ASSEMBLY OKS BILLS TO CURB METH MAKERS

Measures Aim At Fertilizer Thefts And Waste Dumping

Madison - Toughened penalties for stealing a farm fertilizer used in
manufacturing methamphetamine, and for dumping hazardous waste associated
with making the drug, were approved Thursday by the state Assembly.

"It's a first step in helping law enforcement officers deal with the plague
of meth that is spreading across southwestern and western Wisconsin," said
Rep. Steve Freese (R-Dodgeville).

The Assembly voted 97-1 for a bill that punishes the theft of anhydrous
ammonia, a component of methamphetamine that is widely used as a farm
fertilizer. Those convicted would face maximum fines of $10,000 and 3 1/2
years in prison.

Freese said there have been thefts of 1,000-gallon containers of the
chemical from farm fields in western Wisconsin. Other thieves have attempted
to drain off the gas, he said.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate, also imposes penalties for improper
storage of the fertilizer.

"We're seeing a significant amount of this stuff stolen, and it's becoming a
major problem from Eau Claire down to Hazel Green," Freese said. "People are
putting it in things that definitely are not safe. They're not rational in
their thinking when dealing with this stuff."

The Assembly also gave unanimous approval to a Freese bill that prohibits
the dumping of waste from a meth lab. The labs often generate large amounts
of dangerous chemical wastes, which are often dumped on roadsides and in
fields.

The bill imposes a fine of between $1,000 and $100,000 and a prison sentence
of up to 7 1/2 years for a first offense. A second or subsequent offense
could draw a fine of between $5,000 and $150,000 and up to 15 years in
prison.

That legislation also provides a $10,000 fine and five years in prison for
those who provide equipment used in the manufacture of the drug.

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