The Oneida Nation entered into a water quality pact with Brown County, Outagamie County, Winnebago County, and Calumet County Tuesday afternoon. The agreement is based on the principle foundation of having clean water for our region. The signing took place Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at Lambeau Field in the North balcony.
“The Oneida Nation has always been viewed as a steward of the environment,” said Oneida Vice-Chairman Brandon Stevens. “We have a very robust Environmental Department and look forward to sharing our vision, resources, and experiences with this group.”
The purpose of the pact is to not only protect the water in the region, but also improve through removal of impairments, such as seasonal and cumulative nutrient pollution, from the waterways of northeast Wisconsin.
The Pact Parties aim to have healthy and productive agricultural lands amongst sustainably built communities through which clean water flows. To achieve this purpose, it is minimally necessary to agree to plan, set goals, and work together to achieve clean water.
The Oneida Nation has numerous success stories in relation to water quality. One being the re-introduction of trout to Trout Creek in 2009. This creek restoration project essentially re-constructed the creek in numerous locations to provide quality fish habitat. The creek now twists and turns, where it was once a straight-line ditch and trees were downed to help provide shelter. This project was not done alone and is an example of what great things can be accomplished when governments find a common good for all to work towards.
