Building Momentum2012 Annual Report

Over the last 43 years, Clean Wisconsin has demon-strated time and again that we are an effective voice for the environment, even in the toughest political envi-ronment.

And 2012 was no exception.Through 2012, we certainly

continued with the work we are best at: Educating deci-sion-makers and advocating on behalf of Wisconsin’s clean air, clean water, clean energy and special places. But we also examined what would help us more effectively strengthen and defend environmental policies in our state in the years to come.

The answer was momentum.It’s certainly something we’ve been building through

the years, but in 2012, we took it to the next level. By introducing more supporters like you to our organiza-tion online and off, building relationships with nontra-ditional groups around the state, taking our message to candidates and business leaders, and bolstering our legal and science departments to strengthen our policy work, we pushed our own limits, which will carry us through 2013 and beyond. Momentum, and the capac-ity and movement that comes with it, allows us to be more effective, regardless of the politics.

With our momentum, we made significant progress for the health of Wisconsin’s environment and its res-idents. In March, thanks to our strong, expert staff, we helped defeat the terrible open-pit mining bill by one vote. In June, we helped Dane County launch a pilot program using an innovative new water quality rule we helped create. In August, we scored a major victory that was years in the making when We Energies announced it would convert its dirty, coal-fired Valley Power Plant in downtown Milwaukee to cleaner-burning natural gas.

The Clean Wisconsin community is stronger than ever, and we are excited to see where our momentum carries us as we continue to champion clean air, clean water, clean energy and the special places we love. On behalf of everyone at Clean Wisconsin, thank you for supporting our work and for being part of the momen-tum and movement.

Mark Redsten Executive Director

Our Momentum in 2012

27

74

3,767

30197

1,178

3,851

53

16

10,151

Reviewers who provided feedback on our Adaptive Management Option guidebook

Letters to the editors written by volunteers and printed in newspapers around the state

Bills Clean Wisconsin weighed in on in 2012, including efforts to roll back wetland protections, uniform wind siting rules, and

iron mining protections

Candidates and businesses that attended our 16 nonpartisan candidate education

events around the state

Corporate sponsors, in-kind donors and business partners that supported our work

Pages of testimony prepared by our legal department

Attendees at house parties, Fresh Faces & Doug La Follette

Environmental Speakers Program events

Signatures on our mining petition

New email Action Network members

Total actions sent to legisla-tors and decisionmakers

clean wisconsin annual report 2012

Achieved These Victories Fueled by your generosity

81.4% Program Work 7.2% Development

11.4% Administration

2012 Expenses: $1,768,024

70.4% Grants

10.6% Other

16.9% Member & Legacy Fund Contributions

2.1% Investment Income

2012 Support & Revenue: $2,387,998

Carolyn FoundationClean Water Fund

Crown Family Foundation Energy Foundation Garfield Foundation

H.J. Hagge Foundation Joyce Foundation

Madison Community FoundationMcKnight Foundation

Mott FoundationOberweiler Foundation

Public Service Commission of WisconsinRockefeller Family Fund

State Environmental Leadership Program State of Wisconsin Coastal Management ProgramSoutheastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc.

Since 1970, Clean Wisconsin has worked hard to defend our clean air, clean water and special places. Through the years, we’ve effectively done this by enacting or strengthen-ing environmental policies; defending those policies when they are threatened; holding polluters and elected leaders accountable; and educating members, decisionmakers and the public on the importance of protecting our natural re-sources.

In 2012, we had numerous victories:

Mining bill defeated We were elated when the ter-rible open-pit iron mining bill died on the Senate floor in March 2012 by one vote. We stridently fought against this bill with sound science, legal expertise and effective communications, by calling on our committed and grow-ing base of supporters, and working closely with reason-able decisionmakers who were willing to stand up to the bully tactics of out-of-state mining interests.

Pilot project launched Using innovative new water quality rules we helped write, Clean Wisconsin joined with Dane County to launch a pilot program to clean up county lakes in June. The phosphorus rules, and the Adaptive Management Option in particular, allow farm-ers and municipalities to work together to reduce phos-phorus pollution at a much lower cost. If successful, these innovative rules could become a nationwide model for cleaning our waters.

Victory in the Valley In August, we scored a major victory several years in the making when We Energies an-nounced it would convert its dirty, coal-fired Valley Power Plant in downtown Milwaukee to cleaner-burning natu-ral gas. Valley is a significant source of toxic mercury pol-lution, soot and smog, and converting the plant will make the air cleaner and healthier for the 24,000 residents who live within one mile of Valley and the 30,000 children in the county who suffer from asthma.

Creating champions Armed with polling that showed Wisconsin voters overwhelming support clean energy and energy efficiency, we held education briefings around the state in 2012 to share this information with candi-dates and elected leaders. Working with businesses in key regions around the state, we successfully held 16 events around the state and met with almost 100 candidates and elected leaders, creating champions for clean energy and energy efficiency policy in the Legislature.

Business Sponsors ($500 & up) Toyota/100 Cars for Good | Delta Properties | Sustainable Engineering Group

Other Support Community Shares of Wisconsin | Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee

Pro Bono Services Axley Brynelson, LLP | Cullen Weston Pines and Bach, LLP | Geek World | Mary Beth Collins | SneathGroup | Mario Quintana | Derek Johnson | Doug Britton | Lisa Mlinar | Google Grants

COVER PHOTO Pickerel Lake | By Christopher Schoenbohn via Flickr

Looking AheadIn 2012, we more than doubled the number of subscribers to our email Ac-

tion Network, forged new relationships with decisionmakers, businesses and groups around the state, and increased the capacity of our legal and science departments in support of our policy work. Combining our 43 years of experi-ence with the incredible momentum we gained last year, we have the strength and expertise to confront some of the most pressing challenges facing Wis-consin’s environment head on. In 2013, we are:

Focusing on Focus In 2011, the state Legislature reduced funding for Fo-cus on Energy, the state’s highly successful energy efficiency and renewable energy program. With new numbers demonstrating Focus’s money-saving and job-creating potential, we are advocating for a greater investment in this program. By investing in Focus, we can move Wisconsin away from its dependence on dirty, expensive fossil fuels while investing in state businesses and improving the health of our residents.

Beyond Yahara In 2012, Clean Wisconsin helped launched a pilot pro-gram in Dane County’s Yahara chain of lakes utilizing the innovative phos-phorus rules. With these rules, landowners and point sources, such as facto-ries and wastewater facilities, are working together to cost-effectively clean local waters. Now, using the experience and knowledge we’ve gained in Dane County, we’re expanding this critical work to clean and protect Milwaukee’s rivers and the Fox River near Green Bay by initiating pilot projects in these areas of the state.

Building an Organizing Hub Combining the momentum we gained in digital media in 2012 with our position as an environmental leader in the Midwest, we’re creating a first-in-class Organizing Hub. Through this work, we’ll be building a regionwide movement to help achieve an 80-percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. The Organizing Hub will provide training, cutting-edge tools and resources to partners and allied organiza-tions across the Midwest to help encourage people to take action on issues of environmental importance when they matter most.

Pushing for Limits With the unveiling of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan in June 2013, Clean Wisconsin is leading efforts here and across the Midwest to educate the public, opinion leaders and policymakers about how we can best support that plan and, in particular, push the Environmen-tal Protection Agency to adopt carbon pollution limits for new and existing power plants. By reducing this dangerous source of pollution and advocating for clean energy, we can mitigate the effects to climate change while increas-ing economic growth and investments in Midwest manufacturers, farmers and engineers.

Clean Wisconsin StaffMark Redsten Executive Director

Becky Bains Development Director

Marcy Brant Interim Staff Attorney

Tyson Cook Staff Scientist

Nick Curran, CPA Chief Financial Officer

Jake Immel Membership & Development Coordinator

Emily Jones Water Program Coordinator

Jenny Lynes Grants Manager

Melissa Malott Water Program Director

Amber Meyer Smith Director of Programs & Government Relations

Ezra Meyer Water Resources Specialist

Katie Nekola General Counsel

Keith Reopelle Senior Policy Director

Sarah Shanahan Midwest Clean Energy Coordinator

Katy Walter Clean Energy Specialist

Sam Weis Communications Director

Amanda Wegner Creative Director

Elizabeth Wheeler Staff Attorney

David Vitse Office Manager

634 W. Main Street, Suite 300 | Madison, WI 53703608-251-7020 | www.cleanwisconsin.org

© Clean Wisconsin, September 2013

Board of DirectorsChair Carl Sinderbrand Madison

Vice Chair Margi Kindig Madison

Treasurer Gof Thomson New Glarus

Secretary Gary Goyke Madison

Belle Bergner Milwaukee Sue Durst Verona

Phyllis Dubé McFarland

Shari Eggleson Washburn

Luke Fairborn Whitefish Bay Scott Froehlke Montello

Paul Linzmeyer Green Bay

Chuck McGinnis Middleton

Lucia Petrie Milwaukee

Karen Sands Whitefish Bay

Board Emeritus Kate Gordon San Francisco