GREAT NEWS TO REPORT! Peter Baltus notified the St. Germain Town Board Chairman in a letter dated December 20th, 2023, that none of the 80-acre property that we’ve been concerned about in recent months will be developed into a septage waste field by the Baltus family.  We are taking Peter Baltus to be a man of his word.  We are trusting what he has stated, and that the property will not be developed into a septage waste field. 

We thank the Baltus family for clarifying the intended use for the property. We wish them well in their venture to bring affordable housing to St. Germain.

Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout this awareness campaign.  We heard the outcry from the community to keep the website and social media pages active going forward.  Watch for a new look coming to our social media and website in 2024. 

This petition will be closed out in the coming days.  Our goal from the start was to ensure that this piece of property, due to it's proximity to 3 lakes and watersheds was not to be used for sewage dumping.  With the owners of the property now putting their intent for the land in writing... it's time to move forward with faith, trust, and goodwill.  

 

What's the Issue:  This petition was crafted in response to the CLEAR-CUTTING of nearly 80 acres of Northwoods property in the heart of Vilas County, WI with the proposed intent to turn that property into a HUMAN SEWAGE WASTE DUMP.

 

 

 

 

Biggest Concerns:  Located Here - The property in question is less than 500ft from the pristine and protected Little Bass Lake, less than 800ft from the popular vacation destination and year-round community of Lost Lake, and the property itself contains a federally identified Wetland that leads directly to the Big Saint Germain Watershed.  THIS IS SIMPLY THE WRONG PLACE FOR A WASTE DUMP OF ANY KIND!  

 

 

 

 

How is this possible?  Unfortunately, according to the current laws and regulations governing Wisconsin, local communities like Saint Germain, Eagle River, Woodruff, and Sayner are powerless to stop events like this from happening.  Only the DNR has the oversight to approve or deny a permit to place a raw human sewage drainage field on any given property.  Note:  The DNR has yet to approve or deny a sewage dumping permit for this property... SO NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!  

Call to Action:  WE NEED TO LET THE DNR, STATE, AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS KNOW WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE BY THE CLEAR-CUT AND WHAT DAMAGE COULD STILL BE DONE BY A PROPOSED SEWAGE WASTE DUMP.

 

 

 

 

Don't let Saint Germain Go To Waste!  Please sign this petition acknowledging that something needs to be done to prevent this sewage project from happening… and to ensure that Forest Clear-Cuts of this magnitude never happen again.  Stop the Stink! Imagine the smell on raw sewage being carried on the breeze to local communities and recreation areas...including nearby lakes.  Health Concerns! Imagine the potential effects on both the SEWAGE WASTE itself but also the CHEMICALS used to treat the waste on our surface water and ground water.  Protect Our Waters!  This property is literally surrounded by lakes, watersheds, and wetlands... Let's use some common sense!  

General Statement:  “I agree that what is happening on the 80-acre plot of land near Little Bass Lake, Lost Lake, and the Big Saint Germain Watershed is UNACCEPTABLE.  From the CLEAR CUTTING of the forest, to the proposed SEWAGE WASTE DUMP, all of which is being done without oversight from the Town of St Germain or Vilas County, IS WRONG.  The location’s proximity to Little Bass Lake, Lost Lake, and the Big Saint Germain Watershed makes me feel that this project is better suited at another location away from lakes, streams, wetlands, private residences, and nature preserves.”

NOTE: This is only a petition to gather information and bring awareness to state officials that our community is upset!  You are not actually VOTING FOR ANYTHING :)

Moving Forward:  After signing the petition, please consider getting more involved!  

1. Take our Solutions Survey Here (Coming Soon) - We firmly believe that complaining about an issue is not enough... as a community we need to help develop solutions both to help RESOLVE this problem and PREVENT similar problems in the future.  
2. Considering donating to our fundraiser.  DONATE HERE.  The donations will go directly to raising awareness... such as printing flyers, buying ad space on social media, even purchasing local billboards to help get the word out.
3. Join and follow our online social groups to stay informed and up to date on our progress.  Facebook Link Here.  Instagram Link Here.  Twitter/X Link Here.  TikTok Link Here.
4. Visit our website for more information about this devastating situation.  VISIT WEBSITE HERE