2011 Clean Wisconsin Annual Report

2011 clean wisconsin annual report

2 www.cleanwisconsin.org

Photo CreditsFront Cover: Lake Michigan at Point

Beach State Forest | Amanda WegnerInside Front Cover: Lake Monona,

Madison | Amanda WegnerPage 5: Brownstone Falls at Copper

Falls State Park, Mellen | Melissa Malott

Page 12: Keith Reopelle | Amy Lynn Schereck; Sam Weis | Nick Berard

Page 15: Tyler Forks | Mario Quintana

insi

de 4 Program Strength6 Political & Social Capital8 Financial Strength10 Looking Ahead12 Staff & Board14 Thank You

3clean wisconsin2011annual report

Mark RedstenExecutive Director

A year of fortitudefrom the executive director

As the environmental voice for thousands of Wisconsin families, Clean Wisconsin’s job is twofold: We must fight hard to strengthen environmental policies when opportunities exist, and we must fight even harder to defend those policies when our leaders threaten to weaken or eliminate them.

Even with more than four decades of experi-ence working to protect and preserve Wiscon-sin’s air and water, we saw an unprecedented number of environmental attacks in 2011. Luckily, with the help of our supporters, we were able to fight back many of the attempts to weaken protections for our natural resources.

Together we helped save Wisconsin’s recycling program and stopped efforts to effectively ban new wind farms in the state. We fought off attempts to delay innovative phosphorus rules and built a case against a dangerous mining bill that would have left our water at risk.

In addition to successfully defeating attempts to weaken Wiscon-sin’s environmental laws, we worked to strengthen our organization by implementing a new three-year strategic plan. Through this plan, Clean Wisconsin will become even more effective in our advocacy work for the environment by bolstering our program strength, build-ing political and social capital, increasing our financial strength and improving operational excellence.

On behalf of everyone at Clean Wisconsin, thank you for support-ing our important work fighting for clean air, clean water and clean energy. Without you, none of our victories would have been possible.

Thank you for all that you do,


1n 2011, the environmental

attacks came early and often.


A year of defenseprogram strength

With our strong presence in the Capitol, coupled with our new science and legal departments, Clean Wisconsin was prepared to stand up for Wisconsin’s environment.

We defeated the wind banDuring a special legislative session in January, Gov. Scott Walker proposed a

bill that set standards on new wind farms that were so stringent it would have effectively banned new wind energy here. By implementing a large media and lobbying campaign, Clean Wisconsin was a major force in defeating this legis-lation, which was the only bill in the special session package that didn’t pass.

We restored Wisconsin’s recycling programIn a move that shocked residents across the state, Gov. Walker proposed to

completely cut funding for and eliminate the state’s recycling program dur-ing the biennial budget debate. With hundreds of Clean Wisconsin members sending letters to their representatives, a strong media campaign and long hours spent in the Capitol, Clean Wisconsin helped convince legislators to save the recycling program and restore 60 percent of the program’s funding.

We protected our phosphorus rules Every year, dozens of Wisconsin lakes and rivers turn green with smelly,

dangerous algae blooms that ruin summer days and can make people and pets sick. Luckily, an innovative set of rules, called the phosphorus rules, gives communities the tools needed to address the problem at its root: excessive phosphorus pollution. When Gov. Walker proposed delaying these vital clean water rules in his budget, Clean Wisconsin sprang to action to keep these rules in action.

We maintained strong mining lawsClean Wisconsin worked tirelessly to educate the public, media and legis-

lators about the dangers of the bad Assembly Mining Bill. With the help of our members, we sent thousands of letters to elected officials asking them to oppose this bill, which would have rolled back environmental protections, silenced the voice of the public and eliminated accountability for mining companies. Our work came to fruition in the opening weeks of 2012 when the state Senate voted down this terrible bill by a single vote.


21,000+messages sent via our email Action Network

Many voices, taken together, are a powerful thing.

To be an effective voice for clean air, clean water and Wisconsin’s special places, Clean Wisconsin is assembling an engaged community of voices. With a strong, active base of support that we can quickly call on to send messages to legislators on the issues we all care about most, we are building social and political capital to defend our issues and move important and innovative new policies forward. That clout allows us to be an effective voice for the environment and weather any political storm. Throughout 2011, we seized many opportunities to build the strength of our voice.

334Clean energy business allies around the state

3.5xincrease in online supporters in 2011

To join our email Action Network or to get involved with Clean Wisconsin, email Becky Bains at [email protected].


We gave a voice to clean energy businessesWisconsin businesses are creating family-supporting jobs and increasing

local revenues with clean energy. Katy Walter, Clean Wisconsin’s clean energy organizer, worked diligently to build a strong group of business leaders and clean energy advocates, which is now 330-plus strong. By bringing these busi-nessmen and women together, we helped magnify their voices with decision-makers on clean energy policy. In 2011, we rallied their support for Focus on Energy, which was rolled back in the early weeks of the legislative session, and brought key business allies to the table for our nonpartisan candidate education project, which runs through 2012.

We grew our baseClean Wisconsin is a leader in the social media sphere. From the humble

beginnings of our Facebook page in November 2009, we now have an online supporter base of 15,000, including Facebook fans, Twitter followers and email Action Network members, up from 4,300 on January 1, 2011. Through these outlets, we engage and educate our supporters, while calling on them to take action when it matters most; in 2011, we sent more than 21,000 messages to state legislators. With ambitious and aggressive goals to grow our online community of supporters in 2012, we are already seeing those numbers grow exponentially.

The Capitol was our second homeThere is no doubt that 2011 was a challenging year for environmental policy.

But thanks to the strength of our bipartisan relationships in the Capitol and state agencies, we were able to prevent some of the most egregious attempts to roll back environmental programs and work with key decision makers toward commonsense approaches to natural resource protection. From the massive efforts to stop the mining bill, which was written by and for out-of-state mining companies at the expense of our environment, to helping save the recycling program and keeping uniform wind siting rules and phosphorus rules in place, the work of our government relations team, and the strong sup-port of our members and activists, made a huge difference. Our efforts in the Capitol, informational meetings with key legislators, and the strong support of our base helped prevent some of the worst attacks on our environment from becoming reality.

A year of cloutpolitical & social capital


We made your

donations and

support go

further.


A year of diligencefinancial strength

Clean Wisconsin is fortunate to receive financial support from an array of sources, including members, donors, foundations and businesses. In 2011, we worked to keep some of the worst bills the environmental community has ever seen from becoming reality. Those extraordinary efforts, combined with the changed political landscape and the fact that Clean Wisconsin works on a two-year grant cycle, challenged our bottom line.

Yet we prevailed.

We focused on long-term stabilityWe made a strategic effort to bolster our long-term financial stability with an

emphasis on increased legacy giving and bequests, diversifying our financial resources and securing in-kind support and services.

Thanks to the bequests we received in 2011, we created a $350,000 Legal Defense Fund, which gives us the flexibility to respond to unforeseen threats. In 2011, it allowed us to analyze proposed legislation and hold the line on the terrible mining bills we encountered in the Capitol.

It was all hands on deckAll staff worked diligently to find new funding sources and in-kind services

to support our vital work, including grants from Patagonia and the Environ-mental Protection Agency. By increasing our legal department and building our scientific expertise, we successfully obtained resources to intervene in a number of cases at the Public Service Commission.

We were committed to operational excellence to be more efficient and fortify our financial strength as well. From a new, energy-efficient office and cost-sharing measures to setting our sights on priority issues that have the greatest impact, we continue to be an effective voice for the environment, even in tight times.

Clean Wisconsin is committed to financial strength and security and making your donations and support go further in our fight for clean air, clean water and special places.

www.cleanwisconsin.org10


Our work continues with evermore importance and fortitude. With 42 years of experience fighting in the Capitol on behalf of Wisconsin’s environment, we are ready to protect and preserve Wisconsin’s air and water, regardless of the challenges ahead.

We are educating candidates on clean energyClean Wisconsin staff are traveling around Wisconsin, educating candidates

for state office about voters’ perceptions of clean energy issues. Educating our future leaders today, helps ensure that we can move environmental policy forward tomorrow.

We are cleaning our watersClean Wisconsin is busy using existing laws to clean up our air and water.

Our staff is working with farmers and municipalities across the state to imple-ment the first-of-its-kind phosphorus rules to help make sure Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers and streams remain swimmable and fishable for residents and visitors alike.

We are staying vigilantWhile the bad mining bill failed to pass in the Senate, new

attempts to weaken environmental protections for mining could spring up at any point. Clean Wisconsin will remain vigilant and prepared to fight any attempts to weaken min-ing laws. Additionally, we will explore new threats to Wis-consin’s environment including frac sand mining and push for new protections where they are necessary.

A new yearlooking ahead


Tracy Marks-Geib Grant Manager

Amanda WegnerCreative Director

Jenny Lynes Membership Coordinator

David VitseOffice Manager

Mary CoughlanAccounting Manager

Roger SneathChief Financial Officer

Sam WeisCommunications

Director

Katy Walter Clean Energy

Specialist

Sarah ShanahanMidwest Clean

Energy Coordinator

Tyson Cook Staff Scientist

Amber Meyer SmithDirector of Programs & Government Relations

Keith Reopelle Senior Policy Director

Melissa Malott Water Director

Mark Redsten Executive Director

Becky Bains Development Director

Ezra Meyer Water Specialist

Katie Nekola General Counsel

Elizabeth WheelerStaff Attorney


Legal DepartmentVanessa Wishart

Ryan O’Hara Erika PadgettKaren Thimke

Martin Schroeder

Development & MembershipJake Immel

Jackie Csedo

Science DepartmentHannah Grooms

CommunicationsElla SchwierskeDaniel MostazaSarah Witman

Julian HoltzmanLaura Green

Water DepartmentTaylor LundbergCasey Peacock

Interns, Externs & Volunteers

Behind the scenesstaff, board, interns & volunteers

OfficersChairCarl Sinderbrand, Madison

Vice ChairMargi Kindig, Madison

SecretaryGary Goyke, Madison

TreasurerGof Thomson, New Glarus

Board EmeritusKate Gordon, Washington, D.C.

MembersBelle Bergner, MilwaukeePhyllis Dube, McFarlandSue Durst, VeronaShari Eggleson, Washburn Luke Fairborn, Whitefish Bay Scott Froehlke, Montello Paul Linzmeyer, Green BayChuck McGinnis, MiddletonLucia Petrie, MilwaukeeDavid Wandel, Madison

Board of Directors

we believe everyone deserves clean air and clean water

with special thanks

our mission is to protect and preserve Wisconsin’s air and waterand to create a cleaner environmentby being the leading voice for environmental protection

to our members and supportersyour generosity makes this possible

thank you


Charles Steward Mott FoundationClean Water FundEnergy Foundation

Garfield FoundationJoyce Foundation

Kresge FoundationMadison Community Foundation

MAC PhilanthropiesMcKnight Foundation

Oberweiler FoundationPatagonia

Public Service Commission of WisconsinState Environmental Leadership Program

We cannot thank you enough for your generosity.

Axley Brynelson, LLPCullen Weston Pines and Bach, LLP

Mary Beth Collins

SneathGroupMario QuintanaDerek Johnson

Funders

Business Sponsors ($500 & up) Axley Brynelson, LLP

Sustainable Engineering Group

Other SupportCommunity Shares of Greater

MilwaukeeCommunity Shares of Wisconsin

Pro Bono Services

Thank youdonors & supporters

Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona | Alterra Coffee, Milwaukee | Amanda Wegner Yoga, Madison | Jake Barns | Bergner Associates, Milwaukee | Birchwood Lodge, Sister Bay | Canvas on Demand, canvasondemand.com | Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton | Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison | Shari and Mark Eggleson | EZ Office Products, Madison | Carol and Luke Fairborn | Food Fight Restaurant Group, Madison | Fresco and John Jerabek, Madison | Scott Froehlke | Green Bay Packers | Holland’s Family Cheese, Thorp | Ian’s Pizza, Madison | Jamie M. Swanson Photography, Fond du Lac. Landmark Theatre, Milwaukee. Hans Meyer. | Milwaukee Brewers | Milwaukee County Zoo | Overture Center for the Arts, Madison | Pete and Lucia Petrie | Keith Reopelle | Returning Home Reiki, Marcia Halligan, Viroqua | Rivergate Gardens, Cazenovia | Schonheit Gardens, Sun Prairie | Shoo Inc., Madison |

Vermont Valley CSA, Blue Mounds.

2011 Silent Auction Donors

Printed on 100-percent recycled paper.© Clean Wisconsin, June 2012

634 W. Main Street, Suite 300Madison, WI 53703

608-251-7020

www.cleanwisconsin.org

2011 Clean Wisconsin Annual Report

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Transcript of 2011 Clean Wisconsin Annual Report