News and updates from River Alliance of Wisconsin.
EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO PROTECT & RESTORE WATER
WaterWays It’s easier than ever to take action!
FALL 2017 | VOL. 23 | ISSUE 3
THANK
YOU!
River Alliance has recently implemented new online advocacy tools to make it easier for you to take action to protect Wisconsin’s waters.
On behalf of the River Alliance team, thank you to each person who has taken action this year to protect Wisconsin’s waters. You inspire us to keep fighting and moving forward for clean, abundant water in our state.
Watch for the following options in our communications: • T argeted letters to legislators—personalize and send pre-written messages (Over 1,000 messages have been sent through the new system already!) • Online petitions • Click-to-call • Facebook and Tweet to a representative Our refreshed website is now mobile and tablet friendly. However, all of our tools have also been improved for desktop. As always, we invite your feedback! (Photo credit: Nick Wilkes)
Go to wisconsinrivers.org and click Donate! Wisconsin!
everything... Consider a GIFT of MEMBERSHIP to the River Alliance of For that person who has Address Service Requested Postmaster: Dated Material
Online at www.wisconsinrivers.org 147 S Butler St., Suite 2 Madison, WI 53703 www.wisconsinrivers.org info@wisconsinrivers.org 608-257-2424
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Meaningful. Empowering. everything... Environmentally friendly! STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS TAMARA DEAN, Viola Chair RON ANDERSON, Cable Vice Chair NADIA VOGT, Milwaukee
SCOTT CAVEN La Crosse Area Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator MIRIAM GRUNES Business Manager MATT KRUEGER River Restoration Director
LAUREN BROWN, Madison KELLY MAYNARD, Belleville Treasurer HARRY PETERSON, Middleton DEB RYUN, Grantsburg Secretary RICHARD SCHOENBOHM, Appleton KEN SCHREIBER, Osseo
DANIKA LAINE Communications Director
KRISTIN ARAKAWA JIM FOSSUM
WaterWays is a publication of the River Alliance of Wisconsin. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of our funders. Articles are invited for consideration.
AMANDA PERDZOCK Aquatic Invasive Species Director RAJ SHUKLA Executive Director ALLISON WERNER Local Groups Director
WILLIAM VAN HAREN, Verona TINA VAN ZILE, Crandon
Contractors and Consultants:
SHARON WHITE Associate Director
DESIGN & LAYOUT Tingalls Graphic Design LLC Fitchburg, WI
PRINTER Thysse Printing Oregon, WI
A New Path to Water Quality By Matt Krueger
Our Strength is You By Raj Shukla Wisconsin has long been a place that inspires a unique point of view. In just the last century, our state has given birth to innovative policies, like social security and school choice, that reshaped our national fabric. Our state Wild Rivers Act preceded the nation’s. We’ve elected the infamous, like Joe McCarthy, and iconic, like Gaylord Nelson. But always, we have gone ahead with some creativity and determination. Big and complex challenges lie ahead, no doubt. Rich and powerful companies, many foreign-owned, drive bad policy across Wisconsin. Foxconn just received a generous $3 billion subsidy and authority to use our waters and manipulate our landscapes with little oversight. Mining interests continue to work through their friends in the legislature to weaken protections for our waters from acid mine pollution. True to form, River Alliance members have shown imagination and persistence in response. Together we’ve brought awareness to critical water issues in the media and among our networks of friends. For example, thousands of people have confronted state and federal legislators, and mining company investors, demanding a halt to the dangerous and ill-conceived Back Forty Mine project. The whole state (and beyond) has seen the power of grassroots advocacy. In fact, years of grassroots efforts have recently culminated in eleven local governments and eleven tribal governments passing resolutions in opposition to the proposed Back Forty sulfide mine on the shores of the Menominee River.
We’ve also seen grassroots action to protect local water. For example, dozens of volunteers have worked with our aquatic 2017 Snapshot Day volunteers gather invasive species staff to monitor local waterways. to identify threats to (River Alliance photo) local waterways and restore habitats to their native state. They’ve gone a step further and worked with River Alliance to educate their neighbors, local businesses and fellow water enthusiasts on how to prevent the spread of invasive species. We’ve fed on your energy here at the office too. Our team has introduced new online advocacy tools to help you protect and restore water right from your phone and computer. Contacting decision makers is easier than ever and so is learning from each other on social media and beyond. Thousands of River Alliance members like you bring a spirit of ingenuity and a heck of a lot of determination to our mission to protect and restore water. Luckily that is precisely what we need to take on the challenges before us. Politicians in the capitol and their corporate sponsors will continue their push to eliminate environmental protections that have safeguarded our waters for many decades. We must be committed to meet them with equal determination. We won’t be able to outspend them. But from the looks of it, we will be able to challenge them from many angles. Water connects us and is the key to our future as a state. Our task is to convince our neighbors, local elected officials and policy makers in Madison that there is a better way than the way things are. With your help, we are well on our way.
Back Forty Mine Opposition Grows
It’s no secret that Wisconsin’s once-proud environmental policy has been chipped away at over the past several years, and progress toward cleaner water has suffered as a result. Time and time again, opportunities to advance and shape good policy have been replaced by “playing defense.” However, as we’ve always done, River Alliance continues to seek pragmatic ways to advance positive changes in water policy. Our latest initiative, described below, follows in that tradition. The continued, coordinated assault to roll back common-sense environmental protections has only increased the number of Wisconsin waterways that are impaired. Often, these impairments can be sourced in some part to agriculture—whether it’s lakes and rivers drying up due to groundwater overpumping in the Central Sands, wells contaminated with manure in Kewaunee County, or algae blooms on Lake Petenwell, fueled by too much fertilizer, soil, and nutrients washing off farm fields. AND YET, though not necessarily compelled to do so by regulations or would-be regulators—but perhaps by the growing public consciousness around ag-water conflicts—more and more agricultural leaders are showing interest in legitimately doing a
better job by water quality. River Alliance of Wisconsin is seeing examples of this in some farmer-led watershed groups, in uncomfortablebut-necessary conversations farmers are having with people who aren’t Black Earth Creek traditionally their allies (Photo courtesy M. W. Wegner) (such as “lake and river people”), and even recent non-combative dialogue ag interest and conservation groups have taken up. We’re encouraged by these “new sounds” coming from agriculture, and we see an opportunity to engage. Over the coming months, you’ll hear more about a project we’re piloting to certify water quality on dairy farms and processing plants in Wisconsin, in partnership with the Alliance of Water Stewardship. We think there’s a win-win opportunity here, in encouraging and highlighting earnest efforts by the agricultural community to be water stewards, and in the process, adding value to forward-thinking businesses in this increasingly competitive industry.
Creative Ways to Give By Sharon White As you consider your options for charitable and holiday giving this season, we’d like to offer a few ideas for protecting Wisconsin’s waters and including River Alliance in your giving plans. Connect the millennials in your life with opportunities to volunteer and take action to protect Wisconsin’s waters. ive a Gift Membership: Did you know that 46% of millennials volunteered for a cause affiliated with an issue they care about G in the past month and that 64% of millennials signed a petition about issues they care about in the past month? Connect the millennials in your life to the amazing River Alliance community, unique outdoor events, leadership opportunities, and hands-on volunteer work that protects Wisconsin’s waters. Simply make a donation in any amount at www.wisconsinrivers.org/donate, then enter the recipient’s name and address in the “Gift or Memorial Donation” field and River Alliance will notify them of your gift of membership. Leave a legacy for future generations.
Opposition to the proposed Back Forty sulfide mine—which would be located 150 feet from the banks of the Menominee River—is gaining great momentum thanks to the efforts of the Menominee Nation, Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River, Front Forty, The Mining Action Group and the many citizen activists who work tirelessly to inform the public and elected officials about the risks of sulfide mining. Thousands of people are standing up for the Menominee River and the connected Lake Michigan ecosystem. To date, eleven municipalities and eleven tribal governments represented in the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council have passed resolutions against the Back Forty Mine. As we go to print, we are waiting to hear if the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MI DEQ) considers the mining company’s wetlands permit application to be complete. The Canadian mining company, Aquila Resources, has submitted this application several times before and the MI DEQ determined it was incomplete and sent them back to the drawing board. If the permit is deemed complete, the public comment and hearing process will begin. MI DEQ works backwards compared to Wisconsin’s DNR. A public hearing takes place after public comments are submitted and reviewed by the MI DEQ. The general public has 20 days to submit comments, but local units of government have 45 days to submit comments. Then the MI DEQ reviews those comments and within 60-90 days a public hearing will be held. The EPA and other federal agencies also have 90 days to comment after the public notice of the application is made.
BACK FORTY RESOURCES
River Alliance will post announcements about this process on our Facebook page, in our e-newsletter and email action alerts. (And, in case you’re wondering, Wisconsin residents and other nonMichigan residents CAN participate in the MI DEQ public comment process.)
I nclude River Alliance in your Estate Plans: Making a legacy gift to River Alliance of Wisconsin helps protect clean, abundant water for future generations. If you are among those who have included River Alliance in your estate plans, we would like to express our gratitude by welcoming you as a member of the River Alliance Water Legacy Circle. We are available to you and to your advisors to help facilitate this discussion and answer any questions you may have. For more information go to: www.wisconsinrivers.org/legacy-giving Get tax benefits when you donate an IRA distribution this year.
The number of municipalities and tribal
governments who have passed resolutions In the meantime, the in opposition to the Back Forty Mine Menominee Nation continues to grow. (Image courtesy Anthony J. Corey) and other partners have been pursuing two other strategies. The Menominee Nation requested that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conduct an approved jurisdictional determination on the wetlands within the proposed Back Forty Mine area. Because the Menominee River is used for interstate commerce, the state of Michigan may not be able to review the wetland permit on their own, and the federal government may be able to take back this authority. People have also been contacting potential Back Forty Mine investors to inform them about the risks and public sentiment regarding the project. You can help protect Wisconsin’s waters and the Menominee River from toxic mining pollution by contacting investors at www.jointherivercoalition.org/actionalert.
This fight to protect families and businesses from sulfide mining pollution is long from over. Please watch for our email action alerts about the next steps and stay informed by following the great organizations that are on the front lines of this battle.
www.noback40.org and www.jointherivercoalition.org Follow River Alliance on Facebook and join the Facebook group “Save The Menominee River - Stop The Back Forty Mine!”
esignate an IRA Distribution: Did you know you can donate your minimum required distribution from your IRA to River Alliance D without counting the distribution as taxable income? There can be some tax benefits of this approach, including reducing your adjusted gross income and allowing you to benefit from charitable giving even if you don’t normally itemize your deductions. So, if you’re 70 ½ and required to take an IRA distribution this year, please consider a Qualified Charitable Distribution to River Alliance. Give time instead of money. Volunteer: Whether it’s getting hands-on experience identifying invasive species or letting us make you coffee when you help with office tasks, River Alliance has a variety of ways you can help. Your gift of time is critical to the success of many of our programs. Let us know that you’re interested by filling out the simple form on our website at: www.wisconsinrivers.org/volunteer Highlight your business. Sponsor an event: Showcase your water-friendly business to thousands across the state by sponsoring a River Alliance event! From Wild & Scenic Film Festivals in Madison and Green Bay to Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring events, we have plenty of opportunities to highlight your business. We promote our events though email, social media, radio and other methods to reach the greatest number of people. To learn more about these options, contact Associate Director Sharon White at swhite@wisconsinrivers.org or 608-257-2424.
Hellos:
By Allison Werner
Harry Peterson River Alliance is pleased to welcome Harry Peterson to our board of directors. Harry retired as president of Western State Colorado University in 2002 with a career focused on organizational change and external relations. He currently provides consulting services to university system leadership teams. In his free time, he is an active fly fisher, fly tier, writer and American history buff. Harry and his wife, Sylvia, live in Middleton.
River Alliance Aquatic Invasive Species Program: Year in Review & Call for Volunteers River Alliance staff work year round to protect Wisconsin’s waterways from aquatic invasive species (AIS). When left unchecked, these non-native plants, animals and pathogens have the potential to push out beneficial native species, spread at alarming rates, and ultimately wreak havoc on our aquatic ecosystems. To combat these species, we form partnerships, develop work plans when new populations of concerning species are found and give local citizens the training they need to monitor and protect their waterways. This work keeps our waterways safe, healthy and accessible. The pictures below highlight a small portion of our 2017 aquatic invasive species partnerships, projects and events:
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River Alliance of Wisconsin, Upper Sugar River Watershed Association, WI DNR and Southern Wisconsin Trout Unlimited constructed and placed 30 wader wash stations in Dane County to prevent the spread of New Zealand mudsnails and other invasive species.
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River Alliance staff surveyed Lake Onalaska and Vietnam Veterans pond in La Crosse, WI and found them free of water hyacinth and water lettuce for the second year in a row. River Alliance volunteers and other partners discovered and removed populations of these species in 2015.
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More than 60 individuals located invasive species in southern Wisconsin for River Alliance of Wisconsin’s Rock River Snapshot Initiative thanks to a grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation.
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We provided AIS education to 500+ boaters and anglers during the 2017 Landing Blitz, a statewide effort to ramp up Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspections around the 4th of July holiday.
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Over 1,000 people visited the River Alliance booth at the 2017 Youth Outdoor Fest in La Crosse. Our staff talked to tomorrow’s boaters, anglers, paddlers, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts about aquatic invasive species.
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River Alliance staff connected with hundreds of anglers during the 2017 Drain Campaign, a statewide effort to encourage anglers to drain all of the water from their boats, trailers, livewells and bait buckets and to put their catch on ice (a safe, legal alternative that helps prevent the spread of AIS).
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River Alliance’s La Crosse area AIS Coordinator, Scott Caven, led the La Crosse Area Aquatic Invasive Species Partnership: a collaboration of stakeholders who prevent, contain and control aquatic invasive species in the Mississippi River and its major tributaries in western Wisconsin.
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Our Project RED (Riverine Early Detectors) partners led invasive species trainings and paddles across the state, including this one cohosted by Friends of Starkweather Creek, Take a Stake in Our Waters and River Alliance on Starkweather Creek in Dane County.
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Our staff educated hundreds of professional and amateur tournament anglers, as well as tournament staff and fans, on aquatic invasive species.
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Citizen volunteers monitored 154 stream, wetland and lake sites across Wisconsin during the August 5th AIS Snapshot Day hosted in partnership with UW Extension Lakes and 20+ partner organizations. Findings are reported to the DNR and local partners to inform species management plans.
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Call for Volunteers! As we look forward to 2018, we'd like to invite you to volunteer to be part of our efforts. River Alliance of Wisconsin provides training and supplies to ensure your experience is informative, safe and fun. Please fill out the volunteer form on our website at www.wisconsinrivers.org/volunteer and select from the fieldwork, office work, and group volunteer options. Photo courtesy Stephanie Boismenue, Oneida County, Land and Water Conservation Department