING
FOR YEARS NOW, AS WELL AS THE
OPIOID CRISIS.
IN RECENT YEARS, DOUGLAS COUNTY
HAS HAD TO TRANSFER HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT OF ITS
HIGHWAY BUDGET TO COVER THE COST
OF THE CRISIS.
>> WOW.
GREAT REPORTING.
WILL CUSHMAN, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
>> YOU CAN READ WILL'S FULL
REPORT TITLED "WASHED AWAY,
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN COPES WITH
THE COSTS OF A CHANGING
CLIMATE," BY GOING TO
WISCONTEXT.ORG.
SO A CLOSER LOOK NOW AT HOW
REPEATED FLOODING AND STORMS
HAVE POUNDED BAYFIELD COUNTY
ROADS IN PARTICULAR, AND HOW A
NEW BILL BEFORE THE U.S. SENATE
MAY PAVE THE WAY FOR MORE THAN
TEMPORARY FIXES.
THE "REBUILDING STRONGER
INFRASTRUCTURE ACT" IS
CO-SPONSORED BY WISCONSIN
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN
AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR MIKE
BRAUN OF INDIANA.
THE BILL WOULD CHANGE THE WAY
FEDERAL EMERGENCY FUNDS ARE
DISPERSED.
CURRENTLY, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM
PROVIDES MONEY TO CITIES AND
COUNTIES TO REBUILD DAMAGED
INFRASTRUCTURE.
HOWEVER, THE FUNDS ARE
RESTRICTED TO REBUILDING TO
ORIGINAL SPECIFICATIONS.
BALDWIN AND BRAUN ARGUE THAT
ESPECIALLY WITH THE HIGHER
FREQUENCY OF STORMS BECAUSE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE PATTERNS, THIS
RESTRICTION SIMPLY SETS UP
STRUCTURES TO GET WASHED OUT
AGAIN.
THE LEGISLATION WOULD FUND
IMPROVING STRUCTURES TO
WITHSTAND STORM DAMAGE INSTEAD
OF JUST REPLACING THEM AS IS.
LAST MONTH IN A BIPARTISAN VOTE,
THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
PASSED LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE
LEGISLATION THAT INCLUDES THE
BALDWIN/BRAUN BILL.
IT NOW HEADS TO THE FULL SENATE.
NORTHERN WISCONSIN OFFICIALS
GATHERED WITH SENATOR BALDWIN
FOR A RECENT PUBLIC ROUNDTABLE
ON THE NEW BILL.
BAYFIELD COUNTY HIGHWAY
COMMISSIONER PAUL JOHANIK WAS
AMONG THEM.
HE JOINS US NOW OUT OF ASH
LARND.
THANKASHLAND.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE WE GET TO THIS
PROPOSED LEGISLATION, FIRST TELL
US WHAT YOUR COUNTY HAS DEALT
WITH IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE
AND ROAD DAMAGE OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS.
>> WELL, IN THE LAST THREE
YEARS, WE'VE HAD TWO MAJOR FLOOD
EVENTS.
THE FIRST ONE DID NOT AFFECT THE
WHOLE COUNTY, BASICALLY THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER.
THE ONE LAST YEAR AFFECTED TWO
THIRDS OF THE COUNTY.
WE HAD OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN
DAMAGE TO COUNTY ROADS.
>> AND DESCRIBE --
>> IT ALL FALLS --
>> DESCRIBE SOME OF THAT DAMAGE.
>> WE HAVE 14 COUNTY ROADS, NINE
OF THEM WERE DAMAGED, SEVEN OF
THEM WERE CLOSED OFF COMPLETELY
BECAUSE THEY WERE WASHED OUT,
AND A COUPLE OF THOSE ROADS, WE
DEALT WITH TWO YEARS PRIOR TO
THAT WITH THE SAME TYPE OF
FLOODING.
>> HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THAT IN YOUR JOB?
AND YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR MANY
YEARS.
>> NO, YOU KNOW, THE 100 YEAR,
500 YEAR FLOODS SEEM TO BE
HAPPENING MORE OFTEN.
TO PLAN FOR FUTURE, WHICH MORE
THAN LIKELY IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THIS BILL
WOULD PAVE THE WAY AND SAVE
TAXPAYERS MONEY.
>> ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE HAVE YOU
EVER REPAIRED CULVERTS OR
ROADWAY CLEAVAGES ONLY TO HAVE
THEM WASHED OUT AGAIN?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
TO FIX A ROAD, AND THAT'S OUR
MAIN CONCERN AFTER AN EVEN, IS EVENT, IS
TO GET THE ROAD OPEN AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
KNOWING WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN
THAT AREA TO REPLACE, SAY, A
CULVERT THAT'S A 30-INCH CULVERT
TO HANDLE THE WATER WITH A 36 OR
A 48-INCH CULVERT WHEN THE ROAD
IS WASHED OUT, WOULD SAVE MONEY
INSTEAD OF PUTTING THE 30-INCH
OR 24-INCH BACK IN PLACE AND A
MONTH LATER, AFTER MITIGATION,
BEING ABLE TO REPLACE WITH A
48-INCH CULVERT.
WE'RE DOING THE SAME JOB TWICE.
>> RIGHT.
SO HOW STRAPPED IS YOUR COUNTY
FOR MONEY TO REPAIR AND REPLACE
SUCH DAMAGE REPEATEDLY?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T
AFFORD -- WE'RE FORTUNATE WE
WERE ABLE TO FUND THE REPAIRS,
BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO
BE THE CASE.
IF WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM THE
FIRST TIME, THAT MONEY COULD BE
USED ELSEWHERE.
>> BECAUSE THERE ARE CLEARLY
COMPETING COSTS IN COUNTIES,
EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, AGAIN, TO, YOU KNOW,
YOUR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
SO HOW DOES THAT KIND OF PUSH
AND PULL WORK?
>> EVERYBODY'S GRASPING FOR THE
SAME POT OF MONEY, AND YOU KNOW,
MY CONCERN BEING ROADS, BUT
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE SAYING,
OKAY, WE NEED THE MONEY HERE
TOO, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE
TAXPAYERS, WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT
FOR THEIR WELL-BEING TOO.
>> SO DESCRIBE AGAIN HOW THE
BILL FROM SENATOR BALDWIN THAT
WOULD, AGAIN, DIRECT THE FEDERAL
HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO FACTOR
IN RESILIENCY AS THEY CALL IT IN
DISASTER RECOVERY GRANTS TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, HOW WOULD
THAT HELP BAYFIELD COUNTY AND
OTHER COUNTIES?
>> IF WE KNEW OF AN AREA IN THE
COUNTY ON A COUNTY ROAD THAT
CONTINUALLY WASHES OUT WATER
OVER THE ROAD BECAUSE THE
STRUCTURE IS TOO SMALL, WE COULD
MAYBE ADDRESS THAT SITUATION
AHEAD OF TIME, BEFORE A MAJOR
RAIN EVENT, AND THEN BE ABLE TO
HANDLE THAT WATER AND KEEP OUR
ROAD IN PLACE.
>> NOW YOU WERE AT THAT
ROUNDTABLE AS WE DISCUSSED THAT
SENATOR BALDWIN ATTENDED TO HEAR
ABOUT THIS.
WAS THAT WELL ATTENDED AND WHAT
WERE OTHER OFFICIALS SAYING?
>> IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, BASICALLY
EVERYBODY HAD THE SAME
CONSENSUS.
ASHLAND AND BAYFIELD COUNTY WERE
REPRESENTED THERE.
AND EVERYBODY SAID THE SAME
THING.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO
DO THE SAME JOB TWICE.
IF WE DO IT RIGHT THE FIRS FIRST
TIME, MAYBE WE WILL NOT HAVE
THIS PROBLEM AGAIN.
>> AFTER BEING HIT MULTIPLE
TIMES BY WHAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING
100-YEAR OR 500-YEAR RAIN EVENTS
AND FLOODING EVENTS, WHAT IS IT
LIKE FOR YOU WHEN STORMS ARE IN
THE FORECAST?
>> IT'S A LITTLE BOTHERING.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE GET A
NICE GENTLE RAIN ANYMORE.
EVERYTHING ARE THE HARD
DOWNPOURS.
SO YOU DON'T GET ANY -- THE
GROUND TAKING IN VEG TAKING IN TAKE
TAITION TAKING IN ANY OF THE
MOISTURE, IT'S JUST RUNOFF.
OUR STORMS SEEM TO BE HARDER
STORMS WITH DOWNPOURS.
>> YEAH, TOUGH STUFF.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, PAUL JOHANIK, BAYFIELD
COUNTY HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US AND GOOD LUCK UP THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HOPE FOR SUNSHINE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WHILE PEOPLE WAIT FOR OFFICIALS
AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL
TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, IT'S
THE PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
WHO ARE LEFT TO DEAL WITH THE
REALITY ON THE GROUND AND THE
WATER IN THEIR BASEMENTS.
"HERE AND NOW" REPORTER ZAC
SCHULTZ TRAVELED TO SAWYER
COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HAYWARD
FOR THIS REPORT.
>> THE VACATION TOWN OF HAYWARD
IN SAWYER COUNTY IS BUILT ON
WATER, BOTH FIGURATIVELY AND
LITERALLY.
>> SO HAYWARD IS BUILT ON A
SWAMP, A CATACOMB OF UNDERGROUND
RIVERS.
>> PAT SANCHEZ IS THE EMERGENCY
MANAGER FOR SAWYER COUNTY.
SHE SAYS THE COUNCIL SEE IS ALSO
PRETTY FLAT, SO TORRENTIAL RAIN
EVENTS LIKE THEY HAD IN 2014 AND
'16 WILL LEAD TO HEAVY FLOODING.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF RIVERS, A
LOT OF STREAMS, A LOT OF LAKES,
AND WHEN WE GET HEAVY DOWNPOUR
LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST
YEARS, THERE'S NOT ANYWHERE FOR
THAT WATER TO GO.
>> I DID HAVE CARPETING DOWN
HERE, BUT THAT ALL ROTTED.
>> SANDY OKAMOTO FEELS LIKE MOST
OF THE WATER IN SAWYER COUNTY
COMES THROUGH HER BASEMENT.
>> BECAUSE THIS WHOLE AREA
FLOODS, AND IT COMES IN
EVERYWHERE.
>> SHE SAYS AFTER HEAVY RAINS,
THE GROUNDWATER SPRAYS INTO THE
BASEMENT IN HER HOUSE AND HER
RENTAL PROPERTY NEXT DOOR.
>> IT'S LIKE SOMEONE IS STANDING
WITH A SQUIRT GUN BEHIND THE
WALLS AND JUST -- IT COMES
THROUGH EVERYWHERE.
>> WHEN THE FORECAST CALLS FOR
HEAVY RAINS, SANDY CAN'T SLEEP.
>> VERY OVERWHELMING.
AND ALL I DO IS RUN BACK AND
FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO HOUSES AND
MOVE PUMPS AND MOVE HOSES.
>> BUT SANDY SAYS IT WASN'T LIKE
THIS WHEN SHE BOUGHT THESE
HOUSES.
THIS CREEK AND NEIGHBORING
SHUE'S POND WOULD OCCASIONALLY
DRY UP.
>> LIKE I SAY, THERE WASN'T EVEN
WATER IN THIS CREEK.
I MOWED.
IT WAS BONE DRY.
I MOWED ACROSS IT.
>> THE WATER LEVEL IN PLACES
AROUND SAWYER COUNTY IS JUST
HIGHER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
>> IT'S KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM SO IT HAS
NOWHERE TO GO FROM HERE.
>> DON HAMBLIN IS BOTH THE FIRE
CHIEF AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
FOR THE TOWN OF HAYWARD SO HE'S
BEEN MONITORING THIS ROAD.
>> THERE'S DEFINITELY STRUCTURAL
ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE
ADDRESSED.
>> WHEN THE WATER RECEDES, HE
CAN FIX THE ROAD BUT THE BIG
QUESTION IS, HOW SOON WILL HE
HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN?
>> ARE WE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING
THESE PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY FOR
THE NEXT 20, 50 YEARS?
>> THE 2014 AND '16 FLOODS IN
SAWYER COUNTY WERE BOTH CLOSE TO
BEING LABELED AS 100-YEAR
FLOODS.
COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
HAVE DEALT WITH REPEATED 100,
500 AND EVEN THOUSAND-YEAR FLOOD
EVENTS IN JUST THE PAST FEW
YEARS.
WASHING AWAY ROADS, FLOODING
HOMES, AND MAKING EVERYONE
CONSIDER WHETHER THIS IS THE NEW
NORMAL.
>> WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE
PROBLEM IN THE BIG PICTURE,
WE'RE JUST SAYING HOW CAN WE GET
IT BACK TO FUNCTIONING STATUS.
>> HE'S MEETING WITH LOCAL
OFFICIALS AROUND SAWYER COUNTY
TO TALK ABOUT APPLYING FOR
FEDERAL GRANTS TO PREPARE FOR
EMERGENCIES.
>> PREPAREDNESS LEVELS VARY
WIDELY ACROSS THE REGION.
SOME COMMUNITIES ARE CERTAINLY
MORE PREPARED THAN OTHERS.
>> HE DOESN'T HESITATE WHEN
ASKED ABOUT THE NEXT TIME THIS
AREA SEES A 500-YEAR FLOOD
EVENT.
>> NEXT YEAR, YEP.
WE'RE EXPERIENCING THESE EVENT
SO OFTEN AT SUCH A GREAT
MAGNITUDE THAT WE'LL HAVE NO
CHOICE AT SOME POINT BUT TO
ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO TRY AND
ADDRESS IT.
>> TO HELP COMMUNITIES PREPARE,
THEY CREATED THE NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN FLOOD IMPACT STUDY,
WHICH SHOWS WHICH ROADS AND
HOUSES WOULD BE UNDERWATER
DURING 100 OR 500-YEAR FLOOD
EVENTS.
A 500-YEAR FLOOD IN SAWYER
COUNTY WOULD CAUSE NEARLY
$12 MILLION IN DAMAGES TO
BUILDINGS AND SEE 50 MILES OF
ROADS CLOSED.
WE OVERLAID THE STUDIES
INTERACTIVE MAP VIEWER ON
DOWNTOWN HAYWARD TO SHOW JUST
HOW MUCH WOULD BE UNDER WATER.
>> WHEN I SAW THAT STUDY, I JUST
SAID I HOPE I RETIRE BEFORE THE
HUNDRED YEAR AND THE 500 YEAR
FLOODS.
>> PAT SANCHEZ WOULD BE IN
CHARGE OF MANAGING A FLOOD
EMERGENCY, AND WHEN SHE READ THE
STUDY, SHE MADE A PHONE CALL.
>> I ORDERED 10,000 BAGS AND HAD
THEM DELIVERED AND THEN I
PRESTAGED THEM NORTH AND SOUTH.
>> SO FAR, SHE HASN'T NEEDED
THEM.
>> LUCKILY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I'M STILL KNOCKING ON WOOD
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT OVER THE
SEASON YET.
>> BUT SANDBAGS ARE A STOP-GAP
SOLUTION, NOT A LONG TERM PLAN.
>> WE CAN START LOOKING AT, YOU
KNOW, DO WE NEED BIGGER
CULVERTS, DO WE NEEDLESS
PAVEMENT?
>> EVERY TIME WE REDO A ROAD
PROJECT, WE TRY TO IMPROVE
DRAINAGE.
>> DON HAMBLIN SAYS AFTER THE
LAST TWO FLOODS, THE TOWN OF
HAYWARD STARTED RE-THINKING
THEIR APPROACH TO ROAD BUILDING.
>> WE'VE KIND OF PRIORITIZED
SOME OF OUR PROJECTS BASED ON
WATER FLOW.
>> HAMBLIN SAYS INSTEAD OF JUST
REPAVING THIS ROAD, THEY DECIDED
TO RAISE IT UP SO WATER COULD
DRAIN OFF.
>> WE'VE ADDED ANYWHERE BETWEEN
4 AND 10 INCHES OF GRAVEL IN
SOME PLACES TO GET BETTER
DRAINAGE AND IMPROVE SOME OF THE
STRUCTURE UNDER THE ROAD.
>> THESE PROJECTS CAN GET
EXPENSIVE.
IT WILL COST $345,000 TO REPLACE
THE UNDERSIZED CULVERT THAT
CARRIES SMITH CREEK UNDER
HIGHWAY 63 IN HAYWARD.
THE CITY OF HAYWARD IS TELLING
RESIDENTS LIKE SANDY OKAMOTO
THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE STATE TO
PAY.
>> I KNOW THEY'RE WAITING FOR
THE DOT TO GIVE THEM A BIG CHUNK
OF MONEY TO DO SOMETHING
UNDERNEATH HIGHWAY 63 AND THEY
SAY THERE'S NO POINT IN FIXING
ANYTHING THIS SIDE OF HIGHWAY 63 BECAUSE THEN THE HOMES
DOWNSTREAM WOULD FLOOD.
>> THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ISN'T SCHEDULED
TO START WORK UNTIL 2023.
SHE CAN'T IMAGINE WAITING UNTIL
THEN.
>> IT'S JUST NO WAY TO LIVE.
>> I'VE JUST BEEN TOLD THERE'S
NO MONEY, THERE'S NO MONEY,
THERE'S NO MONEY.
WE'VE TALKED TO OUR POLITICAL
ENTITIES AND THEY KEEP SAYING
WRITE GRANTS.
WELL, WE NOW HOW COMPETITIVE
GRANTS ARE NOW DAYS.
>> AND I SUSPECT BECAUSE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN
THE LAST FIVE YEARS, NAMELY THE
FLOODING ISSUE --
>> FIVE YEARS AGO, FLOODING
WASN'T EVEN LISTED AS A CONCERN
ON SAWYER COUNTY'S HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN GRANT
APPLICATION.
NOW IT'S NUMBER ONE.
>> I'M NOT GUARANTEEING YOU'LL
GET FUNDING FOR THESE THINGS
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE
COMPETING AGAINST NOT JUST THE
OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED IN WISCONSIN, BUT EVERY
COUNTY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> JASON LAUMANN SAYS LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS NEED TO PLAN FOR
THESE COSTS.
>> COMEUBTS, COUNTIES HAVE
GOTTEN TO REALIZE THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO BEAR SOME OF
THE BURDEN FOR THIS, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
>> OTHERWISE, THEY'LL BE IN THE
ODD POSITION OF HOPING WHEN THE
FLOOD COMES, IT'S REALLY BAD, SO
THEY QUALIFY FOR FEMA GRANTS TO
REBUILD.
>> THIS IS THE LARGEST CULVERT
STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN THE
TOWN OF HAYWARD.
>> THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AFTER
THE 2016 FLOOD WASHED OUT THIS
GRAVEL ROAD.
>> IT ENDED UP BEING A FEMA
PROJECT.
THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT
WAS OVER $80,000 TO PUT THIS BOX
CULVERT IN, AND YOU KNOW, FOR
THE TOWN TO DO THAT ON THEIR OWN
NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
>> EVEN WITH THE FEMA MONEY, THE
TOWNSHIP STILL HAD TO PAY 25% OF
THE COST.
HAMBLIN SAYS IT WOULD COST 5 TO
$10,000 TO FILL IN THE WASHOUT.
THEY COULD HAVE DONE THAT FOR
NEXT EIGHT FLOODS AND STILL
SAVED MONEY.
>> HOPEFULLY THIS CULVERT WILL
OUTLIVE ALL OF US.
>> BUT THE NEXT EIGHT FLOODS MAY
NOT BE THAT FAR OFF.
>> DO WE PLAN 50 YEARS OR 100
YEARS DOWN THE ROAD OR DO WE
PLAN FOR TOMORROW AND HOPE FOR
THE BEST?
>> THAT WAS ZAC SCHULTZ
REPORTING.
HIGHWAY FUNDING, TRANSPORTATION
COSTS AND THE DOT'S NEED FOR
STATE MONEY TO FIX, MAINTAIN AND
BUILD NEW ROADWAYS ALWAYS RISES
TO THE TOP OF STATE BUDGET
PRIORITIES.
THE RECENTLY PASSED TWO-YEAR
STATE BUDGET WAS NO DIFFERENT.
THOUGH THERE WERE DIFFERENT
IDEAS FOR FUNDING SOURCES, SPLIT
ALONG PARTY LINES, IN THE END,
STATE FUNDING FOR LOCAL
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS GOT A
BOOST: A 10% INCREASE OR
$66 MILLION OVER THE BIENNIUM,
PLUS A $75 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM
FOR ONE-TIME FUNDING.
TONIGHT WE CHECK IN WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SECRETARY DESIGNEE, CRAIG
THOMPSON, ON THE ISSUE OF LOCAL
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> HI, FREDERICA, THANKS FOR
HAVING ME.
>> SURE.
SO HOW FAR WILL THE 10% BOOST IN
THE $75 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM GO
TOWARD HELPING THESE STRAPPED
COUNTIES AND LOCALS MEET THEIR
HIGHWAY NEEDS?
>> I THINK THE WAY YOU JUST
DESCRIBED IT IS VERY FAIR AND
VERY IMPORTANT.
THE 10% INCREASE IN GENERAL
TRANSPORTATION AIDS IS ONGOING
WITH ONGOING REVENUE AND I THINK
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNTIES
AND CITIES AND VILLAGES AND
TOWNS TO BUILD A PLAN, HOW
THEY'RE GOING TO USE THAT, WHERE
THEY'RE GOING TO START MAKING
REPAIRS.
THE $75 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM IS
GOING TO BE HELPFUL AS WELL BUT
WITH ONE-TIME MONEY, THIS IS
MORE JUST FOR A SPECIFIC
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, SO IT'S ONE
OF THE REASONS THE GOVERNOR
VETOED IT THE WAY HE DID RATHER
THAN PUTTING THE $75 MILLION
INTO LOCAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
THAT COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED,
WE'RE SETTING UP A SEPARATE
GRANT PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN HAVE
DISCREET SPECIFIC PROJECTS COME
IN, DEMONSTRATE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND THEN WE CAN MAKE
AWARDS BASED ON THAT FOR THOSE
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS.
>> GETTING BACK TO THE TIE-IN
WITH ZAC'S REPORTING, IN HIS
REPORT, THE TOWN OF HAYWARD SAYS
IT IS RE-THINKING THE APPROACH
TO ROAD BUILDING BECAUSE OF RAIN
AND FLOOD EVENTS AND THE DAMAGE
THAT THOSE CAUSE.
IS THE DOT ALSO RE-THINKING ITS
APPROACH AND HELPING LOCALS TO
DO SO?
>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING I
WAS JUST AT A CONVENTION OF
MIDWEST STATES, OTHER
SECRETARIES FROM OTHER DOTs,
AND RESILIENCY ACROSS THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY FOR DOTs IS BECOMING A
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S A BALANCING TEST
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS
AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE AND WITH WEATHER EVENTS
IN AREAS LIKE NORTHWEST, BUT WE
STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE, WHETHER IT'S ALONG
CRITICAL COMMERCE CORRIDORS,
BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST START
ENGINEERING EVERY AREA UP TO
100-YEAR FLOODS OR THINGS LIKE
THAT, IT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL.
SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE BEST
DATA, THE BEST SCIENCE AND
BEGIN, BUT RE-LOOKING AT SOME OF
THESE AREAS THAT HAVE PERSISTENT
ISSUE, HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT.
>> IN TERMS OF RESILIENCY, HOW
DOES WISCONSIN FARE COMPARED TO
OTHER STATES IN TERMS OF
BUILDING FOR THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL
LARGELY IN THE SAME BOAT THERE.
THERE'S SOME OTHER STATES THAT
HAVE HAD VERY CRITICAL COMMERCE
CORRIDORS TAKEN OUT WITH
HURRICANES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
LUCKILY WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT TO
DATE, BUT I THINK IT'S GOT ALL
THE STATES LOOKING AT THIS IN
EARNEST, AND I DO THINK WHILE AT
THE STATE LEVEL, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO DO GOOD PLANNING.
SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO
COME AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS
WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IN THE CITY OF HAYWARD, GOING
BACK KIND OF -- RESIDENTS ARE
EXPERIENCING SEVERE FLOODING IN
PART BECAUSE THE CITY IS WAITING
UNTIL 2023 FOR STATE MONEY TO
HELP FIX A CULVERT.
WHAT DO YOU SAY AS THE
SECRETARY-DESIGNEE TO THOSE
PEOPLE WHO CAN'T NOT IMAGINE
WAITING FOUR YEARS TO ADDRESS
THAT ONE PROBLEM?
>> WELL, THIS IS PART OF THE
REASON THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES AND
FUNDING IN SUCH ERNEST.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THERE'S
OTHER LOCALITIES YOU CAN TALK TO
THAT AREN'T ON ANY SCHEDULE
RIGHT NOW TO HAVE SOME OF THESE
SORTS OF THINGS REPLACE.
REPLACED.
I KNOW FOUR YEARS SEEMS LIKE A
LONG TIME ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE
IN ONE OF THESE AREAS BUT WE'RE
TRYING TO MOVE THESE THINGS UP,
OUR STATE HIGHWAY REHABILITATION
WENT INTO THIS BUDGET BUT
THERE'S A LOT LOCAL NEEDS OUT
THERE.
>> WHAT HAS BEEN THE STATE
CLIMATE OVERALL?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF US
CAN GIVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO
THAT, BUT IN YOUR REPORTING AND
YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH
THAT FLOODING UP THERE, AS A
MATTER OF FACT, JUST WITH THE
HIGH WINDS RECENTLY IN NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN, AGAIN, WE JUST
LIFTED -- WE JUST LIFTED SOME
WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS AND SOME
HIGHWAYS TO ALLOW THEM TO GET
SOME OF THESE FALLEN TREES AND
TIMBER OUT OF THERE MORE
QUICKLY.
SO IT IS HAVING IMPACTS ON US IN
A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO
KEEP RELYING ON SCIENCE AND
UPDATING HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH
THIS.
>> WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF
FEMA'S REQUIREMENT THAT WHEN ITS
EMERGENCY FUNDS ARE USED TO
REBUILD STORM DAMAGED
INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT IT BE BUILT
TO PRIOR SPECS?
>> THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT WHEN I MENTIONED I
WAS AT THIS MEETING WITH OTHER
MIDWEST STATES AND AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL, WE WANT TO HAVE
THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
IS THAT REALLY THE BETION BEST USE OF
TAXPAYER DOLLARS?
IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN AREA
THAT THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD THAT
THIS EVENT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN TO
SPEND ALL THAT MONEY JUST TO
BUILD UP THE PRIOR
SPECIFICATIONS WHEN THAT VERY
WELL MIGHT DB WE -- WE MIGHT BE
REBUILDING IT AGAIN.
AGAIN, THOSE FEMA REGULATIONS AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE NEED TO BE
HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> SO CAN THE STATE DO ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT, THOUGH?
>> WELL, I THINK WE CAN WEIGH
IN -- THAT HAS TO DO WITH WHEN
FEMA DOLLARS ARE INVOLVED SO WE
CAN AFFECT A LOT OF OTHER AREAS
WHERE THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED.
WITH OUR STRUCTURES, WHEN THEY
DO GET TO END OF LIFE AND WE'RE
REBUILDING THEM, WE USED TO HAVE
A 25 AND 50 YEAR FOR THAT, NOW
WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF A 100
YEAR.
SO OUR PROACTIVE SPECS, WE ARE
TRYING TO BUILD SOME OF THAT IN
IN THESE AREAS AND IN SPECIFIC
AREAS, WE CAN LOOK AT IF THERE'S
PERSISTENT FLOODING, FOR
EXAMPLE, WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK
AT THAT.
>> SHIFTING GEARS WITH LESS THAN
A MINUTE LEFT HERE, THE
REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED SENATE HAS
NOT APPROVED A SINGLE MEMBER OF
GOVERNOR EVERS' CABINET.
HAS THAT AFFECTED YOUR ABILITY
TO DO YOUR JOB?
>> IT REALLY HASN'T.
TO ME, I LOOK TO THE PEOPLE AT
THE DEPARTMENT AND JUST TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE RUNNING THE
PROGRAM EFFECTIVELY TO JUST GO
ABOUT AND DO OUR JOB, AND THAT'S
WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE
ABILITY OF US TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT.
>> DO YOU THINK KEEPING YOU AS
SECRETARY-DESIGNEE GIVES THE
SENATE LEVERAGE OVER YOU OR ANY
OF YOUR DECISIONS?
>> I HAVEN'T REALLY FELT THAT,
AND I THINK EVENTUALLY THEY'LL
GET AROUND TO DOING IT BUT IN
THE MEANTIME, I THINK WE JUST
NEED TO DO OUR JOB.
>> CRAIG THOMPSON, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANKS, FREDERICA.
>> SAYING CLIMATE CHANGE POSTS POSES A
SERIOUS THREAT TO WISCONSIN,
GOVERNOR EVERS TIED CHANGING
WEATHER PATTERNS TO THE FUTURE
OF WISCONSIN'S NATURAL
RESOURCES, PUBLIC HEALTH,
TOURISM AND OVERALL ECONOMY.
HIS ORDER CHARGES THE NEW OFFICE
WITH ACHIEVING A GOAL OF
ENSURING ALL ELECTRICITY
CONSUMED WITHIN WISCONSIN IS
100% CARBON-FREE BY 2050.
>> FOR FAR TOO LONG, CLEAN
ENERGY HAS NOT BEEN A PRIORITY
IN OUR STATE, AND WE'RE GOING TO
CHANGE THAT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT
POLICIES THAT WILL REDUCE
GREENHOUSE GASES, GAS EMISSIONS
AND REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FOSSIL
FUEL THAT IS AIIVETTING OUR AFFECTING OUR
STATE.
>> EVERS SAYS THE TRANSITION TO
A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY WILL
GENERATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
NEXT WEEK, WE CONTINUE OUR
SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH
MEMBERS OF GOVERNOR TONY EVERS'
CABINET.
KEVIN CARR WILL BE HERE.
THAT IS ALL FOR OUR PROGRAM
TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
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