Clean Wisconsin Defender Newsletter - Winter 2022

Defender

2022 WINTER

Appeals court sides with Clean Wisconsin and Ho-Chunk Nation to protect rare wetland By Amy Barrilleaux, Communications Director

The Court of Appeals handed a major victory to Clean Wisconsin and its partners, ensuring a rare, critical Wisconsin wetland will remain protected. Judges upheld a lower court decision to block a wetland fill permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources in 2017. The permit would have allowed Atlanta-based Meteor Timber, LLC. to destroy a hardwood wetland in Monroe County in order to build a frac-sand loading depot on the site. “Every wetland we can protect is an enormous victory. This case was a perfect example of trying to destroy something that we need, this untouched pristine wetland, to facilitate fossil fuel infrastructure that we don’t need and that’s making our climate problems even worse,” said Clean Wisconsin staff attorney Evan Feinauer. “Wisconsin’s wetlands offer protections against flooding by soaking up heavy rainfall, which is critical as storms worsen with climate change, and we will keep fighting to keep them protected.” continued on Page 10

Example of a White Pine and Red Maple Swamp, Eric Epstein, DNR

Climate and energy bills abound at the Capitol, but many face a tough road Erik Kanter, Government Relations Director

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1291 Madison, WI

Democratic and Republican members of the Wisconsin State Legislature introduced several pieces of legislation tackling issues related to energy and climate change throughout 2021. Dozens of bills are now under consideration in standing committees in the Senate and Assembly that aid in electrifying transportation, provide consumers choice in their energy sources, and minimize Wisconsin’s contribution to climate change.

In November, legislative Democrats led by Rep. Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) introduced a robust, benchmark legislative package to make the state a national leader in combatting the climate crisis. The Democrats’ Forward on Climate package comprehensively modernizes Wisconsin’s energy generation, transportation, workforce and economy, and it seeks to correct disparities caused by climate change among low-income populations and communities of color throughout Wisconsin. It comprises twenty-two separate pieces of legislation, including new requirements for the Public Service Commission when it considers approving utility-scale energy generation projects, grants to assist lowincome households with energy efficiency, carbon sequestration and sustainable agriculture, local planning, racial disparity impact studies in the Department of Natural Resources regulation of clean air and water, green jobs training grants and much more.

Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300 Madison, WI 53703-2500

The proposals are legislative extensions of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change. An integral member of the Task Force, Clean Wisconsin made significant contributions in developing the policies that became the Forward on Climate package. Unfortunately, the package did not garner support from Republican legislators. It is unlikely a single bill will even receive a public hearing. Republican legislative leaders have not passed solely Democratic legislation

Also in this issue

since they gained control of the legislature in 2011. Despite a lack of support from their Republican colleagues, the Forward on Climate package represents bold policy goals and provides legislative Democrats an opportunity to publicly put their best ideas forward. Clean Wisconsin believes the package can be the beginning of a long overdue conversation in working towards real policy solutions, and we are working with Rep. Neubauer to amplify their messaging. Republican legislators focused many of their proposals on electrifying transportation and providing opportunities for consumers to have choice in the source of their energy. Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) and Rep. Nancy VanderMeer (R-Tomah) authored Senate Bill 573 and Assembly Bill 588 to create regulatory certainty for owners of charging stations by allowing owners to charge a fee for the use of a station. The bipartisan bill further clarifies that charging station owners are not utility providers and cannot be regulated as such. Cowles and VanderMeer believe providing this regulatory certainty will correlate to an increased number of charging stations throughout the state. This argument was affirmed at a public hearing in the Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities in October where Kwik Trip testified in continued on Page 7

The Truth About Natural Gas | Federal Infrastructure Funds | Science Program Expansion

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News, Notes

Events

A fond farewell to longtime board member Gof Thompson

634 W. Main St., #300 Madison WI 53703 Phone: (608) 251-7020 www.cleanwisconsin.org

In December, the Clean Wisconsin Board of Directors held a special recognition to say goodbye to Gof Thompson, the longest-serving board member in the history of Clean Wisconsin. At the sendoff, President & CEO Mark Redsten made a touching toast about the lifetime commitment Gof has made to Clean Wisconsin. Here is some of what Mark had to say:

Clean Wisconsin protects and preserves Wisconsin’s clean water, air, and natural heritage. On behalf of our more than 30,000 members, supporters, and coalition partners, we have been your leading voice for Wisconsin’s environment since 1970.

STAFF President & CEO Mark Redsten

“In 1992, Bill Clinton just became President. There were a few other notable events that year: The Mall of America opened its doors in Minneapolis; The European Union was first formed; Hurricane Andrew Gof joined Clean Wisconsin’s Board of pummeled Miami; South Africa voted to end Directors in 1992 apartheid; The #1 hit single record was Boys II Men ‘End of the Road;’ and, of course, Gof Thomson joined the Clean Wisconsin Board, becoming the longest serving CW Board member (and thanks to term limits, that is a distinction that will remain part of his legacy!) Unlike Boys II Men’s top hit, 1992 wasn’t the end of the road for our friend, Gof. Because for the next 30 years, Gof has been contributing tirelessly on our Board of Directors. He served repeatedly as chair and treasurer and has been focused on making the organization financially stable and prepared for the next 50 years.

VP of Programs and Government Relations David Tipson

When I talk about Gof to others, I describe him as witty and irreverent, wise and friendly, and always someone with Clean Wisconsin’s best interest at heart. He’s one of the first people I would call if I needed advice, knowing he would give me an unvarnished truth. In fact, he’s one of the only people other than my family members whose cell phone I have memorized—because I had to call it so many times before I could say, ‘Siri, call Gof Thompson.’

Government Relations Director Erik Kanter

Gof has a devotion to our mission and this organization that will inspire me for the rest of my life. Gof, thank you for your friendship and support. You have made an incredible contribution to this organization, to Wisconsin’s environmental community, and to me personally. The success of Clean Wisconsin is your legacy, too.

Grants & Foundations Manager Alexandria Baker Communications Director Amy Barrilleaux Office Manager Kaysee Beckstrom Climate Solutions Director Chelsea Chandler Chief Financial Officer Nick Curran, CPA Content Manager Molly Dove Staff Attorney Evan Feinauer

Climate Justice Organizer Maithilee Kanthi Development Manager Ryan Kelly Energy and Climate Manager Brett Korte Water Program Director Scott Laeser Staff Scientist Paul Mathewson Water Resources Specialist Ezra Meyer

In 2021, we have serious challenges that remain, not only do we have hateful politics and pandemics, but we still have unsafe drinking water, polluted air, and of course climate change impacts, health disparities, and environmental injustice. But Gof, you have helped us prepare for these challenges: to think about their many solutions wisely; to address these challenges with the resources we need and the clarity of purpose and commitment required. We will miss you, Gof, but we are so much better thanks to you.”

General Counsel Katie Nekola Public Ally Dayona Rimmer Staff Attorney & Milwaukee Program Director Pam Ritger de la Rosa Green Infrastructure Program Associate Ethan Taxman Membership & Outreach Manager

Luke Voegeli BOARD

Chair Arun Soni, Chicago Vice Chair Michael Weiss, Milwaukee Vice Chair Josh Neudorfer, Shorewood Treasurer Andrew Hoyos, McFarland Secretary Shannon Rolbiecki, Tacoma Immediate Past Chair Karen Knetter, Madison Liz Feder, Madison Ann Brodek, Racine Gary Goyke, Madison Charles Hua, Madisonx Celestine Jeffreys, Green Bay Glenn Reinl, Madison Isaac Showaki, Madison Carl Sinderbrand, Middleton Board Emeritus Kathleen Falk, Madison Board Emeritus Kate Gordon, San Francisco Board Emeritus Chuck McGinnis, Middleton Board Emeritus Gof Thomson, New Glarus

Printed with soy ink on unbleached, recycled paper.

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The Defender is owned and published quarterly by Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300, Madison, WI 53703 608-251-7020, info@cleanwisconsin.org A one-year subscription membership is $40. Please direct correspondence to the address above.

Volume 52, No. 1: January 2022 ©2022 Clean Wisconsin. All rights reserved. ISSN # 1549-8107

2022 Winter

from the President & CEO 2021 was an impressive year for Clean Wisconsin. As I reflect, it’s hard to find a better year in the last 20 where across-the-board success was so apparent. After a decade of work, we won two landmark cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, protecting water resources; and we won another important lawsuit, Meteor Timber, stopping the destruction of an endangered wetland for the construction of a frac sand loading facility. We also made significant progress toward our climate, energy and water program goals, and even shored up new support to expand that work, as well as our local climate resilience work. We forged stronger partnerships with former adversaries-turned-allies in the agricultural sector, with renewable energy companies, and with university scientists, just to name a few, to further develop and hasten our efforts to improve and protect Wisconsin’s air and water. Knowing that our program success depends on having strategic goals and employing smart, hardworking people to accomplish them, in 2021 we added staff to our legal, program, and communications teams, and a new member to our Board of Directors. In our communications department, with regularity, we were quoted in newspaper stories, heard on the radio and seen on tv highlighting our successes and discussing the challenges that remain in Wisconsin. We added a podcast series and produced many original videos to better tell the stories of people and places impacted by pollution or who are inspirational in their efforts to help Wisconsin’s environment. And with all these fantastic program victories and new communications content, people responded: We grew our Action Network and social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to their highest levels. We had our best fundraising year ever, and we brought our membership to the highest it’s been in 10 years. As a result, we were successful in shoring up the organization’s future adding significant new resources to our Doug LaFollette speakers fund endowment, our long-term reserve fund, and a new legal defense fund.

We did all of this work despite a challenging work environment, punctuated by a scary pandemic, racial injustice and difficult partisan politics. But as you read through this Defender, I hope you’ll appreciate the tremendous amount of work happening on so many fronts at Clean Wisconsin. You’ll Mark Redsten read stories about our wins in the President & CEO courtroom at the end of 2021, with our Meteor Timber legal victory. You’ll read about our past work in state agencies advancing important rules on dangerous class of chemicals called PFAS. You’ll read about our work with local governments across the state, and in neighborhoods of Milwaukee, to install more rain gardens and green infrastructure; and you’ll learn about the ways we are supporting clean, renewable energy through our communications and climate justice organizing work. Our future plans remain ambitious, including expanding our climate program, working with agriculture and rural communities to advance natural climate and water quality solutions, growing our science program, strengthening and supporting local governments, and increasing our membership and communications. In 2022 we plan to hire at least 2 more people, and add 3-4 new board members. As always, we’ll focus on elevating diverse voices, supporting environmental justice in our program work, and diversifying our board and staff. 2021 was one of our best years in the organization’s 51 year history. I hope you take pride in your part supporting us, and continue to invest in the work ahead! Thank you and enjoy this winter edition of The Defender.

Bipartisan federal infrastructure law ensures more Wisconsinites will have access to clean, safe water By Ezra Meyer, Water Resources Specialist

In November, President Biden signed the Infrastructure and Jobs Act into law shortly after it passed through Congress with bipartisan support. The law makes a historic $1.2 trillion investment in every sector of our nation’s infrastructure, from roads, bridges, airports and railways to energy generation and transmission, electric vehicle charging stations, drinking water mains and wastewater treatment plants. It also directs federal resources to climate change resilience, cleaning up Superfund sites and other brownfields, environmental justice, and more. These investments will benefit Wisconsinites in countless ways, but it’s the funding for water infrastructure that could be the most crucial for families in our state. For several years, Clean Wisconsin has advocated for a massive federal investment in the nation’s deteriorating water infrastructure. Starting in 2019, we have connected groups of Wisconsinites with Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation twice a year through our partnership with the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition and Milwaukee Water Commons. The need for a substantial

increase in the federal government’s investment in our failing water infrastructure has been a top priority at those meetings. In fact, we held meetings with most of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation just days before the House vote on the Infrastructure Act in November. As part of the Healing Our Waters Coalition’s Fall 2021 Washington, D.C., fly-in (held virtually this year for pandemic reasons), we connected ten Wisconsinites from all around the state with Wisconsin’s eight Congressional representatives and two senators that week and urged the decision-makers to support our priorities for the Great Lakes region. Among those priorities, we advocated to get this law across the finish line. It was quite a victory for our participants when Congress voted on the law just hours after we had spoken to them about the importance of this substantial water infrastructure investment here in Wisconsin! There is no question this funding is badly needed. Since the late 1990s, the American Society of Civil Engineers has created a report card on the condition of our nation’s infrastructure, and overall scores have been in the D range ever since. For wastewater, drinking water, and the condition of our inland waterways, the grades have hovered in the D range. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Continued on page 5

www.cleanwisconsin.org

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Under the Lens: The truth about “natural” gas and its impact on climate By Paul Mathewson, Staff Scientist

The fossil fuel known as “natural” gas is a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules, mostly methane, that is used to power about 30% of energy demand in the United States. There are two, chemically identical, types of this gas: conventional natural gas and renewable natural gas. Conventional natural gas, which accounts for the vast majority of natural gas use, is a fossil fuel just like oil and coal that needs to be extracted from deposits in the earth. Renewable natural gas is formed through the anaerobic digestion of landfill waste and livestock manure, meaning there can be a continual (renewable) supply of it. Natural gas is much cleaner-burning that other fossil fuels. Compared to coal, it emits about half as much carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce the same amount of energy. Burning natural gas also produces very little sulfur, mercury or particulate matter. These reduced levels of pollution have led natural gas to be touted as an environmentallyfriendly “bridge” fuel to a cleaner energy system. However, from a climate perspective there are two main issues with increased production of natural gas. The first is that while burning natural gas emits less CO2 than other fossil fuels, it is

still emitting CO2. As made clear in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent assessment of climate change science, we need to reach net zero carbon emissions by mid-century to limit global warming to 1.5-2°C, the goal set by the Paris Agreement in 2015. Thus, the relevant comparison point for natural gas is no longer to coal and other fossil fuels, but to carbon-free energy sources like wind and solar. Additionally, investing in natural gas infrastructure development today creates a strong financial incentive to continue using gas for years to come that could delay wider adoption of carbon-free energy sources. The second issue is that the climate benefits of natural gas over other fossil fuels has come into question. Methane—the primary component of natural gas—is itself a potent greenhouse gas. Recent research indicates that incidental releases or “leaks” of methane from the extraction, production and transportation of natural gas greatly reduce or even eliminate the climate benefits of natural gas. For example, studies have reported that the Environmental Protection Agency substantially underestimates—by 50 to 100%—actual methane leakage. Furthermore, although methane breaks down in the atmosphere faster than CO2, it has a stronger warming effect than CO2 while it is there. Methane has approximately

Long pushed as a cleaner energy source, natural gas is no more natural than coal or oil, and continued reliance on this fossil fuel could mean disaster for our climate.

90x greater warming potential than CO2 over a 20-year timespan, and approximately 30x greater warming potential over a 100year timespan. When climate tipping points are expected as early as mid-century, this far greater warming potential over 20 years becomes very important. However, many natural gas climate impact analyses use the 100-year potential for methane, which underestimates its warming impact in the short-term. All this taken together demonstrates that while natural gas is an improvement over coal and other fossils fuels, continued reliance on it—not to mention any further development— at the expense of carbon-free alternatives will impede our ability to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals and avoid the worst impacts of global warming.

New grant funds additional science work at Clean Wisconsin keeping us on the forefront of critical environmental issues confronting our state. It also contributes to the public’s understanding of these issues and leads to effective legal and policy solutions at the state and Federal levels.

Scientific research conducted at Clean Wisconsin supports legal and policy work that protects Wisconsin’s environment

By Amy Barrilleaux, Communications Director

Clean Wisconsin is expanding its summer science internship into a year-round fellowship program, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Madison Community Foundation. Interns are a key part of Clean Wisconsin’s science program, which conducts essential research into emerging environmental issues, often focusing on the intersection of public health and our environment. “Our science program regularly engages with policy-relevant research conducted 4

at UW Madison, various state agencies and the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Upper Midwest Water Science Center,” says Clean Wisconsin staff scientist Paul Mathewson, who has been leading the popular internship program since 2017. “Expanding our intern program will help provide additional capacity to cover research needs and to build institutional knowledge on emerging topics we may soon be called to address in our work.” Sound scientific research conducted at Clean Wisconsin supports our work by

“There are few other opportunities for local students to gain similar experience bridging science and policy in Wisconsin,” Mathewson says. “Each summer, we receive far more applications than we can accommodate in our existing program (we typically have 10-20 strong applications for every summer position we can host), and every semester we receive numerous inquiries from students about internship opportunities outside of the summer period. We thank the Madison Community Foundation for this generous award and the ability to expand our intern program and provide professional experience for more students.” Clean Wisconsin is one of 23 non-profits that received Madison Community Foundation grants totaling $1.24 million. The grants support organizations in five focus areas: learning, community development, arts and culture, environment, and organizational capacity building. 2022 Winter

Bipartisan continued from page 3

has roughly 70,000 homes still served by lead pipes, and there are another 149,000 across the state, requiring a total investment over $1 billion to replace all the lead service lines in Wisconsin.

estimates that the Great Lakes region alone will need $188 billion over the next 20 years to address aging and declining water infrastructure that collects and cleans up our sewage, provides clean, safe drinking water, and manages stormwater runoff to help avoid flooding and protect water quality in our lakes and rivers.

• I mproved drinking water quality and more reliably safe drinking water for homes and businesses served by public water utilities.

We were very pleased to see the passage of this package, which tackles head-on all of those deficient areas. We are excited for the positive benefits it will bring to communities in Wisconsin, in terms of safer drinking water and water quality improvement in our rivers and lakes, infrastructure reliability, and local economic stimulus.

• I mproved water quality in rivers and lakes, and reduced flooding impacts, thanks to additional investments in stormwater management infrastructure, in many cases using green infrastructure practices, which are further encouraged by the new law.

Here are some examples of the specific water infrastructure funding provisions in the law nationwide (most of the law’s water-related infrastructure funding provisions last for the next five years): • $ 15 billion for lead drinking water pipe replacement •A t least $11.7 billion and potentially up to $32 billion for drinking water infrastructure upgrades • $ 11.7 billion and potentially up to $34.5 billion for wastewater infrastructure upgrades • $ 10 billion to address emerging water contaminants of concern, such as PFAS Wisconsin’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that our state could receive $869 million over the next five years for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure across the state. That includes between $30 million and $70 million for projects to address emerging contaminants such as PFAS and $255 million to replace lead water lines, both the publicly owned and private portions of such lines. Here are some examples of the beneficial impacts this unprecedented federal investment will have in Wisconsin: •C ombined with Wisconsin’s existing program and policies designed to help water utilities and homeowners replace lead drinking water pipes, we should see substantial progress on that front across the state in the coming years, though we will not get 100% of the way there. A 2019 estimate indicated Milwaukee alone

• I mproved water quality in our lakes and rivers as a result of updating sewer collection and treatment systems.

• I nvesting in aging water infrastructure will help us to avoid some of the catastrophic problems that result when old infrastructure fails before it can be replaced or rehabilitated. •W e could get a better handle on the scope of PFAS contamination facing Wisconsin thanks to the increased funding to help water utilities sample and test for emerging contaminants. •E ven more beneficial projects around our Great Lakes coastlines and coastal communities will be enabled by the law’s additional investments in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Importantly, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes a requirement that the state agency programs that distribute most of these federal water infrastructure dollars to local communities and water utilities provide a much higher percentage of those funds in the form of grants rather than loans. Fully half of the drinking water, wastewater, and lead pipe replacement funds must be distributed by the states as grants rather than loans, and all of the emerging contaminants (PFAS) resources are to be distributed as grants. Grants are much more affordable than loans for poorer communities and their ratepayers. Indeed, some communities in Wisconsin are chronically underserved precisely because there has been very little federal grant money for water infrastructure projects in recent decades. We understand the EPA will be issuing specific guidance for the states on the use of these funds that will prioritize long underserved communities. Clean Wisconsin strongly supports this emphasis in the law.

As this historic law is implemented, we must shift our advocacy attention to the state level. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers the programs in our state for wastewater, drinking water, and lead pipe replacement. The Department makes key decisions each year as it sets the parameters of the programs that could bode better or worse for places like Milwaukee with its 70,000 homes still served by lead drinking water supply lines. Clean Wisconsin will watch those decision-making processes, make our voice heard, and let you know when there is an opportunity for you to make your voice heard as well. We feel it is important for Defender readers to be aware of how Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation voted on this investment in our collective future. Although nationally there was some bipartisan support for this bill in both houses of Congress, you will note that many of Wisconsin’s federal elected officials chose not to support the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the end. Wisconsin Congressional delegation’s votes on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: SENATE: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D): yes Sen. Ron Johnson (R): no HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Rep. Bryan Steil (R), District 1: no Rep. Mark Pocan (D), District 2: yes Rep. Ron Kind (D), District 3: yes Rep. Gwen Moore (D), District 4: yes Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R), District 5: no Rep. Glenn Grothman (R), District 6: no Rep. Tom Tiffany (R), District 7: no Rep. Mike Gallagher (R), District 8: no

Hands-on learning: Spreading the word about PFAS pollution By Amy Barrilleaux, Communications Director

La Crosse television station WXOW is on a mission to educate its viewers about PFAS pollution and recently turned to Clean Wisconsin for help. Clean Wisconsin staff scientist Paul Mathewson gave an overview of the “forever chemicals” in an www.cleanwisconsin.org

interview with reporter Michael Beiermeister, who is working with UW Madison Life Sciences Communication advanced video production students to create indepth news stories on PFAS. The issue of PFAS pollution is sparking growing concern in La Crosse, where the city shut down three municipal drinking water

wells near the airport due to high levels of PFAS contamination. At least 40 private wells in nearby French Island also show high levels of PFAS chemicals, likely from firefighting foam used for decades in training at the airport.

Clean Wisconsin’s Paul Mathewson talks with WXOW-TV and UW Madison video production students about PFAS

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Fighting for Clean Water Legislative roadblocks, special interest meddling put water pollution protections at risk like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, are working to derail these PFAS water quality standards, and the REINS Act only makes it easier for them.

Late last year, the DNR was forced to abandon new rules that would have helped protect water from nitrate pollution.

By Scott Laeser, Water Program Director

In early 2019, a drinking water study in rural southwest Wisconsin captured headlines across the state. An alarming 42% of the private wells sampled were contaminated with dangerous bacteria or nitrates or both. The study came on the heels of other concerning well test results in northeast, central and western Wisconsin, and before long, Gov. Tony Evers declared 2019 “The Year of Clean Drinking Water”— a move to confront the state’s growing contamination crisis. A key part of the efforts announced by Evers that year was the development of new protections to reduce nitrate pollution in Wisconsin’s most geologically vulnerable areas, places where critical groundwater resources are quickly impacted by contamination. After two years of work, Wisconsin was on the verge of taking important steps to tackle the most widespread water pollution issue in the state. Nitrates are harmful chemicals that primarily come from agricultural activities, and they have been contaminating the drinking water of tens of thousands of rural Wisconsin families for decades. Consuming excessive nitrates increases the risk of certain cancers, thyroid disease, and adverse birth outcomes like nervous system defects, premature birth and very low birth weight. In our study published in 2020, Clean Wisconsin estimates that Wisconsinites rack up between $23 million and $80 million in medical costs every year because of nitrate-contaminated drinking water and its associated health impacts.

Unfortunately, late last year the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was forced to abandon its pursuit of new, commonsense rules to protect families from nitrates because our own legislature stood in the way. Instead of working to ensure Wisconsinites have safe water, the Legislature is using a system of barriers to undermine the DNR and prevent the agency from acting to reduce water pollution. That system was created in 2017 when Wisconsin adopted the REINS Act, an insidious piece of legislation pushed through state houses across the country aimed at impeding agencies like the DNR from regulating pollution through their rulemaking processes. The legislation requires any new rule with an estimated two-year compliance cost over $10 million to be approved by the Legislature. Today, we are seeing the devastating impact of that legislation. With the cost to polluters prioritized over the need for clean, safe water, the DNR is struggling to enact even the most basic public health protections. Over the last few months, hundreds of people from across the state have spoken out at DNR hearings and through emails to support science-based water quality standards for harmful PFAS chemicals. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 5,000 synthetic chemicals that have been produced since the 1940s. They are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment or our bodies. PFAS pose a host of health risks for people of all ages, from increased risk of thyroid disease, liver damage and kidney and testicular cancer to reduced response to vaccines, lower birth weights, delayed organ development, and increased cholesterol levels. Special interest groups,

In the aftermath of the demise of the proposed nitrate public health protections, Clean Wisconsin is focused on winning approval of PFAS water quality standards in front of the DNR-governing Natural Resources Board later this month and then getting legislative approval shortly thereafter. We are also optimistic that, working with the Evers Administration, we can put some of the resources in the recently passed federal infrastructure bill to work protecting our drinking water in Wisconsin. And for nitrates, Clean Wisconsin is pursuing other legislative opportunities and engaging state officials to find ways to bring relief to Wisconsin families dealing with contaminated water. We know the real economic burden for this pollution is borne by families across Wisconsin whose hopes for safe water are repeatedly dashed by a legislature and their special interest patrons happy to throw sand in the gears of a process that worked well for decades. Every day the Legislature stands in the way of the DNR is another day thousands of Wisconsinites bear the financial and health costs of unsafe water. Long term, we will have to remove obstacles to protecting Wisconsin families from pollution like the REINS Act, but right now, Clean Wisconsin is focused on pursuing every opportunity available to deliver the clean drinking water Wisconsin families deserve.

What’s next in the fight for PFAS standards? Natural Resources Board (NRB) Hearing, February 22nd and 23rd Be on the lookout for emails from Clean Wisconsin with details about how to voice your support for PFAS standards to the NRB! If PFAS standards are approved by the NRB, the new rules would head to Gov. Evers and then to the legislature for approval.

Clean Wisconsin joins the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern Community Advisory Committee By Pamela Ritger de la Rosa, Staff Attorney & Milwaukee Program Director

The Milwaukee Estuary was once a pristine natural ecosystem where the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers flowed unimpeded into Lake Michigan. But after more than two centuries of population growth, development and pollution from industrial and agricultural activity, the estuary has become the focus of a major cleanup effort. In 1987, it was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) as part of a pact between the U.S. and Canada known as the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and eleven different “Beneficial Use Impairments” were targeted for improvement. Sediments containing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and heavy metals contributed to those impairments, which include restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption, loss of fish and wildlife habitat, degradation of fish and wildlife populations, beach closings/recreational restrictions, and eutrophication, or an overabundance of nutrients that causes algal blooms. While the Milwaukee Estuary refers to the geographic location where these three major rivers converge and flow into the lake, portions of each of river are also considered part of the AOC requiring

remediation and restoration, totaling nearly 11 miles of riverway. Environmental remediation of the AOC has been on-going for decades through a variety of projects, including concrete removal and naturalization of stretches of the Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers, removal of the North Avenue, Falk, and Lime Kiln dams, as well as contaminated sediment removal from parts of the Milwaukee River that flow through Lincoln Park. Improvements from these projects, among many others, led to the removal of the “degradation of aesthetics” beneficial use impairment in September of 2021, so progress is underway. However, a recentlyestablished cost-sharing partnership among local and federal organizations, agencies and corporations is helping to accelerate that progress. The Milwaukee Watershed Restoration Partnership includes the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, the Department of Natural Resources, the Port of Milwaukee, Harbor District, Inc., Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and the Fund for Lake Michigan, among many other organizations and agencies. The partnership has come together to show federal decisionmakers that Milwaukee stakeholders are committed and will invest in cleaning up the AOC through an arrangement where local stakeholders cover 35% of the cost of

clean-up, while the EPA and other federal agencies cover 65% of clean-up costs. This commitment and investment will help the Milwaukee Estuary AOC compete with nine other AOCs in the great lakes region to receive priority funding from the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan and clean up the estuary more quickly. We, at Clean Wisconsin, are excited to be part of the Community Advisory Committee for the Milwaukee Estuary AOC, which connects community members to the on-going environmental remediation and restoration efforts taking place and elevates community voices in decision-making. Last April, I was invited to join the committee. In addition to engaging members of all Milwaukee communities, I am particularly excited to engage many residents who live near the 30th Street Industrial Corridor and have participated our green infrastructure outreach and installation program, in the Milwaukee Estuary AOC work as well. For more information on the completed, on-going and future projects planned to continue clean-up of the Milwaukee Estuary and eventually delist it as an Area Of Concern, please visit the Watershed Restoration Partnership webpage at mkewaterwaypartners.org.

Energy Bills continued from cover support of the legislation and stated it wants to provide EV charging to consumers. Although Clean Wisconsin generally supports the legislation as an opportunity to increase access to charging stations, we continue to push back against an amendment prohibiting state and local governments from owning and operating charging stations. We argue public entities may install stations where private industry does not see investment potential, which ensures broad access to stations in rural and urban areas alike. Another Republican-led bipartisan bill creates new opportunity to sell electric vehicles in the state. Under current law, automobile manufacturers must sell vehicles to an independent dealership that then sells vehicles to the public. Some manufacturers of electric vehicles, like Tesla, designed their business models to sell directly to consumers. These manufacturers are www.cleanwisconsin.org

currently prohibited from selling vehicles in Wisconsin. Senate Bill 462 and Assembly Bill 439 authored by Sen. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) and Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee) narrowly amends current law to allow electric vehicle manufacturers that exclusively produce electric vehicles to sell their products directly to consumers. Clean Wisconsin supports the legislation and believes removing obstacles to purchasing electric vehicles will assist in the transition to electrified transportation in Wisconsin. Senate Bill 462 passed out of committee and is eligible for a vote in the Senate. Republican legislators also proposed legislation establishing new regulatory framework for community solar, which allows a group of individuals to purchase or lease part of a solar array, obtain energy from it, and receive credits on their electric bills for energy generated by

their share. Community solar is an alternative to rooftop solar for people who may not have the financial ability, ownership status, or ideal location to install solar panels at home. Current law offers no specific regulatory allowance for community solar. Senate Bill 490 and Assembly Bill 527 authored by Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Rep. Tim Ramthun (R-Campbellsport) creates regulatory allowance, providing consumers with choice in their energy sources and expanding access to solar energy. We joined a large coalition advocating for this important legislation. The bills have

stalled in committee, but we look forward to leading a renewed effort in the future. Clean Wisconsin is committed to pragmatically working with lawmakers, advocates and communities across the state to advance critical climate solutions, and we will continue to weigh-in on proposals generated by both sides of the aisle, supporting every opportunity to build a clean energy future.

state of change

I really appreciate this new podcast.

March 13. 2020 Babsle14

"I am better informed about important issues that affect me and others in my state."

cleanwisconsin.org/podcast

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Homegrown Energy:

Major solar project under review for Dane County In my backyard: Neighbors speak out to support the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center By Amy Barrilleaux, Communications Director

Deerfield resident Andrew Little steps outside on a sunny fall afternoon to take in the view from his backyard—a vast cornfield that sits just behind his property. Weeks after the harvest, the field is mostly an expanse of dark brown mud. But despite the lackluster view, Andrew can’t stop smiling. “I just became a grandfather today,” he says. “Just a couple hours ago.” The news has him thinking about the future, and what that muddy field could someday become. If approved by the Public Service Commission, it will be the site of one of the largest solar farms in Wisconsin, one that would power a quarter of the homes in Dane County with clean energy. The project will also generate $1.2 million in local tax revenue every year. For Andrew, it’s a glimpse into the safe, healthy future that we need to start building now. “We can’t keep kicking the ball down the road. We’ve got to take personal responsibility. I have to be responsible for the future for my kids and now my grandkids,” he says. “There are things that we really need to do in the world, and to me, it’s cool that it’s going to happen here.”

Andrew admits the enormity of the climate crisis can make people feel powerless, unable to see how they can make a difference. That’s why he’s so enthusiastic about the Koshkonong Solar project taking shape right in his own backyard.

Cambridge, Wis. – Tina and Duane Hinchley, owners of Hinchley’s Dairy Farm

“This is within our power. We can do this thing right here and begin to make a change. The energy we need is going to be generated here, used here. And that will circulate within the local economy,” he says. “I think it’s something people in this area should be very proud of. We’re going to start to change the world one solar panel at a time.”

“A dream come true” Down the road in Cambridge, Duane and Tina Hinchley spend long days working their family dairy farm, as one by one, other longtime dairies in the area have quietly shut down.

Tina Hinchley believes the Koshkonong Solar project will be a lifeline for her family farm.

"We’re going to

be a much-needed lifeline. The family plans to lease part of their farmland for the project, and the reliable income will help keep the rest of their farm afloat.

“In 2019, Wisconsin lost start to change the 818 family dairy farms. world one solar We’re a family dairy farm. This is so desperate in panel at a time.” “It’s basically a dream come these times,” Tina says. She for us financially to be able points to falling prices amid to have the burdens lifted the COVID-19 pandemic with this opportunity. We’re still going as one reason why the past two years have to have land available, and with that, we been particularly tough. will still continue being able to farm our For the Hinchleys, Koshkonog Solar will

dairy,” she explains.

Tina says the solar farm will help Wisconsin catch up with other states in the movement toward clean energy. “I do believe Wisconsin is moving forward—on Wisconsin! We went out to some other locations (in other states) where there have been solar panels out there for years, even decades. It’s time for us to step forward, so that we can progress with the rest of the nation, so we can do our part,” she says. Like Andrew, just gazing out on those empty fields has Tina looking forward to the future. “I think it’s going to be exciting,” she says. “We’re going to be looking out there, and we’re going to say ‘This is the next stage of our family farm.’”

Deerfield, Wis. - Andrew Little gestures to a field just beyond his backyard, the proposed site of the 2,4000acre Koshkonong Solar Energy Center.

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2022 Winter

Modeling shows Koshkonong Solar Energy Center will improve health of nearby waterways It’s no surprise the utility-scale Koshkonong Solar Energy Center will make a difference when it comes to our climate. The 300-megawatt solar farm proposed for Dane County will produce enough electricity to power more than 60,000 homes, while also reducing CO2 emissions by 15 to 20 million tons over its life. But recent research also shows the project will bring good news for area waterways. “Agricultural runoff is a major source of water pollution in Dane County and across much of the state,” explains Clean Wisconsin staff scientist Paul Mathewson. “For the 2,400 acres of land in this project, solar panels and native grasslands will be replacing row crops like corn and soybeans. So for the life of the project, no one will be spreading manure and fertilizers on the land and pesticide use will be greatly reduced.” According to Mathewson’s analysis, phosphorous runoff alone could be reduced by as much as 96 percent across the project site. He expects to see avoided phosphorous pollution runoff into nearby waterways of more than 100,000 pounds during the life of the project. “Basically, once the project is operating you’re not disturbing the soil anymore, so that really reduces runoff compared to the existing land use. Permanent grassland cover has deep roots that hold the soil in place, and you’re not putting any more fertilizers on it. There are no more phosphorous additions, no more nitrogen additions,” he explains. Mathewson says that’s good news for the health of local waterways like Koshkonong Creek, which is currently listed as an impaired waterbody for phosphorous pollution by the Department of Natural Resources. “An ‘impaired’ water body means phosphorous levels are high enough to be harmful to aquatic life,” he says. “Every bit of phosphorus we can keep out of already-impaired creeks, rivers and lakes is important. Nutrients like phosphorous fuel excessive algal growth, which decrease oxygen and light penetration in the water and increase the potential for toxic algal blooms.” Mathewson recently presented his findings to the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin, which is currently reviewing the project.

Koshkonong Creek near Cambridge, Wis.

to be an adverse environmental impact from this project. What we show is that on balance, we don’t believe that there is going to be an adverse environmental impact. In fact, we think the opposite—there will be a net positive for this from a local environmental perspective. And that doesn’t include the obvious climate benefits,” he says. Those positives will also extend to small wildlife and pollinators that will now have homes among the deep-rooted native grasses and flowers planted between and around the solar panels. “When you have a permanent native grassland that’s minimally disturbed like you would have at this solar farm, that generates a better habitat for a wider range of animals and pollinators, like the Rusty Patched Bumblebee. It’s a federally endangered pollinator,” Mathewson explains. “This solar farm is in a high probability zone for these important insects, and if vegetation management is done appropriately, the project could really improve the habitat for bees and other pollinators.” The PSC will be opening up a public comment period for the Koshkonong Solar Energy Center in the coming weeks, with public hearings set for Jan. 20 at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

KOSHKONONG SOLAR ENERGY CENTER » 3 00 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic solar electric generation facility » 1 65 MW Battery Energy Storage System » 7 30,000 solar panels » P lanned for Towns of Christiana and Deerfield in Dane County

» I f approved by the Public Service Commission, the facility would begin serving

customers by 2024 Thank you to our members who supported this project by participating in the PSC public comment process! A decision from the PSC could come as early as March.

“One of the threshold questions the PSC has to determine is whether there is going

www.cleanwisconsin.org

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Fighting Climate Change In the fight against climate change, "natural climate solutions" are key By Madeleine Roberts

Madeleine Roberts is a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She worked with Clean Wisconsin for twelve weeks last fall through her role as a WISCIENCE Public Service Fellow, focusing her research on the effectiveness of various natural climate solutions. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, the world must make drastic changes to energy policy and in the emission of greenhouse gases. However, the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that reducing emissions alone will not be enough to meet their global goals and prevent climate catastrophe. The removal and storage of carbon from the atmosphere is necessary in addition to substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon capture is a hot topic in scientific research, but the technology hasn’t advanced enough to be able to sequester as much carbon as is required to meet global goals. Natural climate solutions provide an immediate solution—our own environment has the capability to serve as a massive carbon sink that can be implemented now in a cost-effective manner. Natural climate solutions refer to land management, restoration, and protection practices to mitigate the large-scale effects of climate change by sequestering carbon in the environment and preventing greenhouse gas emission by ecosystems. Natural climate solutions store carbon in both plant matter (the largest being trees) and the soil. Soil can store about 3.2 times the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and 4 times the carbon stored in plant matter. Forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural areas are ecosystems that provide the greatest opportunities for carbon storage. Implementing all cost-effective natural climate solutions could contribute one third of the global mitigation needed by 2030 to keep warming under 2°C, the global goal described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In the United States, researchers estimate that implementing all

Wetland continued from Cover The victory is the culmination of more than four years of legal work by Clean Wisconsin and Midwest Environmental Advocates, which represented the Ho-Chunk Nation. The appeals court upheld a 2020 ruling by Monroe County Circuit Court that determined the DNR violated state wetland protection laws when it issued the permit. 10

Soybeans planted into a cereal rye cover crop. Cover crops not only help restore soil health and reduce erosion, they can also sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

available natural climate solutions could mitigate up to 21% of our net annual greenhouse gas emissions. There is great opportunity to implement natural climate solutions in Wisconsin with our extensive forests, wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural areas. Agricultural land makes up 30% of land area in Wisconsin. Agriculture is unique in the ability to store carbon both as plant material and in the soil. In addition to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, practices that store carbon in agricultural soils simultaneously provide improvements to soil health and fertility, local water quality, and resilience of agricultural land against the effects of a changing climate. Examples of natural climate solutions for WI agriculture: COVER CROPS Cover crops are planted after the main harvest of cash crops with the goal of covering the bare soil, preventing erosion, increasing water retention, improving biodiversity, and returning important nutrients, like nitrogen, to the soil. In addition to these important benefits, cover crops have been found to have some of the greatest ability to sequester carbon among natural climate solutions, both by increasing plant material and amount of soil carbon. Research suggests that planting cover crops leads to a net storage of greenhouse gases when accounting for carbon storage and emissions of N2O. “The DNR’s initial decision to issue a wetland fill permit to Meteor Timber happened in 2017, during a time when the agency was retreating from its mission to protect Wisconsin’s natural resources. It’s never been more important for the DNR to embrace its essential role when it comes to safeguarding Wisconsin’s environment, and we’re starting to see that happen. Wisconsin has lost half of its wetlands since the beginning of the last century. We must protect what we have left,” Feinauer said.

PERENNIAL FIELDS Most cash crops are annuals, meaning that they are harvested and replanted within a year. Perennial plants are left to grow for years, which limits the need for tillage and allows for well-established root systems. Converting less productive or degraded cropland to fields of perennials would aid in the storage of carbon. The perennials either left unmanaged or sustainably harvested would allow for more mature, larger root systems to penetrate more deeply into the soil, depositing carbon deeper into the soil. AGROFORESTRY Agroforestry involves practices to incorporate trees into fields— whether in between rows of crops or around the edge of the crops. These trees would protect the crops from wind, while sequestering carbon in their plant mass. In addition to implementing natural climate solutions to store carbon in agricultural soils, protection of our state’s existing carbon sinks should be a priority in Wisconsin’s strategy for climate change mitigation. Natural forests, grassland areas and wetlands all serve as massive carbon sinks. Soil carbon is lost more quickly than it can be gained back, so efforts to protect existing natural ecosystems and establish improved land management practices preserves the health and productivity of these lands for future generations and stores critical carbon.

Diversity of our landscape is key to resilience in the face of climate change. Our state’s natural wetlands offer a variety of benefits, soaking up rainfall to replenish aquifers and maintain water levels in rivers and streams, wildlife habitat, storing carbon, and filtering harmful pollutants out of water. In January, Meteor Timber, LLC filed an appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Court will decide whether to take the case later this year. 2022 Winter

Going Green in Green Bay: Hearing from high schoolers By Maithilee Kanthi, Climate Justice Organizer

or powerless, young people are also valuable contributors to every level of climate action. Young people are keenly aware of the threat that climate change poses to their livelihoods and are often able to speak to the experiences of their community at large.

In late 2019, Green Bay experienced recordbreaking stormwater flooding, which washed out neighborhoods on the city’s east side and damaged more than 50 homes. Going Green in Green Bay Damaging floods like this was held over Zoom in early one are expected become December and brought more common over the Young people are together teens from all over next 30 years as Wisconsin's the city to learn how climate climate warms, resulting in keenly aware of the change will affect Green Bay longer and more frequent threat that climate and the various solutions rainstorms. As a result, being pursued at the federal, change poses to Green Bay's Resiliency state, and local levels. Jennifer Coordinator, Melissa their livelihoods. Garner, Sen. Tammy Baldwin's Schmitz, has been looking Green Bay Outreach Specialist, into green infrastructure to joined us and shared Senator manage runoff water and Baldwin's efforts on advancing climate is collaborating with Clean Wisconsin to solutions at the federal level, such as the organize community listening sessions on Build Back Better Act, which includes a the subject. historic $550 billion investment in climate Clean Wisconsin decided to conduct a action. To conclude the event's educational listening session solely for Green Bay high component, students learned about various school students because young people are green infrastructure solutions and how rarely involved in policymaking yet will be they differ from the current system of the ones most impacted by today's climate ‘gray infrastructure’ by working with the policies. While climate change is an issue landscape rather than against it. that makes a lot of young people feel anxious

Finally, students were placed into small breakout discussion groups to talk more in-depth about the climate change impacts they’ve seen in their lives and to share their feedback on the green infrastructure options presented. For example, one young woman shared how difficult it has been for her family to address mold in their basement following the flooding in 2019, and another group spent much of their time discussing how the extreme heat in the summers had made it hard for them to enjoy some recreational activities. Melissa Schmitz concluded by providing a brief overview of the city’s Resiliency Plan, explaining how students' feedback from the event would be incorporated into the plan, and inviting students to continue sharing their thoughts and ideas. Clean Wisconsin will continue engaging with young people, both in and outside of Green Bay, because we recognize that young people bring something valuable to the table: a vision for the future. We hope to empower young people to participate in climate action policy and contribute to the realization of that vision of a healthy, safe, and equitable Wisconsin.

Want to attract workers to Wisconsin? Start by addressing a top issue for young people: Climate By Chelsea Chandler, Climate Solutions Director

There is little dispute that Wisconsin businesses are grappling with a worker shortage, but perhaps unsurprisingly, there is growing debate about how to solve it. One major Wisconsin business group recently suggested that lowering the tax rate on the state’s top income bracket (individual incomes above $263,000) would help address the worker shortage. Since the average Wisconsin income is $33,000, it seems unlikely that lowering taxes on our wealthiest residents would directly benefit the people who we hope will fill the open jobs in manufacturing, construction, health care, education, retail, and government. But there is another winning strategy that is often overlooked, and that involves building the kind of sustainable communities where young people want to live while protecting their futures. Research has shown that Millennials are more worried about climate change than Gen X or Baby Boomers, and that generational trend persists for both Democrats and Republicans. Gen Z – the oldest of whom are transitioning into adulthood and the workforce – lead older generations in ranking climate change as a top personal concern. At the same time, the last census showed that the percentage of people younger than 18 is shrinking in both urban and rural areas in Wisconsin, which doesn’t bode well for our future workforce as we’re already struggling to fill jobs today. www.cleanwisconsin.org

So if climate change is a critical issue for the members of our society who make up a significant and growing portion of the workforce and who will soon constitute a majority of the electorate, why aren’t businesses and politicians doing more to address it? Wisconsin is already falling behind our peers in building attractive communities and a healthier climate. Young people want to use clean electricity, but that’s not always easy if, for example, they’re renters and can’t install their own solar panels. Meanwhile, Minnesota has made renewable energy more accessible by passing community solar legislation which makes it easier for residents to buy into a shared solar array. In Wisconsin, only some utilities offer such programs and they’re often oversubscribed. Our neighbors in Illinois passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act last fall, positioning them as a national leader in the transition to renewable energy, cleaner transportation, and cost-saving energy efficiency. Wisconsin has not been able to pass such a sweeping climate policy to date, though some of our elected officials are working hard to advance visionary proposals. Gov. Tony Evers has set a bold goal for our state: 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. In 2020, the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change developed dozens of recommendations for how to achieve that goal and a Clean Energy Plan to put those ideas into action will be released soon. Just two months ago, dozens of bills were

introduced in the state legislature that would help tackle the climate crisis while making it easier to walk, bike, breathe clean air, power our lives with renewable energy, and save energy and money from efficient buildings. Younger generations are also seeking safer, cleaner ways to get around. A proposal brewing in Milwaukee to develop a 30th Street Corridor trail would help make the neighborhood more walkable, bikeable, and accessible overall. Investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Wisconsin, a topic under consideration by state lawmakers, will help usher in the transition to electric cars favored by Millennials and Gen Z. Wisconsin cannot afford to fall further behind our neighbors and the rest of the country. Our state leaders can position Wisconsin as a great place to live, work, and play. But to do that, they need to set aside the absurd notion that lowering taxes on the rich would somehow attract a working class. Instead, businesses and elected officials must embrace the issues that younger workers truly care about, like climate change, and then work in earnest to advance solutions like promoting clean transportation and renewable energy for all. If we do this right, we can address the labor shortage and climate change at the same time, attracting younger generations to Wisconsin with the promise of economic opportunity, good health, and a bright future.

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On the ground in Milwaukee: Bridging the gap between community engagement and state-level policy making By David Tipson, Vice President of Programs & Government Relations

When I started at Clean Wisconsin last spring, I didn’t understand how our work on green infrastructure fit into the work of the organization. But then there was a week last fall when I went over (twice actually) to Milwaukee and had the opportunity to see our Milwaukee staff on the ground and to meet members of the communities we work with, like the Garden Homes neighborhood—and, more importantly, to see the way community members relate to Clean Wisconsin staff and the importance of this work to them. As a result of these trips and a series of conversations with Clean Wisconsin’s Pamela Ritger de la Rosa, Ezra Meyer and Ethan Taxman, I now regard our green infrastructure work as some of the most interesting and forward-looking work that Clean Wisconsin is doing. So I wanted to share a little about what I think makes work so special.

What is green infrastructure? Throughout much of the twentieth century, we believed we could improve on the natural water cycle; we invested in “gray infrastructure” elaborate systems of gutters, pipes, and tunnels—all premised on the idea that we could replace natural processes of water management with our own ingenuity— and a whole lot of concrete and asphalt. We basically attempted to move stormwater away from where it was inconvenient and directly to treatment plants and even local water bodies. But there were major flaws in this approach. First, by relying on surfaces like asphalt and concrete that don’t absorb water, we created more stormwater to manage. While these surfaces are effective at moving water, they do so by preventing water from naturally infiltrating the soil over the area of rainfall. Second, we did not adequately plan for the water contamination caused by these systems. Every nasty pollutant from automobiles that you can think of falls onto our roads and parking lots and are then washed into our gray infrastructure systems by stormwater. Third, we did not anticipate climate change. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 demonstrated with alarming effect that gray infrastructure is not only inadequate when it comes to capturing stormwater from the new normal of heavier precipitation and extreme weather 12

events, it actually makes their impact worse. Green infrastructure, by contrast, seeks to use the natural water cycle to our advantage. The point of green infrastructure is not to disperse but to retain and absorb. Eight years ago, Clean Wisconsin began a partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to work with some of the communities hardest hit by climate change—especially in the city’s 30th Street Industrial Corridor, which has experienced significant flooding in recent years due to the hydrology of the area and an over-reliance on gray infrastructure. We work with neighborhood associations and individuals to install rain barrels, bioswales, trees and rain gardens, and we help ensure community engagement around larger efforts, like stormwater detention basins. To date we have installed 658 rain barrels and 63 rain gardens across 40 neighborhoods. The capture capacity for all green infrastructure installations over the last 8 years is over 47,000 gallons per storm. We also conduct workshops aimed at a variety of potential implementers of Green Infrastructure practices. From residents to houses of worship to developers, we provide education on practices, funding and incentive options. In addition to the environmental benefits associated with reducing stormwater pollution and conserving water, there are also social and economic benefits. Green infrastructure installations foster interaction among neighbors. Rain gardens feature season-long blooms from native plants that absorb large amounts of water and bring beauty to people’s yards, along with bees, butterflies and other pollinators. By mitigating or preventing flooding and basement back-ups that have plagued the neighborhoods of the Corridor in the past, our partnerships with communities preserve property values for low-income homeowners and encourage businesses to locate in commercial and industrial areas. Importantly, our work does not stop at providing education and assistance for community members interested in green infrastructure. Pam has used her legal and policy training to scale up to work with local governments, updating their codes and ordinances so that they no longer prevent green infrastructure practices (by doing things like requiring impervious surfaces). And we didn’t stop there, in a piece I wrote for the last Defender issue, you can read about how Pam’s work resulted in the DNR now requiring entire groups of local governments within a particular watershed to make these kinds of revisions to their local laws—a real breakthrough of innovation.” We are now developing plans to work with reasonable Republican legislators to pass legislation encouraging green infrastructure

across the state. And we will be sure to involve the experts in this process—people in Milwaukee who are on the front lines of extreme weather events, whose ideas and perspectives are teaching us about what it means to be resilient in the face of climate change. Wholly apart from its immediate benefits, this work is also helping Clean Wisconsin and our Milwaukee program become leaders in the movement for environmental justice. I can tell you from my previous work in civil rights and racial justice that there are a lot of people talking about the need to involve those most affected in identifying problems and developing solutions. And this can be pretty straightforward with place-based issues like over-policing and community development. But there are very few organizations that I’ve seen that have developed credible models of community engagement for enormous structural issues like climate change, which require action at the statewide, national and even global levels. This is not easy work. It is in fact exceedingly difficult for legacy organizations like Clean Wisconsin to earn trust and develop meaningful relationships with community members. But Clean Wisconsin is doing it. And I can’t say enough about the skill, sensitivity and respect that Pam and her team bring to this work. Through Pam’s leadership and foresight, Clean Wisconsin has earned a place among the community-based organizations of Milwaukee’s north side. Our Milwaukee office is no mere outpost; it serves as the vehicle for an important conversation between community priorities and state-level policymaking that is becoming increasingly central to Clean Wisconsin’s identity. The lessons we learn from communities at the local level can be scaled to regional and statewide levels. At the same time, we can bring the skills and inside knowledge of a statewide policy organization to communities affected by problems much larger than their own neighborhoods. The models we are developing in this initiative will take us far beyond green infrastructure and can be applied to nearly every area of our work. They show the promise of our Milwaukee Program and its increasingly important role at Clean Wisconsin. 2022 Winter

The Big Share is back: Find out how your gift to Clean Wisconsin will be tripled!

By Ryan Kelly, Development Director

The Big Share returns on Tuesday, March 1st for a fun, competitive day of online giving for Dane Countybased nonprofits. Thanks to generous supporters like you, Clean Wisconsin has been a top performer each year and in the last 5 years has raised over $100,000 on this day. This year, all donations will support our important work to address harmful, PFAS “forever” chemicals. PFAS pose a significant public health risk, and Wisconsin is home

to more than 60 known PFAS contamination sites. Your gift will strengthen our advocacy efforts as we work with state agencies and decision makers to develop strong rules and policies to protect families from PFAS contamination. We’re also working to ensure federal funding from the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and American Rescue Plan is put toward PFAS protection and cleanup. When you make a donation on the day of The Big Share, your donation will be doubled by Clean Wisconsin’s Board of Directors. To maximize your gift, make a donation between noon and 1pm, when your gift will be tripled and will give Clean Wisconsin a chance to win an additional $1,000 from Community Shares of Wisconsin. To make a donation during the Big Share, go to thebigshare.org/organizations/cleanwisconsin or go to cleanwisconsin. org and click on the Big Share link to be directed to the page.

Wilson family makes a significant contribution to Clean Wisconsin Science & Legal Fund By Ryan Kelly, Development Director

In honor of the late John Wilson, beloved husband and father, his family has made a contribution to cement and honor his environmental legacy in Wisconsin. John had an immense love of the outdoors and a storied history of environmental action in Wisconsin. In his home area of Door County, John cofounded the Door County Environmental Council in 1977, and played an integral role in forming the Door County Land Trust. He helped landowners ensure their land wouldn’t be used as coal-ash deposit sites and organized the Wisconsin Ecological Society—a group that was instrumental in cleaning up the Fox River. John was also a founding board member of Clean Wisconsin in 1970, involved in the early stages of shaping what it has become.

long-time supporters of Clean Wisconsin, saw Doug La Follette make a $75,000 gift to start the Clean Wisconsin Science & Legal fund, they saw it as an opportunity to honor John’s environmental legacy and support their dear friend Doug La Follette. They also know the importance that strong legal and science programs play in protecting and advancing Wisconsin’s clean air and clean water. Please consider making a gift to support this fund and honor one of Wisconsin’s great environmentalists.

When the Wilson family,

Environmental Pillars Society

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR DONORS! The individuals listed here made contributions of $25 or more to Clean Wisconsin between 10/1/21 – 12/31/21.

Philanthropist $10,000–$24,999

Patrons $5,000–$9,999

David & Ann Dunaway Kay Gabriel Robert & Elke Hagge David & Judy Hecker

Andrew & Natalie Hoyos Cynthia & Scott Kuenzi Alan Lee & Marguerite Moeller

Tom Schlueter & Ellen Neuhaus Gof & Mary Thomson

Pat & Dan Cornwell Edmond & Deb Drewsen Dale & Darcy feinauer Mary & James Fico Matt & Kay Frank Scott Froehlke & Traci Peloquin Brad Gietman Amy Gilliland Richard & Karen Gosse David Hall & Marjorie Devereaux Edward & Ann Hastreiter Russell Heise Tod Highsmith & Joan Braune HJ Hagge Foundation

Ann Jablonski Kimberly-Clark Foundation Karen Knetter William & Jennifer Koch Thomas & Juna Krajewski David Kuenzi & Mary Wyman Lanna Laird Randolph Lipchik & Ravenna Helson Joe & Laura Mantoan Andrew & Jacqueline Mullvain Douglas & Patricia Nelson Mark Nordbeck Numbers 4 Non-Profits LLC Frances Rowe

Patricia Ryan Ruth Saecker Peggy Scallon & Mark Redsten Martha & Dr. David Simenstad Carl Sinderbrand & Maryann Sumi Daniel & Marcia Smith Richard Sternkopf & Kathleen Barry Mark & Sarah Sundquist Sharon & Tim Thousand LaVonne Wagner Sage Weil & Elise Lawson Christa & Charles Westerberg

President’s Circle $25,000+ Karen Woodbury Richard & Julie Diermeier Douglas La Follette

Anonymous (2) Henry Anderson & Shirley Levine Sarah & Michael Weiss The Family of John Wilson

Benefactors $2,500–$4,999 Margaret Baack & Michael McAdams Bank of America Mary & Clyde Cross

John Wilson, left, and Doug La Follette in 2000

Anonymous (3) Elaine Burke Heidi Frenzel Jeannie Roberts & John Voegeli Arun Soni Deer Creek Cheese

Investors $1,000–$2,499 Anonymous (9) Christopher & Chris Adams Eric Adelman & Katy Gast David & Jenny Almdale Joe & Betsy Bacon Richard Baker Bruce & Mary Beck Ann Behrmann & Lewis Koch Dr. DW & Christena Benson Charles Berens Host of the Cripescast Jeffrey & Ann Brodek Dianna Brown Sherry & Douglas Caves Lynn & Mark Connors

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Members David & Jenny Almdale • John Selz • Don C Faith III • Andrew & Jacqueline Mullvain • Theodore Brauer • Mary Jansen-Kubicek • Paul & Paula Kanter • Lori Henthorne • Brett & Mackenzie Valentyn • Rebecca Breunig • Mitchell Sauer • Hadie Muller • Anthony Whitefeather • Don Kreuser • Karen Lemke • Mark Dawson • Paul Ustruck • Josie Cusma • Amy Heart • David Weber • Susan Phillips • Alvin Whitaker • Bruce Dimick • William Reeder • Judith Olingy • Mary Karau • John Thompson & Linda Sheffler • Sally Lehman • Barbara & Richard Johnson • Virginia Elsen • Robert & Susan Wallen • Caroline Garber • Tom Patrenets • Elliot & Karen Berman • Derek Binkley • Ann Eichenseher • Diane Johnson • Gerald Sasse • Mike Pelech • Debra Benishek • Randall Reifsnider • Kay Gruling • Robert Baurhyte • Bruce Keyes • Barbara Holman • Nancy & Tom Collopy • Ms. Brandy Powers • Douglas Ward • Marci & Gary Taxman • Jeff & DeDe Freeman • Phillip & Lorraine Norrgard • Nancy & Tom Engle • Eric Hau • Meg & Bill 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To become a member or for more information regarding the benefits of the Environmental Pillars Society, contact Development Manager Ryan Kelly at (608) 251-7020 x19 or rkelly@cleanwisconsin.org.

Being a Corporate Guardian is an excellent investment in your business as you support our protecting Wisconsin’s air, water, and natural heritage! We encourage you to learn more about and do business with our wonderful Corporate Guardians!

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Interested in joining these businesses? Contact Ryan Kelly at 608-251-7020 x19 or rkelly@cleanwisconsin.org