Putting the brakes on global warming

Katie Nekola and Peter Taglia

The Governor’s announcement in his ‘state of the state’ address that “we can no longer sit by and pretend (global warming) isn’t happening” echoes what leaders are saying around the world. Even the president of the United States, who has long resisted overwhelming evidence that global warming is real, has admitted that it’s a “serious challenge”. Some leaders are taking the “soft path” to dealing with global warming: investing in technologies and programs that encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Other states, most notably California, have passed laws that limit how much global warming pollution can be emitted by utilities and industry.

In Wisconsin, Governor Doyle’s “energy independence” initiative, which calls for 25% of the state’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2025, is a laudable first step. His emphasis on supporting biofuels is a win-win for an agricultural state like ours. Doyle has included $40 million in his budget bill for investment in wind, solar, biofuels and other clean technologies. Clean Wisconsin is making it a priority to keep those investments in the budget bill when it passes in this legislative session. And we expect that the Governor’s task force on global warming, like his energy efficiency and renewables task force, will result in recommendations that will make Wisconsin a leader in the fight to slow global warming.

However, even as this groundswell of recognition and action on global warming grows, the root causes of the problem go unabated, and in fact continue to get worse. In Wisconsin, carbon dioxide pollution from energy use has increased 25% since 1990, according to the Department of Administration. In addition, three new coal plants are being built, and in February Alliant Energy submitted an application to expand its Nelson Dewey coal plant on the shore of the Mississippi River in Cassville. According to EPA, the existing coal plant emits 1.8 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, and it is estimated that the 300-megawatt expansion will increase carbon dioxide emissions to 4.8 million tons per year. Overall, global warming pollution from Wisconsin alone will increase by at least 15 million tons when the Elm Road project in Oak Creek and the Weston project near Wausau are in operation, and if the proposed Cassville project gets approval. But approval for the Cassville project is far from certain. The expansion of the Cassville plant will require filling high-quality wetlands that lie between the river and the bluffs, in federally protected areas and will increase barge traffic in an area with some of the last remaining healthy populations of endangered native mussels. The national surge in awareness and concern about global warming pollution has made any new coal plant proposal questionable.

Clean Wisconsin supports the Governor’s commitment to energy independence, renewable energy development, and energy efficiency. They are the foundation on which we can build a new, carbon-free energy supply. As we work toward creating that clean energy future, we must also make a commitment to stopping global warming pollution, from both vehicles and conventional coal plants. Clean Wisconsin has long opposed the construction of any new outdated technology coal plants in our state, and we are actively fighting to keep the Alliant project from being approved by the PSC. If you would like to help out, contact Ryan Schryver at (608) 251-7020 extension 25.