Author: Clean Wisconsin

Draw from Lake Michigan would not meet protective standards of Great Lakes Compact

MADISON — Clean Wisconsin has formally requested that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources deny the City of Waukesha’s application to replace its current public water supply with Lake Michigan water. The application for an average of 10.1 million gallons per day, if approved as written, would not set the proper precedent to manage future supply needs in communities outside the Great Lakes Basin.

Senate Bill 302 would scale back protections for lakes, rivers and streams

MADISON — The state Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee today passed an amended bill that seeks to undo an important unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court decision protecting state waterways.  While an earlier version of Senate Bill 302 already had potential to strip power from groundwater regulators, the latest version would effectively reroute the law around the 2011 Wisconsin Supreme Court Lake Beulah ruling.

Bill expands disposal options to further contain threat of pollution MADISON — A bill that has gained bipartisan support in the Wisconsin Legislature by encouraging recycling of old mercury thermostats would help reduce the health and environmental risks of this harmful toxin. “It’s scary to think that it only takes one gram of mercury a year,

Hearing Upcoming on Department of Natural Resources Permit for Wisconsin Public Service Corp. MADISON — The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has granted Clean Wisconsin’s petition challenging a Wisconsin Public Service Corp. (WPS) permit allowing the utility to emit mercury beyond legal limits.  “Especially given the inherent danger of mercury, there should be no leniency,”

“While we remain very concerned about the issues of water quality and sustainability in Waukesha, its diversion application has posed many unanswered questions about water conservation and efficiency, water supply alternatives and environmental impact,” said Ezra Meyer, water resources specialist with Clean Wisconsin, the state’s largest environmental advocacy organization, a longtime Great Lakes advocate and

Will be first wind farm built in state since uniform, statewide wind siting law went into effect MADISON — After a long and thorough analysis, the Public Service Commission (PSC) approved the proposed Highland Wind project in St. Croix County in a 2-1 vote today, demonstrating its support for advancement of clean, safe, renewable energy in

MADISON — Similar to an initial carbon standard released last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new draft today that creates separate standards for new coal- and gas-fired power plants. “If this rule is adopted, the result will be very similar and will basically ensure that no new power plants will be built that

Boundaries of GTAC’s proposed mine site include confirmed presence of toxic pollutants HURLEY — With concerned citizens gathering in Hurley, Wis. today for the first of potentially only two required hearings regarding Gogebic Taconite’s application to mine iron ore from the Penokee Range, the company’s initial application materials are a huge cause for concern about the

169 businesses and organizations around the Midwest send letter to Pres. Obama applauding his Climate Action Plan MADISON — Today, 169 businesses and organizations from six Midwest states, including numerous Wisconsin businesses and numerous religious and health organizations here, sent a letter to President Obama thanking him for the Climate Action Plan he laid out in