Through his campaign spokeswoman, Alleigh Marre, Walker declined to be interviewed about his record on the environment or provide written answers to questions on the subject.

But businesses are generally pleased with Walker’s record, the WMC’s Bott said.

An example: In 2010, new limits were placed on industrial phosphorus emissions that contribute to smelly, sometimes toxic algae in lakes. WMC said those limits would be too costly, placing the state at a competitive disadvantage. This year, Walker signed a law extending compliance deadlines by up to 20 years and providing less costly options if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agrees the law will adequately protect water.

Bott said more must be done, including making it easier for businesses to obtain permits for high-capacity wells — wells that pump 70 gallons of water from the ground per minute).

While there was a surge in permitting of new high-volume wells in the last few years, Walker’s DNR has been criticized for sticking with a rule that restricts regulators to evaluating only the impact of wells on the permit-seeker’s property, and not the cumulative effect of other high-volume wells tapping an area’s groundwater.