The Defender, Spring 2007

Clean Wisconsin122 State Street Suite 200Madison,WI 53703-4333

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 1291

Madison,WI

SPRING 2007 • Vol. 37, No. 2

INSIDEClean Wisconsin conference; What’s inside; Where is your last Defender? . .2Clean Wisconsin’s legislative agenda; Doug LaFollette invests in us . . . . . .3 Slowing global warming; Global warming and water conference . . . . . . . .4Wisconsin watersheds; National watershed conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Mercury petition served to DNR; Fishing season is coming . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Air rules in Wisconsin’s legislature; Clean air goes to Supreme Court . . . . .7Vulnerable lakes; Support Asian carp legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Nuclear madness; Legislative agenda continued; Victory continued . . . . . .9More alphabet soup; Reducing polluted runoff; Fishing continued . . . . . .10Member survey results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Part of the solution?; UW-La Crosse’s green building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Eco news; Clean Wisconsin’s newly released reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Taking charge and taking action – learn what you can do . . . . . . 14-15Kids’ Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Katie Nekola

In a decision issued early this March, a Dane County judge ruledthat the water permit for the largest power plant constructionproject in state history does not comply with federal law, and must

go back for review by a state administrative law judge.Clean Wisconsin has long maintained that the cooling system for the

new Elm Road Generating Station in Oak Creek is illegal, andchallenged the DNR discharge permit in hearings one year ago inMilwaukee. The new plant would use open-cycle cooling, a 1920s-eratechnology that has been banned in Illinois for thirty years and in otherstates as well. In a recent speech, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. described thesewater intake systems as “fish-destroying machines.”

The cooling system would take in 1.8 billion gallons of water eachday, enough to supply the city of Chicago. The water not lost toevaporation would be returned to the lake 10-15 degrees warmer,creating the potential for thermal shock to aquatic organisms anddisrupting the natural spawning cycle. In addition, millions of small fishwould be killed as they are trapped against the screens and sucked intothe pipe. The discharge pipe would, in turn, dump mercury-contaminated water into Lake Michigan.

The decision to allow such an outmoded and damaging coolingsystem was based on the DNR’s determination that the power plantcould be defined as an “existing facility,” a critical distinction because

Clean Wisconsin wins courtvictory against giant

“fish-destroying machine”

Continued on PAGE 9 ☛

2 The Defender, Spring 2007,Vol. 37, No. 2

122 State Street Suite 200 • Madison WI 53703-4333Phone: (608) 251-7020 • Fax: (608) 251-1655

www.CleanWisconsin.org

Executive Director

Mark Redsten

Program and Communications

Program Director

Keith Reopelle

Energy Program Director

Katie Nekola

Water Program Director

Melissa Malott

Communications Director

Joyce Harms

Communications Creative Manager

Shauna Cook

Water Specialist

Will Hoyer

Staff Scientist

Peter Taglia

Grassroots Organizer

Ryan Schryver

Energy Program Specialist

Elizabeth Wheeler

Interns

Jeremy Jansen

Breeanna Breckel

Membership and Development

Development Director

Brian Kelly

Membership & Development Manager

Becky Weber

Development Assistants

Elsa Nekola

Bridget Barry

Finance and Administration

Financial Manager

Barb Kneer

Office Administrator

Laurie Maloney

Financial Assistant

Holly Brassington

Pam McGillivray – Chair (Madison)Will Fantle – Secretary (Eau Claire)

Gof Thomson – Treasurer (New Glarus)

Mark Gill (Milwaukee)Kate Gordon (Madison)Gary Goyke (Madison)

Susan Greenfield (Racine)Paul Linzmeyer (Green Bay)

David Wandel (Madison)Guy Wolf (Stoddard)

BBOOAARRDD

The Defender is owned and published quarterly by Clean Wisconsin, 122 State Street Suite 200, Madison,Wisconsin53703, (608) 251-7020. Founded in 1970, Clean Wisconsin is a statewide, non-profit environmental advocacy organization. A one-year subscription membership is $30. Please direct correspondence to the address above.

Volume 37, No. 2 Issue date: April 2007©2007 Clean Wisconsin. All rights reserved

Printed with soy ink on unbleached, recycled paper.

ISSN # 1549-8107

Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organi-zation, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air andadvocates for clean energy by being an effective voice inthe state legislature and by holding elected officials andcorporations accountable.

Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin’s EnvironmentalDecade, Clean Wisconsin exposes corporate polluters,makes sure existing environmental laws are enforced,and educates citizens and businesses.

On behalf of its 10,000 members and its coalitionpartners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special placesthat make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live,work and play.

SSTTAAFFFF

Clean Wisconsin and the Dominican Sisters of the Sinsinawa Mound are teaming up to host aconference focusing on regional water issues and global warming. Kick off Earth week by joiningus! Learn about the global warming threats to our waters and way of life, and what you can do to

protect and improve our natural resources.

Kick off Earth Week!

• The Defender survey results on page 11. • Taking charge and taking action on pages 14 and 15 – this is our new one-stop-shop offering advice on

some things you can do to promote clean water, clean air and clean energy.• Clean Wisconsin is releasing two new reports. Check out the details on page 13.

Don’t miss the following articles inside…

The last issue of The Defender was mailed on January 2nd. However, for some odd reason, it did notreach some of you until the end of January. It’s even possible some of you didn’t receive a copy at all.In my attempts to track the missing pieces, I discovered one of the reasons why bulk mail is so much

cheaper than first class mail…it is not as easily traceable. The post office shows the mailing of the issue wasin order. However we know a number of members did not receive it in the beginning of January as planned.

We are fairly certain that all issues were delivered to our members, albeit some of them were late. But ifyou did not receive The Defender (Winter 2007; Vol. 37, No. 1) and want a copy, you can obtain one in thepublications section of our website at www.CleanWisconsin.org; or if you do not have Internet access, call(608) 251-7020, extension 15 to request a copy. Make sure to leave your request along with your name andfull address.

- The Editor

Where is your last Defender?

April 14, 20079:00am – 5:30pm

Sinsinawa Mound Conference Center(10 minutes from Dubuque, Iowa)

Register online at www.CleanWisconsin.org or www.sinsinawa.org or call (608) 748-4411.

Turn to page 4 in this issue for more conference details.

3Clean Wisconsin

Brian Kelly

Back in 1970, when Secretary of State DougLaFollette was a professor at UW-Parkside,he saw the need for a statewide policy organi-

zation working to enact and enforce strong environ-mental laws in the state of Wisconsin. With hisenergy and vision, strong support from volunteersand fledgling staff, and a mimeograph machine inhis living room, Doug created what is now one ofthe largest state-wide environmental groups in thenation.

Fast forward to the year 2007 when Doug createdfor Clean Wisconsin a $20,000 gift annuity with theMadison Community Foundation. Once again,Doug recognized an unmet need and stepped up tofill it. This gift will help support Clean Wisconsin’sendowment fund. Doug’s foresight and generositywill help provide Clean Wisconsin with the resourceswe will need to help protect Wisconsin’s water andair well into the future.

I recently sat down with Doug to ask him abouthis interests and why he wanted to make this giftnow. This is what he had to say:

Q. Why do you support Clean Wisconsin’sprograms, and what program areas are mostinteresting to you?

A. Citizen action groups such as CleanWisconsin are critical to protecting and restoring ournation’s environment. I think that helping localfolks and groups all around Wisconsin who are

facing assaults to the environment is one of the mostimportant things Clean Wisconsin does.

Q. What accomplishments are you mostproud of at Clean Wisconsin?

A. The development of my “living room” dreaminto an influential and essential force in Wisconsin’spresent and future makes me proud every day.

Q. Why did you want to make a planned giftlike this to Clean Wisconsin?

A. I know from many years of experience thatlong-term funding is one of the most important anddifficult concerns for NGOs. I hope that my giftwill inspire many others to help build it into anendowment that will allow Clean Wisconsin to fightfor many future generations.

Q. Why was a charitable gift annuity rightfor you?

A. It was a great “win-win-win” effort. CleanWisconsin, with many others following my lead, willgrow an endowment. This gift annuity allows me tohave a secure investment and plan for the future ofClean Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s environment willhave long-term protection and I get a lifetimeincome and a nice tax deduction as well.

Q. Was setting this up difficult to do?A. It was very, very easy and everyone who does

it will find out how good it makes you feel.

Thank you Doug LaFollette for creating ourorganization and for helping us obtain the resourcesto ensure its future!

More information on charitable giftannuities

A charitable gift annuity is an agreement where adonor transfers cash, securities or other property to acharity. Based on a percentage of the gift, the donorregularly receives payments for the rest of his or herlife and spouse’s life. Additionally, the donorreceives a charitable tax deduction based on theremainder interest of the annuity contract and apartially tax-free return of principal from theannuity. Upon the death of the annuitant, theremainder of the annuity will be put into CleanWisconsin’s endowment fund to provide support forour future work protecting Wisconsin’s clean waterand clean air. With a charitable gift annuity you cangain financial security, and help protect Wisconsinfor generations to come.

If you are interested in setting up a gift annuityto benefit Clean Wisconsin, or to discuss otherplanned giving options, please contact Brian Kelly at(608) 251-7020 extension 23 or [email protected].

Keith Reopelle

Here is a brief look at Clean Wisconsin’s2007-08 legislative agenda. We’re workinghard to provide innovative solutions to

pressing environmental challenges.

Great Lakes Compact: Protecting ourgreatest natural resource

Clean Wisconsin worked hard to support thedevelopment of the Great Lakes Sustainable WaterResources Agreement signed by Governor Doyle,two Canadian Premiers, and the other seven GreatLakes States Governors on December 13, 2005. In order for that agreement to become a bindingCompact that protects the Great Lakes for futuregenerations, all eight states must now adopt theCompact in their respective states. Keith Reopelle,Clean Wisconsin’s Program Director, serves on aLegislative Council Study Committee that is draftinglegislation that would ratify and implement theCompact in Wisconsin. The other seven states arealso working to pass this legislation, although

Wisconsin is the only state - through this CompactStudy Committee - that is developing implementinglanguage that defines how the Compact will work inWisconsin, along with the ratifying language signedby all eight states. The Compact is designed toprevent major diversions of water out of the GreatLakes Basin. However, it also sets standards forGreat Lake water use by municipalities andindustries within the basin. A key aspect of thislegislation is to create the first water conservationprogram in the state to protect and restore depletedgroundwater supplies in addition to protecting theGreat Lakes for future generations.

Energy efficiency: Cornerstone of aclean energy future

After leading the effort to pass a major cleanenergy bill last spring, Clean Wisconsin will againmake energy efficiency its highest energy priority forimproving the state’s energy policy. One bill thatClean Wisconsin is helping legislators introduce

Clean Wisconsin’s 2007-08 legislative agenda:Innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges

Clean Wisconsin/EnvironmentalDecade founder Doug LaFolletteinvests in organization’s future



Ryan Schryver

Clean Wisconsin and the Dominican Sistersof the Sinsinawa Mound are teaming up tohost a conference focusing on regional water

issues and global warming on Saturday, April 14th

2007. The conference will be held at the beautifuland inspiring Sinsinawa Mound conference center,featuring picturesque views of southwest Wisconsinand the Mississippi River watershed and will kick offEarth Week events around the state.

The conference will be headlined by MikeTidwell, author of Bayou Farewell. Tidwell’s mostrecent book examines the effects of global warmingon the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River Basin.He predicted with frightening accuracy thedisastrous effects of a large hurricane striking NewOrleans. Mike Tidwell is uniquely qualified to leadus in a discussion focusing on the effects of globalwarming as it relates to the river region.

Joining Tidwell will be some of the nation’sleading experts on global warming. Dr. Jon Foley isthe Director of the Center for Sustainability and theGlobal Environment (SAGE) at the University ofWisconsin, where he is also the Gaylord NelsonDistinguished Professor of Environmental Studiesand Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. Dr. Foley iswidely renowned for his expertise on global warmingand will provide expert analysis of the most currentand cutting edge global warming research.

Dr. John Magnuson will be addressing globalwarming from a regional and local perspective. Dr.Magnuson is Professor Emeritus of Zoology,Director Emeritus of the Center for Limnology, andEmeritus Member of the Limnology and MarineScience Graduate Program at the University ofWisconsin. Dr. Magnuson's research and many

publications have focused on the influence of climatechange on inland waters and ecosystems.

The Sinsinawa Mound’s scenic locationoverlooking the Mississippi River Basin makes it anideal location to examine and discuss the threats ourlocal and regional waterways face. Clean Wisconsin’sWater Program Director Melissa Malott and

Wisconsin DNR Mississippi River teamlead Gretchen Benjamin will bepresenting on threats, opportunities andcurrent legislation regarding therestoration and protection of Wisconsin’srivers and lakes, including the MississippiRiver and the Great Lakes. Specifictopics will include polluted runoff,aquatic invasive species, bio-accumulativetoxins, and more.

In the afternoon participants will beable to attend training sessions focusingon building the necessary skills to act onall of the newfound knowledge. Trainingsessions will focus on topics such as mediaskills, grassroots organizing, basic activism,letter writing, coalition building, as well asother topics that will help both veteranand new activists develop the skills to helpsave Wisconsin’s vital natural resources.

We hope to see all of our membersthere and are looking forward to whatshould be one of the best conferences of

the year!

For more information and registrationinformation go to www.cleanwisconsin.org,www.sinsinawa.org or contact Grassroots OrganizerRyan Schryver at (608) 251-7020 extension 25.

Water and warming in the Mississippi River Basin

Kick off Earth Week!Clean Wisconsin and the Dominican Sisters of the Sinsinawa Mound are teaming up to hosta conference focusing on regional water issues and global warming. Learn about the globalwarming threats to our waters and way of life, and what you can do to protect and improveour natural resources.

April 14, 20079:00am – 5:30pmSinsinawa Mound Conference Center(10 minutes from Dubuque, Iowa)

Register online at www.CleanWisconsin.org orwww.sinsinawa.org or call (608) 748-4411.

Katie Nekola and Peter Taglia

The Governor’s announcement in his ‘state ofthe state’ address that “we can no longer sitby and pretend (global warming) isn’t

happening” echoes what leaders are saying aroundthe world. Even the president of the United States,who has long resisted overwhelming evidence thatglobal warming is real, has admitted that it’s a“serious challenge”. Some leaders are taking the “softpath” to dealing with global warming: investing intechnologies and programs that encourage energyefficiency and renewable energy sources. Otherstates, most notably California, have passed laws thatlimit how much global warming pollution can beemitted by utilities and industry.

In Wisconsin, Governor Doyle’s “energyindependence” initiative, which calls for 25% of thestate’s energy to come from renewable sources by2025, is a laudable first step. His emphasis onsupporting biofuels is a win-win for an agriculturalstate like ours. Doyle has included $40 million in hisbudget bill for investment in wind, solar, biofuelsand other clean technologies. Clean Wisconsin ismaking it a top priority to keep those investments in

the budget bill when it passes in this legislativesession. And we expect that the Governor’s task forceon global warming, like his energy efficiency andrenewables task force, will result in recommen-dations that will make Wisconsin a leader in thefight to slow global warming.

However, even as this groundswell of recognitionand action on global warming grows, the root causesof the problem go unabated, and in fact continue toget worse. In Wisconsin, carbon dioxide pollutionfrom energy use has increased 25% since 1990,according to the Department of Administration. Inaddition, three new coal plants are being built, andin February Alliant Energy submitted an applicationto expand its Nelson Dewey coal plant on the shoreof the Mississippi River in Cassville. According toEPA, the existing coal plant emits 1.8 million tonsof carbon dioxide per year, and it is estimated thatthe 300-megawatt expansion will increase carbondioxide emissions to 4.8 million tons per year.Overall, global warming pollution from Wisconsinalone will increase by at least 15 million tons whenthe Elm Road project in Oak Creek and the Westonproject near Wausau are in operation, and if theproposed Cassville project gets approval. But

approval for the Cassville project is far from certain.The expansion of the Cassville plant will requirefilling high-quality wetlands that lie between theriver and the bluffs, in federally protected areas andwill increase barge traffic in an area with some of thelast remaining healthy populations of endangerednative mussels. The national surge in awareness andconcern about global warming pollution has madeany new coal plant proposal questionable.

Clean Wisconsin supports the Governor’scommitment to energy independence, renewableenergy development, and energy efficiency. They arethe foundation on which we can build a new,carbon-free energy supply. As we work towardcreating that clean energy future, we must also makea commitment to stopping global warmingpollution, from both vehicles and conventional coalplants. Clean Wisconsin has long opposed theconstruction of any new outdated technology coalplants in our state, and we are actively fighting tokeep the Alliant project from being approved by thePSC. If you would like to help out, contact RyanSchryver at (608) 251-7020 extension 25.

Putting the brakes on global warming

Melissa Malott

Despite the implementation of water qualityprotections into our state laws - like theClean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water

Act - the majority of our rivers and streams remainpolluted. While continuing our efforts to makegood public policy at the legislative and judicial levelis necessary, clean water advocates need to take alarger look at the integrated water system: thewatershed. A watershed is a home for a water body,a geographical area in which all rain or snow drainsdown into a river, lake, wetland, or ocean.Wisconsin has three main watersheds: LakeMichigan, Lake Superior, and the Mississippi River.Within each of these are smaller watersheds such asthe Wisconsin River watershed.

It is important to look at water pollution using awatershed approach in order to see the full extent ofpollution. The Clean Water Act, which has beeninstrumental in regulating pollution from industry,factory farms, and municipal sewer systems, fails toadequately account for pollution from pesticides andfertilizers, farm runoff, road runoff, and constructionsites. In fact, Environment and Energy Daily (E &E) reports Lieutenant General Carl Strock, chief ofthe Army Corps of Engineers, sees the narrow focuson projects that don’t consider the general watershedas the “biggest problem in U.S. water policy”.Strock said that more basin-wide studies, along withthe close monitoring of the environmental andeconomic impacts of projects would help waterpolicy goals.

A watershed plan, according to theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA), is a“strategy and work plan for achieving water resourcegoals that provides assessment and managementinformation for a geographically definedwatershed… [including] analyses, actions, partic-ipants, and resources related to development andimplementation of the plan.” The planning processfor a watershed is collaborative, and identifies andprioritizes problems in an ongoing manner to beable to address problems as they arise.

“This way we could follow through and see ifthey are delivering the benefits and if there [are]unintended consequences,” E & E reports Strock

saying. “Right now that sort of measuringmonitoring falls on the backs of the individualprojects, so I think a basin-wide approach would bebetter.”

The EPA is increasingly prioritizing watershedplans to help combat pollution. A watershedperspective must include local stakeholder groupsand use sound science and appropriate technology toaddress problems. Furthermore, the WisconsinDepartment of Natural Resources (WDNR) hasmoved towards a watershed model of managingwater resources because, “it focuses stakeholders onwhat a particular lake, river, or wetland needs andwhat they can do collectively to meet that need”.Clearly, the WDNR recognizes that involvingstakeholders in the process is an effective way ofprotecting a watershed.

In Wisconsin, there are three main watersheds:Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and the MississippiRiver. Within those, there are 21 smallerwatersheds, such as the Wolf River, CentralWisconsin River, Milwaukee River, Lakeshore (DoorCounty shores) and more. And within thosewatersheds are smaller watersheds. You can find outwhich watershed your local river or lake is in at thefollowing website:http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/sidebar/watersheds.html.The WDNR has State of the Basin Reports availablefor most Wisconsin watersheds and you can find outthe major water quality issues in your basin.

Clean Wisconsin has always pushed for compre-hensive, smart planning for the use of our naturalresource that welcomes and incorporates thethoughts and concerns of local citizens. It isencouraging that the WDNR and EPA are startingto set up and helping to fund watershed plans.These watershed plans need the valuable input oflocal citizens, like you, who have a stake in thewaterways. As more watershed plans are established,and the process proceeds, Clean Wisconsin will beyour voice in the legislature. We want to know whatyou think about watershed plans in your area. Tovoice your opinion or concern, contact MelissaMalott at (608) 251-7020, extension 13 or [email protected]. Please sign up for ouremail action alerts so we can keep you up to datewith watershed progress in your area. To sign up,email [email protected].

5Clean Wisconsin

Incorporating the important connectionsbetween Wisconsin watersheds into planning

A watershed is a home for awater body, a geographical area in whichall rain or snow drains down into theriver, lake, wetland, or ocean.Wisconsinhas three main watersheds: LakeMichigan, Lake Superior, and theMississippi River. Within those, there are21 smaller watersheds, such as the WolfRiver, Central Wisconsin River, MilwaukeeRiver, Lakeshore (Door County shores)and more. And within those watershedsare even smaller watersheds. You canfind out which watershed your local riveror lake is in at the following website:http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/sidebar/watersheds.html.

The WDNR uses protection, planning,regulation, incentives, and education aswatershed planning tools. Currently, they usethe following water quality planning andassessment programs, which are availableonline or through the DNR offices:

• State of the Basin Reports, http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/stateofbasin.html;

• Water Quality Assessments, (aka “305(b)Report”), http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/watersummary/305b_2006/letter_to_citizens.htm;

• Sewer Service Area Planning,http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/GLWSP/SSAPlan/index.htm;

• Wastewater Systems Facility Planning,http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/GLWSP/facilities/index.htm; and

• Local Water Quality Planning Aids Grantsto Local Communities, http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/lwqag.html;

Watershed managers, federal officials, state agencies, community groups and dam safetyadvocates will be descending upon La Crosse in the spring of 2007. The National WatershedCoalition (NWC) is holding its 10th biennial conference in this beautiful Mississippi River

town from Sunday May 20th through Thursday May 23rd at the La Crosse Convention Center andRadisson Hotel.

"Total Watershed Awareness Extending the Legacy" is the conference theme. It will bring professionalsfrom all over the United States to soak up the rich cultural and professional heritage offered by the region.Attendees will examine the topography and communities which shaped the development of watershedapproach to the application of conservation methods through the 1933 Coon Creek Watershed project.Dozens of concurrent professional sessions will take place throughout the week.

Everyone will gain insight into how relevant the principles of HH Bennett, Aldo Leopold and MelCohey still are today, some 75 years later. A bus tour of the watershed is planned. People interested inattending the conference should contact the NWC at its website located at www.watershedcoalition.org.

National Watershed Conference inLa Crosse May 20-23

Photo Credit: EPA


Keith Reopelle

On January 22, Clean Wisconsin, the SierraClub, and numerous sport fishing organi-zations gave the Department of Natural

Resources (DNR) a formal citizen petitionrequesting that the agency strengthen the regulationsof mercury emissions for coal burning power plants.Groups that joined Clean Wisconsin on the petitionincluded the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, theLakeshore Fisherman Sports Club, the WisconsinDivision of the Izaak Walton League, theMuskellunge Club of Wisconsin, and the WisconsinCouncil of Sport Fishing Organizations.

Clean Wisconsin led the way on this issue in2000 when we filed a similar petition asking toregulate mercury from coal plants for the first time.That petition resulted in Wisconsin’s currentregulations, called NR 446, that require a 75 percentreduction of mercury emissions by 2015. Wisconsinwas just the third state in the nation to regulatemercury emissions from coal burning power plants.Since then, the EPA developed federal rulesrequiring a 70 percent reduction by 2018 andallowing interstate trading of emissions credits,

which means that utilities in Wisconsin can buycredits from utilities in other states rather thanmaking reductions at their own power plants.

The DNR must revise their rules and there aretwo big unanswered questions: will they allowinterstate trading of mercury credits (22 states haverejected that EPA program); and will they make ourstate’s regulations stronger by requiring a 90%reduction, or weaker, as they are proposing, byadopting the 70 percent reduction by 2018 assuggested by EPA?

Clean Wisconsin and the other petitioners areasking the DNR for a 90% reduction by 2012 withno trading allowed for several compelling reasons:

• Substantial new data and information on mercurycontrol technology have become available since NR446 was established in 2004 that support a signifi-cantly stronger regulation.

• NR 446 as promulgated and established inOctober of 2004 recognizes and anticipates theneed for adjustments in the rule such as thoserequested in the citizen’s petition.

• The Federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR),requiring just 70% reductions by 2018, that DNRis considering adopting, was developed illegally.

• Substantial new data and information on theextent and degree of harmful health impacts to thecitizens of Wisconsin have become available sinceNR 446 was established in 2004.

The DNR will be proposing a new mercury rulesoon (by the time you read this) and will havescheduled public hearings to solicit public input.They will also take written comments. Please visitClean Wisconsin’s website often(www.CleanWisconsin.org) to obtain public hearingdates and locations. If you are interested inbecoming more involved in the mercury regulations,either these rules regulating power plants or the billto phase mercury out of products (see story on page3), and would like more information on how to dothat, please call me, Keith Reopelle, at (608) 251-7020 extension 11.

Clean Wisconsin and sporting groups serveDNR mercury petition

Keith Reopelle

The opening day of fishing season, the firstweekend in May, is not far off. The wintersports shows have been fun, but cabin fever

is mounting and like hundreds of thousands of otherWisconsin anglers I can hardly wait for the openwater season to begin.

I spend all of my working hours protectingWisconsin’s environment. So when I have time off Ilike to enjoy our state’s natural resources; and myfavorite outdoor recreation is fishing. I’ve fished allmy life. Growing up in Milwaukee my father tookmy brother and me on countless weekend fishingoutings to Waukesha County lakes, Okauchee inparticular and Fox Lake in Dodge County. Thefishing was great. We caught many limits of bass,northern pike and sometimes walleye, and that waswithout the use of sonar.

We spent many a family summer vacation onlakes in northern Wisconsin. I spent a lot of themfishing: Catfish and Cranberry Lakes near EagleRiver, Lac Court Oreilles, Grindstone, and BigRound lakes near Hayward. Now I do most of myfishing on the Madison lakes and in Vilas County.I still love fishing, and catch a few from time totime, but a lot has changed. Many of the lakes havechanged.

For example, the introduction of the Eurasianmilfoil weed in combination with increased nutrientloading from polluted runoff has caused many lakes,or parts of lakes, to be choked with excessive weedgrowth. Monona Bay in Madison is a primeexample. Some lakes in Oneida County have the

opposite problem. The rusty crayfish, another exoticspecies eats native weeds at such a rate that it hascompletely eliminated weed growth in some lakes.

Clean Wisconsin is working hard to address fivecritical water quality issues to restore our lakes andstreams for fishing, swimming and other forms ofrecreation:

Reducing Polluted RunoffExcess nutrients and sedimentation from polluted

runoff has greatly accelerated the eutrophication(aging process) of many lakes and rivers leading toexcessive weed growth, algae blooms and poor

overall water quality. Governor Doyle put $37million in his budget bill to help reduce pollutedrunoff. Clean Wisconsin played a key role indeveloping the state’s polluted runoff regulations andwill be working hard this Spring to secure adequatefunding through the budget bill to implement them.

Reducing Toxic Mercury in Game FishThe State Health Department warns anglers and

their families to limit consumption of Wisconsingame fish because of high levels of toxic mercurythat impact the brain and nervous systemdevelopment of children and fetuses. CleanWisconsin is working to strengthen the regulationslimiting mercury emission from power plants andestablish laws that phase out the use of mercury inproducts where alternatives are available.

Invasive SpeciesCarp, zebra mussels, rusty crayfish, milfoil, the

list of disastrous exotic species in our Great Lakesand inland lakes and streams just keeps growing andchanging our aquatic ecosystems in irreparable ways.Clean Wisconsin is helping to secure funding toaddress aquatic invasive species across the state andworking to establish policies, such as ballast watertreatment, to deter new invasive species fromentering the Great Lakes Basin.

Great Lakes RestorationThe Great Lakes ecosystem is under assault from

a variety of threats from sewage overflows, to

Fishing season is just around the corner


Clean Wisconsin’s Program Director KeithReopelle poses after landing a 46” muskyon Lake Waubesa.

7Clean Wisconsin

Elizabeth Wheeler

The Natural Resources Board authorized theDNR’s Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) togo to the legislature on January 24, 2007.

CAIR has been implemented in 28 states in order toreduce pollution that contributes to ground-levelozone (smog), namely nitrogen oxides (NOx) andsulfur dioxide (SO2). The rule provides incentivesfor power plants producing the state’s energy tooperate at a higher efficiency, such as allocatingallowances calculated based on how much electricityis actually produced, rather than how much heat isrequired to produce it.

Clean Wisconsin addressed the board by publicappearance, asking for better incentives forrenewable energy sources to participate in thetrading program, such as making NOx creditsavailable to renewable units in their first five years ofoperation, an option that is currently unavailable todevelopers of renewable energy.

Other important upcoming rulemakings includethe Reasonable Available Control Technology

(RACT), which requires additional controls onpower plants in non-attainment areas, and BestAvailable Retrofit Technology (BART), whichrequires even further reductions of certain airpollutants from particular sources.

Further, Governor Doyle recently directed theDNR to petition the EPA to “re-designate” eightcounties in Eastern Wisconsin as meeting air qualitystandards. This re-designation will result in lessstringent requirements for new businesses anddevelopers in the eastern part of Wisconsin. A re-designation means that the area will be designated as“attainment” rather than “non-attainment”.Attainment areas have less stringent pollutioncontrol requirements, because the area is meeting airquality standards. As part of this re-designation, theDNR will have to establish a maintenance plan,ensuring the areas will not slip back into non-attainment. Clean Wisconsin will be participating inthis process with the DNR, including making surethat DNR uses accurate and appropriate data for there-designation request and making the maintenanceplan as good as possible.

Although it is true that Wisconsin’s air quality inthe Milwaukee area has gotten better over the pastfive years, there is still room for improvement. CleanWisconsin will continue to work with the DNR topromote air pollution laws that help improveWisconsin’s air quality.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth [email protected] or (608) 251-7020extension 21.

Clean air rules in Wisconsin’s LegislatureClean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) hasbeen implemented in 28 states in orderto reduce pollution that contributes toground-level ozone (smog), namelynitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfurdioxide (SO2).The rule providesincentives for power plants producingthe state’s energy to operate at ahigher efficiency.

Elizabeth Wheeler

Clean air advocates await two U.S. SupremeCourt decisions that will interpret therequirements of the Clean Air Act.

Environmental Defense v. Duke Energy CorpThe first case, Environmental Defense v. Duke

Energy Corp, was argued on November 1st, 2006.The Duke Energy case addresses which sources aresubject to the “prevention of significant deterio-ration” (PSD) standard under the Clean Air Act. Thisstandard requires pollution control updates when aplant goes through modifications that increasepollution. The PSD standard is intended to merelymaintain, not improve, regional air quality whenpollution sources expand. The case was originallybrought by the EPA against Duke Energy forviolating PSD requirements. The EPA, at the time,defined PSD applicability as to any modification thatresulted in increased emissions, measured in tons peryear. Duke countered that the PSD definition couldnot differ from the New Source PerformanceStandard definition, which measured increasedpollution in emission rates. Thus, under PSD, amodification that resulted in the plant increasing itsoperation time but not its emission rate, the plantwould still have to meet PSD requirements.However, a plant that increased its emission ratewould have to meet the same standards as a newsource. Thus, PSD has a lower bar for whatconstitutes an increase.

The Duke Energy case involves several proceduralissues – but the outcome will determine whether theEPA’s rule (and cleaner air) will be upheld oroverturned. This case will affect mostly old,outdated power plants – the source of 70 % ofWisconsin’s energy. Having a lower bar for requiringpollution control updates on these facilities for

prevention of significant deterioration (of air quality)is important – especially with regard to facilities suchas the Valley power plant in Milwaukee. The Valleypower plant was grandfathered in under the CleanAir Act and has very few pollution controls. It spewstens of thousands of tons of nitrogen oxides andsulfur dioxide into Milwaukee’s air and contributes tomercury pollution in Wisconsin. Valley is just one ofmany old, grandfathered power plants in Wisconsinthat, if Duke succeeds in challenging EPA in thiscase, will be subject to less stringent air pollutionrules under the Clean Air Act.

Massachusetts v. EPAThe second, more well-known case, Massachusetts

v. EPA, was brought by twelve states, three cities andthirteen environmental groups in an attempt to forcethe EPA to regulate carbon dioxide emissions fromcars. This case is part of the environmentalmovement’s attempt to address global warming. Thearguments, heard on November 29th, focused onwhether regulation of carbon dioxide from cars injust the United States would have any real impact onglobal warming. The clean air advocates argued that

it would, and that the United States had to regulatecarbon dioxide to set an example for the rest of theworld. The EPA countered with the argument thatregulating carbon dioxide on an ad-hoc basis throughexisting laws would be much less efficient thandrafting new regulations that would target carbondioxide.

The outcome of the Massachusetts case couldhold EPA accountable for neglecting its duties underthe Clean Air Act. Just because carbon dioxide wasnot considered a harmful pollutant when the CleanAir Act was drafted in 1970 does not mean that it isnot a harmful pollutant today. Indeed, globalwarming has become one of the most criticalenvironmental problems of our time, and reducingatmospheric carbon dioxide has been identified as thesingle most important step in stopping it. Theoutcome of the Massachusetts case will help todetermine how quickly – and by what means – webegin to attack the problem of global warming onthe national stage.

Clean air goes to the U.S. Supreme Court

Photo Credit: clipart.com


Melissa Malott

The Great Lakes are one of the naturalwonders of the world - the heart of theecosystem we rely on for life and a vital

resource for us to use and protect. Holding almost20% of the word’s surface freshwater, the GreatLakes are vast. But they aren’t infinite – only 1% ofthe water in the Great Lakes is renewed by rainfalland snowmelt every year. And yet there is no plancurrently in place to ensure the long-term protectionof our Great Lakes water – which is why we need tourge our legislators to ratify and implement theGreat Lakes Compact. This binding agreement willhelp guarantee the sound management of GreatLakes water, ensuring that these treasures are notsold to the highest bidder and that they areprotected for generations to come.

Currently, the Compact language is being draftedin a legislative council committee. Clean Wisconsinis your voice in the legislature, pushing for thefollowing parts of our platform for a strongCompact:

No Bottled Water Loopholes. Wisconsinmust reaffirm that the Public Trust Doctrine appliesto the waters of the Great Lakes Basin and eliminatethe bottled water loophole that allows the diversionof Great Lakes water in containers 5.7 gallons orless.

Strengthen the Standards for Diversions.Diversions of water from our Great Lakes shouldoccur only in absolutely necessary situations andshould absolutely not damage the Great Lakes. TheCompact provisions concerning diversions outside ofthe basin must be strengthened.

Increase Public Participation. The Great

Lakes are a public treasure, and citizens should haveaccess to information and decisions regarding thelakes. The drafters of the Compact incorporatedpublic comment and participation at the regionallevel. The Compact should be implemented inWisconsin to incorporate public participation at thestate and local levels.

Set Standards for In-Basin Users of GreatLakes Water. For the first time, the Compactestablishes a uniform standard to apply to in-basinuses of water, but allows each jurisdiction to set thewithdrawal level at which this standard will apply.We should require permits for all new or increasedwithdrawals of 100,000 gallons per day or more,consistent with our existing Groundwater ProtectionAct.

Require Strong Water ConservationStandards. Wisconsin needs to take steps tosafeguard its water wealth by requiring each permitholder to implement water conservation measures, aswell as set a mandatory statewide conservationprogram with measurable goals.

We all have a responsibility to protect the GreatLakes, not for a single interest, but for our families,wildlife and the future. For more frequent updateson the implementation of the Compact, along withe-mails letting you know how you can help us pass astrong Compact, please contact Melissa [email protected] or 608-251-7020extension 13.

Melissa Malott

Asian carp, an invasive species, are moving upthe Mississippi and Illinois rivers toward theGreat Lakes. Asian carp are dangerous.

They have already sent many Illinois boaters to thehospital because they leap into the air at the soundof a passing boat motor. Furthermore, Asian carp arevoracious filter feeders that could destroy the $4billion recreational fishery in the Great Lakes. Sinceinvading the Illinois River, nine out of ten fish areAsian carp.

Currently, there is an electric barrier preventingthe carp from moving up the Illinois River into theGreat Lakes; however, this last line of defense for theGreat Lakes needs funding to keep working. TheU.S. Congress has introduced much-neededlegislation to prevent Asian carp from entering theGreat Lakes. This legislation authorizes thecompletion of an electronic barrier to keep the Asiancarp out of the Great Lakes. The threat to our familyexperiences like fishing and boating on the GreatLakes is enormous. Forget cutting your feet oninvasive zebra mussels; imagine having your teeth

knocked out after getting clobbered by a flying 40-pound Asian carp. And the fragile Great Lakesecosystem will receive the ultimate knockout blowwhen the voracious filter feeders literally suck the lifeout of the lakes.

Unless we invest in a solution today - and theelectronic barrier is a good one - the price we will

pay tomorrow will be much higher and futuregenerations may never experience the Great lakes aswe know them. Congress must authorize and fullyfund the barrier.

Great Lakes update: Urge Congress tosupport Asian carp barrier legislation

Vulnerable lakes. Responsible solutions.

Take action against Asian carp andhelp protect your Great Lakes

1) Call your U.S. Representative andSenators today.The Capital switchboardwill connect you to your member ofCongress: 202-224-3121.

2) Tell them the Asian carp will destroy theGreat Lakes. Urge members of theHouse of Representatives to supportthe Great Lakes Asian Carp BarrierAct of 2007. Urge Senators to supportthe Barrier Project Consolidationand Construction Act of 2007.

Asian carp are voracious filter feeders thatcould destroy the $4 billion recreationalfishery in the Great Lakes. Sinceinvading the Illinois River, nine out of tenfish in the river are Asian carp.

Photo Credit: Mike Smith

would create minimum efficiency standards for anumber of appliances and other products that thefederal government has failed to set such standardsfor. Minimum standards would be created forproducts such as residential furnaces, DVD players,pool pumps and heaters, walk-in refrigerators andlight fixtures. By 2020 the appliance and equipmentstandards Clean Wisconsin is proposing wouldreduce global warming emissions by 294,000 tonsand sulfur dioxide by more than 4,000 tons. Theywould also save homeowners and businesses $134million in energy bills. In a separate bill, CleanWisconsin is working with labor unions and teachersto invest $30 million in efficiency improvements inschools. These investments would not only saveenergy and reduce pollution, but save strappedschool districts across the state millions of dollars.

Responsible solutions for globalwarming

Clean Wisconsin has made global warmingemission reductions a top priority and is committedto developing solutions that help Wisconsin do its

part to curb global warming, while investing inWisconsin resources, industries and workers. Globalwarming is a major challenge but also createsopportunities, and we’re dedicated to positioningWisconsin to be a leader in the transition to a cleanenergy future. To avoid the worst impacts toWisconsin’s resources and public health we need tomake deep cuts in emissions and this will requireaddressing all sectors. We will work with a variety ofagencies including the DNR, Public ServiceCommission and Department of Transportation.We will also work with the Governor and his newlyappointed Global Warming Task Force; we applaudhis leadership in taking this important first step andfor proposing major investments in clean energytechnology in his biennial budget. We will also beworking with legislators this year to develop billsthat address the impacts of global warming onWisconsin and the policy solutions needed to tacklethis critical threat.

Protecting our children from mercurycontamination

Clean Wisconsin has helped legislators draft a billthat will phase out the use of mercury in a variety ofproducts including thermostats, switches, relays and

measuring devices. The DNR estimates that morethan 5,000 pounds of mercury are emitted to theenvironment each year in Wisconsin from productsthat are incinerated, landfilled, or otherwisediscarded. Our proposed legislation would phaseout the sale of products with mercury that havealternatives to mercury readily available at areasonable cost. Similar legislation has passed inseveral New England states. Mercury is a neurotoxinthat adversely affects the brain and nervous systemdevelopment in young children and fetuses whentheir mothers eat mercury-contaminated fish. Basedon Wisconsin Department of Health studies thatexamined blood mercury levels in women ofchildbearing ages, we estimate that more than 9,000children are likely to be born in Wisconsin everyyear with some degree of reduced memory function,attention span and IQ due to mercury poisoning.This legislation is a critical step towards gettingmercury out of our fish and keeping mercury out ofour children.

If you would like to become more directlyinvolved in Clean Wisconsin’s work, go towww.CleanWisconsin.org and click on TAKEACTION! or turn to pages 14 and 15 of thisnewsletter for a list of actions you can take.

Katie Nekola

During this past fall and winter, Clean Wisconsin participated in theLegislative Council “Special Committee on Nuclear Power”, chaired byRep. Phil Montgomery, R-Green Bay. Committee members included

five legislators and 12 public members,among them representatives from the

electrical workers union, the WisconsinPaper Council, Dairyland Power, UW-Madison, and other public and privateorganizations and individuals. What mostmembers of the committee had in common,according to statements made at the firstmeeting, was that they supported nuclearpower in Wisconsin.

The stated purpose of this committeewas to “study the role of nuclear power inWisconsin’s energy future, and to developlegislation that implements therecommended role, including, asappropriate, any modifications in thestate’s moratorium law.” Thecommittee’s chair, Rep. Montgomery,made it clear right away that hebelieved the nuclear moratoriumlaw, which has been on the books

for over twenty years, should berepealed. This law does not

prohibit building new nuclearpower plants; rather, it sets

forth two reasonable conditions that must be met before new construction cantake place: that there must be a permanent radioactive waste disposal siteavailable, and that building new nuclear plants must be in the economic interestsof ratepayers (i.e., not make our electric bills skyrocket). So far, neither conditioncan be met, because the long-promised Yucca Mountain disposal site has notopened and seems less likely to open every day, and because nuclear power plantsremain extremely expensive to build.

However, proponents of nuclear power, such as the nuclear industry-fundedUW-Madison Department of Engineering Physics, gloss over these practical andimportant issues, instead pushing for more nukes at any price, and regardless ofwhether expansion of the nuclear fleet results in Wisconsin becoming apermanent radioactive waste dump.

Because the sole purpose of the “study committee” was to conclude that themoratorium law should be repealed, the committee heard a series of presentationsfrom overwhelmingly pro-nuclear speakers, and the predictable majority vote atthe end was to repeal the protective moratorium law. Clean Wisconsin, CUB,and the Energy Center of Wisconsin dissented from this vote, as did SenatorDave Hansen and Rep. Chuck Benedict, and Richard Shaten, professor at theUW Energy Analysis and Policy Program.

This majority vote does not mean that the law will be repealed, however. Thecommittee’s recommendations go next to the full Legislative Council, whichdecides whether to introduce them as legislation. If they make such a recommen-dation, the bills must pass both houses of the legislature and the governor mustapprove them. Fortunately, Governor Doyle has promised that he will wisely vetoany legislation to repeal the nuclear moratorium law.

For more information about nuclear issues in Wisconsin, contact KatieNekola at (608) 251-7020 extension 14 or [email protected].

9Clean Wisconsin

Nuclear Madness Committee

CLEAN WISCONSIN’S 2007-08 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:

From PAGE 3

the performance standards for existing facilities aremuch less stringent than for new facilities. CleanWisconsin challenged the classification in an appealto the state division of hearings and appeals, pointingout that the new Elm Road coal plant is independentof the adjacent Oak Creek coal plant, is an entirely

new structure, and is obviously a new facility.However, the judge in that case agreed with DNR, sowe took our case to the next level, the Dane CountyCircuit Court. In the meantime, a federal court ruledthat the loophole used by WE Energies and DNR toclassify this plant as “existing” could no longer beused. Dane County judge Shelley Gaylord took thefederal case (Riverkeeper II) into account, and ordered

the state administrative law judge to reconsider hisruling with Riverkeeper II in mind.

Although WE Energies continues construction,they could be required to scrap this expensive anddestructive cooling system and to use cooling towersinstead. This would be an enormous victory, not onlyfor Lake Michigan, but as a precedent for banningopen-cycle cooling nationwide.

COVER: From PAGE 1


Will Hoyer

The Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources will spend 2007 working on whatis by far their most ambitious TMDL yet.

What is a TMDL you might ask? TMDLs, or TotalMaximum Daily Loads, are requirements under thefederal Clean Water Act that specify the maximumamount of a pollutant that can enter a body ofwater. All waters that are listed on what is known asthe 303(d) list of impaired waters in each state arerequired by the EPA to have a TMDL prepared butvery few actually do.

The DNR is presently working on a TMDL forthe Rock River Basin in southeast Wisconsin. Thisbasin extends from the Illinois border north alongthe far western Milwaukee suburbs and up towardsLake Winnebago and includes Madison and a totalpopulation of over 800,000 people. The TMDL

would be for phosphorus and sediment, two verycommon problems in a highly agricultural watershedlike the Rock River basin, which contribute to algaeblooms and habitat degradation.

To date the few TMDLs that have beencompleted in Wisconsin have been in very smallstreams and watersheds and have dealt primarilywith sediment. TMDLs are very data-intensive andcan be time-consuming to develop, but, oncecompleted can help provide guidance for how tomanage water pollutants in a watershed. The RockRiver TMDL will build upon a major study of thebasin done in 2000.

TMDLs are simply a tool to be used in managingwater quality. They specify the maximum amountof a pollutant a water body can receive from ‘point’sources or ‘non-point’ sources. Enforcementmechanisms for these pollutant allocations have beenwhat has traditionally been lacking. Recent efforts

around the country would use TMDLs as thestarting point for water pollutant credits trading,whereby polluters who can not or will not reducetheir pollution levels can pay other polluters who doreduce their pollution levels, much like is being donenationally with sulfur dioxide emissions to the airthat cause acid rain. It is possible that such a waterpollution trading scheme could be proposed here inWisconsin.

For more information see:• Wisconsin DNR Rock River TMDL webpage

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/wqs/303d/RockRiverTMDL/

• EPA TMDL webpagehttp://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/intro.html

More alphabet soup:TMDLs in Wisconsin

Will Hoyer

Some rivers that once were prime fishing spotsare fish-free. Lakes that were once blue arenow green with algae or brown with sediment.

Why? These changes are largely the result ofpolluted runoff coming from farms and cities acrossthe state. As rain and snow melt flow across fields,lawns, roads and parking lots nutrients and otherpollutants run off into Wisconsin’s waterways.

In 2002 Wisconsin became the first state in thenation to pass a comprehensive policy and rulesaddressing polluted runoff. These rules were heavilyfocused on agricultural runoff and are recognized asbeing quite strong. Unfortunately, these rules haveone big problem with them; existing farms do NOThave to follow them unless there is cost sharingmoney available to them to make changes on thefarm. In this case the cost-share (or subsidy) is 70%,meaning that farmers would have to be paid 70% of

the cost of making changes. If thecost-sharing money is not availablethen the law does not apply.

In the ensuing five years this isexactly what has happened.Insufficient funds have beenallocated in subsequent statebudgets, and this means that agood state policy has failed todeliver the results Wisconsindeserves, and 90% of our lakes and40% of our rivers remain impairedby runoff. It means thatgroundwater has been contam-inated, threatening public health and hurting hardworking families. It means that recreation, tourismand local economies have been hurt.

Increasing funding for the state’s polluted runoffprogram is one of the conservation community’shighest priorities for this spring. Without full

funding the state’s polluted runoff program is littlemore than a paper tiger. With adequate funding itwould demonstrate Wisconsin’s commitment toconservation and lead to cleaner lakes, healthierrivers, and better recreational opportunities for all.

How committed is Wisconsin to reducingpolluted runoff? - One measure will be the amountallocated in Wisconsin’s state budget

invasive species, to contaminated sediments andshoreline habitat destruction. Clean Wisconsin isworking with a regional coalition to leverage a majorinvestment in restoring the Great Lakes. We’re alsoworking to support Governor Doyle’s $17 millionbudget earmark for clean up of PCBs in thesediment of two Lake Michigan tributaries inMilwaukee.

Global WarmingThe impacts of global warming are harder to

predict but some are coming into clean focus, andit’s not a pretty picture. Warmer weather has meantlater freeze up in the fall and early ice out in thespring. The ice fishing season has been graduallybecoming shorter and if the trend continues the

“hard water” fishing season will, at some point,become a thing of the past. Warming also threatensmany of our cold water fisheries. The DNRpredicts that habitat for native brook trout, forexample, will be severely reduced in coming decadesdue to warming. Clean Wisconsin is pushing acomprehensive agenda of cutting edge technologiesand policies to reduce global warming emissions.

When you wade into your favorite trout streamthis spring, or head out on your favorite lake tochase muskies, bass, walleye or panfish think aboutthe many challenges facing our lakes and rivers andremember that Clean Wisconsin is working hard torestore these waters and improve our fishing. And ifyou see an especially egregious threat to your favoritewater, shoot me an e-mail ([email protected]). If we can’t help with it we’ll contact

whoever we think can. Oh, and if you catch a lot offish, let me know about that too; you don’t have totell me the exact spot.

FISHING SEASON: From PAGE 6

Keith doing what he loves - posing forpictures with a big catch. This 40” muskyis from the Three Lakes chain.

Photo Credit: US Fish & Wildlife Service

11Clean Wisconsin

Shauna Cook

Whenever I’ve issued surveys in the past, I sit on the edge of my seat until theresults are tallied and the feedback comes in – the information is alwaysinteresting to read. Surveys can be a wonderful tool for gauging the status

of something – responses can offer praise, constructive criticism, suggestions forimprovement, and help steer how something moves forward toward increased success.

In this case we asked you how TheDefender accomplishes our goal ofkeeping you, our members, informedabout the programs we work on at CleanWisconsin. You responded with someglorious praise about the work we do andhow we go about reporting it to you. Weheard over and over again how TheDefender is the place our members expectto find the environmental news (the “realdeal” so-to-speak) that they do notreceive in their local newspapers andradio or television stations.

The survey results showed three areas that somewhat divided our membership, they are:1. Electronic delivery of The Defender versus mailing a printed hard copy; 2. Whether we print or don’t print the names of contributors; and,3. The validity of the Kids’ Page – the back cover of The Defender geared toward

creating interest in the young environmentalist of the family.

We also received feedback on things we can do better or differently. A few of thesethings are:

1. Monthly email updates on timely program issues;2. Whether it be small lifestyle changes or volunteering time, you want to know

more ways to take actions that make a difference;3. More reporting on our victories and other environmental success stories; and,4. More reporting on how business and the environment are working together.

In response to numbers one and two above, please turn to pages 14 and 15 in thisissue to learn how to sign up for our established email action network and learn aboutactions you can take to help keep Wisconsin’s water, air and energy clean.

In upcoming issues of The Defender we will be implementing new ideas and strivingto continue supplying you with an information-packed newsletter.

If you did not have a chance to complete a survey and want your opinion to beheard, please email [email protected] or call (608) 251-7020 extension 15, andleave a message with your request for a survey and your name and address. One will bemailed to you.

And the member survey says…The Defender does a great job at updating Clean Wisconsin members on our work

Interested readers

77% read The Defender within aweek of receiving it.

Too hot? Too cold? Just right?

72% think we write at a solid level– not too technical, not too basic

89% like our existing use ofvisuals…just right.

27% want electronic mail

Electronic versus print?

Printing contributors, or not?

Frequency and size?

73% want a printedpiece mailed

58% like it quarterly at its existing size

31% want it every othermonth but shorter in length

10% want it monthly, shorter andelectronically

42% regularlyread them andwant to keep theregular listings

58% want to save printspace and not printcontributors’ names

What do you like best about The Defender?

“Clearly organized into the major interest areas -air, water, energy. A bigger mailing quarterly makesmore sense than frequent small ones. Emails can bemonthly and deal with specific issues, one at a time.”

“Coverage of the latest issues being tackled. Thereis a fair amount of technical info yet usuallypresented so most readers would gain a lot ofinformation.”

“It is thorough and talks about environmentalvictories and quantitative results. I like thestatewide nature of it.The tone always seems to bethat Clean Wisconsin is on top of their game, and thismakes me more confident about supporting CleanWisconsin.”

“Statewide, concise, defines problems andsolutions.”

“Well written, interesting, summarizes issues well,helps me to understand the more complex issues.”

What do you like least about The Defender?

The overwhelming majority of respondents statedthings like: “No complaints” or “I like everything.”But there were a couple of themes related to not likingthe “List of donors” or “Kids’ Page.”

What types of articles, if any, do you feel aremissing from The Defender?

“I would like to read more examples of howcommon readers are taking action in their owncommunities and personal circles.”

“Relationship to other states/Best practices.”

“I would like to see more articles or resources onthe little things one can do to make a difference otherthan political. Also would like to see recognition forcompanies that do positive things so I can supportthese companies.”

“Good news from places in the state, wheremember and general citizen interest and participationmade a real tangible difference. Articles that havespecific ways families can make a difference...ieactivities for several generations or family groups to dotogether.”

“How business and enviros are working together.”

Here’s what some of you had to say:


Ryan Schryver

On February 7th 2007, Alliant Energy filedan application to build another old-technology coal plant near the footprint of

their existing coal plants in Cassville, Wisconsin. Wehave been anticipating this application for quite sometime, which has been delayed for months. Alliant hasrun into several difficulties in getting theirpreliminary permits because they want to build insuch an environmentally fragile location.

It is no secret that coal burning power plants aresome of the largest contributors to global warmingpollution in the world today. But Alliant has takenthis dirty energy source to a new extreme byproposing to use a technology that has the highestglobal warming pollution rates of any technologyavailable. Other coal plants under construction inWisconsin are more efficient and produce less globalwarming pollution than Alliant’s proposed plant. Toput it simply, Alliant has proposed to use the worst ofthe worst available technologies.

Global warming is already a problem forWisconsin, and scientific models show that theproblem will grow worse if global warming pollutioncontinues to rise. Instead of helping us find asolution, Alliant Energy has made it clear that theyintend to be part of the global warming problem.Join with Clean Wisconsin to be part of the solutionby helping us stop this dirty coal plant.

We believe we can win this fight, but we needyour help!

• Please sign up for Clean Wisconsin’s emailaction network to stay up-to-date with the

action needs of this campaign. Make yourrequest by emailing Becky at [email protected].

• We also need organizations, faith congregations,community clubs, elected officials, and sportinggroups to sign our statement supportingrenewable energy and opposing outdated coalplants. If you are a part of, or know anyone in agroup that may be interested in listing theirsupport for renewable energy, contact us as soonas possible.

• Educating the community about the ill effectsof global warming and coal plants will be one ofthe most important steps in holding Alliantaccountable. Please help us get the word out;help schedule and plan public events in yourhometown to highlight this issue across thestate.

Grassroots Organizer Ryan Schryver has givenpresentations to diverse citizens groups includingchurches / faith organizations, colleges, hunting andfishing organizations, women’s organizations, RotaryClubs, libraries, community groups, high schools,outdoor enthusiasts, and others concerned with theissue. We are able to tailor presentations to specificvery specific audiences, and can address theseimportant issues from a variety of angles.

Contact Ryan Schryver at 608-251-7020extension 25 or [email protected] to helpwith the campaign.

Either you’re part of the problem oryou’re part of the solution

Jeremy Jansen

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is inthe process of planning for the constructionof a new academic building. Clean

Wisconsin's La Crosse intern, Jeremy Jansen, is oneof two student representatives on the steeringcommittee. Serving as a representative for UW-L'sEnvironmental Council, the purpose of the havingstudents on the committee is to ensure the newbuilding is constructed with the environment inmind.

Governor Doyle and the State Legislaturerecently enacted two pieces of legislation requiringtougher energy efficiency standards on new orretrofitted state facilities. In 2005 and 2006 SenateBill 459 and Executive Order 145 respectivelyrequired buildings to meet or exceed Leadership and

Energy in Environmental Design (LEED) standardsfor sustainable design. This is a wonderful stepforward for the State of Wisconsin's environmentalrecord. Overall, these green or sustainablerequirements make good sense for a number ofreasons. For example:

• Using natural day-lighting rather than relyingon an abundance of light bulbs saves energyand saves the university money which in turnsaves money for Wisconsin tax payers andstudents.

• Using recycled products in construction, savesour trees and consumes less. Deforestation andconsumption are some of the causes of globalwarming.

• Other options are to use less or non-toxicsubstances in construction, such as paint.Using non-toxic products creates a less toxic

environment which helps people who aresensitive or allergic to chemicals.

These standards will decrease the building'simpact on the environment, human health, and ourwallets.

Currently, the final project statement is beingfinalized. During the rest of the semester, there willbe public forums on the building's EnvironmentalImpact Statement which is required by the state andfederal government. Furthermore, there will beforums with the architects to brainstorm and finalizethe elements of sustainable design the new buildingwill incorporate. There will be an update in thenext issue of The Defender on the specifics of thisbuilding's design.

UW-La Crosse's new academic building:A green building?

To put it simply, Alliant has proposedto use the worst of the worst availabletechnologies. Join with Clean Wisconsin tobe part of the solution by helping us stopthis dirty coal plant.

13Clean Wisconsin

Seth Nowak, Clean Wisconsin Volunteer

On January 10th one of Clean Wisconsin’sClean Energy goals moved a step closer torealization. The State of Wisconsin

Department of Administration (DOA) announced amulti-stakeholder study to analyze options for theCapitol Heat and Power plant in central Madison.The State has taken the lead to bring together theCity of Madison, Dane County, and Madison Gasand Electric to look into near-term and long-termapproaches to make the plant cleaner and moreefficient.

The study could be a big opportunity for cleanerenergy, air, and water in our capital city. The CapitolHeat and Power facility is a century old and has no

modern pollution controls. While the name includes“power”, virtually all the coal burned at the plant isused for heating large government buildingssurrounding the Capitol Square.

DOA explicitly mentioned that cogeneration willbe examined in the study. Cogeneration, also calledcombined heat and power, refers to producingelectricity, steam, and chilled water at the same plant.Cogeneration is a proven technology that can bethree times as efficient as burning coal to produceelectricity alone.

The DOA’s announcement was packed withreferences to environmental protection as a primarypurpose of the study. Dane County ExecutiveKathleen Falk said the study would explore “energyefficient, environmentally sensitive options.”

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz called it “animportant step forward in improving our air quality”.Robert Cramer, administrator of the DOA Divisionof State Facilities, expects the study will “find ways toreduce emissions”.

The announcement is also good news for theMadison Area Clean Energy Coalition (MACEC).Clean Wisconsin has been working with MACEC forover a year along with more than a dozen otherhealth, environmental, and community organizationsto advocate for cleaner, greener, more efficient energysolutions for Dane County.

Community involvement is essential; join ouremail list to stay updated on important actions youcan take by contacting Laurie Maloney [email protected].

This report looks at and briefly summarizessome of the changes already occurring inWisconsin as a result of global warming and

some of the more dire consequences down the roadfor our environment, health and economy aspredicted by computer models. Some of the globalwarming impacts to Wisconsin that are anticipatedlater this century if we do not make major reductionsin global warming gases include:

1. A 3 to 8 foot drop in the Lake Michigan waterlevel will cost the shipping industry and portmunicipalities many millions of dollars.

2. Elimination of half or more of all inland coldwater fish habitat including brook trouthabitat.

3. Higher crop losses due to more frequent andsevere droughts, storms and insect pests and

heat stress on livestock will depress farmincome, particularly for family farms.

4. Major reduction, if not complete loss ofcharacteristic northern forests including boreal,hemlock and sugar maple forests.

5. An increase in mosquito and tick bornediseases such as Lyme disease and West Nileencephalitis.

6. Major loss in winter tourism revenues as theperiod of safe ice cover on Wisconsin lakesdiminishes or disappears completely.

The good news is that we possess manyreasonable solutions to the global warming threat.Many of them are solutions we can implement in ourdaily lives and others are policies we need toimplement at the state, regional and federal level suchas requiring higher efficiency in our vehicles and

requiring a reduction of global warming gasemissions from power plants.

If you are interested in reading the full report, youcan obtain a copy online in the publications sectionof our website, at www.CleanWisconsin.com. If youdo not have Internet access and want a copy of thereport please mail your request to us along with a $4nominal fee to cover shipping and handling costs. Be sure to include your full address and phonenumber in case we have questions. Mail your request to:

Clean WisconsinAttention: Global Warming Report122 State Street, Suite 200Madison, WI 53703

Eco news from around the stateState to evaluate options for Madison coal firedpower plant

Clean Wisconsin releases two new reports:Global Warming Arrives in Wisconsin

Clean Wisconsin will be releasing a newgroundwater report with the abovementioned title. Groundwater is one of

Wisconsin’s most vital natural resources. Seventypercent of Wisconsin residents and more than 9 outof 10 Wisconsin communities depend on it fordrinking water. It is used in industrial manufac-turing and is used to grow crops such as potatoes andcorn. It helps sustain fishing and paddling opportu-nities across the state and the much-visited waterparks in Wisconsin Dells. It feeds the beautifulrivers, lakes, streams and wetlands across the state.

Despite its importance, groundwater is, for manypeople “out of sight and out of mind” andcommunities across the state are finding out the hardway that groundwater supplies can and do diminishwithout proper management. This report highlightseight areas in the state facing groundwater shortagesand controversies, and Clean Wisconsin offerssolutions to help address the different issues.

If you are interested in reading the full report,you can obtain a copy online in the publicationssection of our website, beginning in May:www.CleanWisconsin.com. If you do not have

Internet access and want a copy of the report pleasemail your request to us along with a nominal $4 feeto cover shipping and handling costs. Be sure toinclude your full address and phone number in casewe have questions. Mail your request to:

Clean WisconsinAttention: Groundwater Report122 State Street, Suite 200Madison, WI 53703

Wisconsin’s Groundwater:Valuable…Vulnerable…Vanishing?Issues surfacing in eight Wisconsin hotspots and what we can do about them


Shauna Cook

One of the results of the recent Defendersurvey reiterated our members’ desires tohave more options on how to take action

to help keep Wisconsin’s water, air and energy clean.In this new and recurring column, we’ll deliver aone-stop shop of actions you can take. We’ll provideyou with actions related directly to the issues CleanWisconsin is working on and reporting on in thecurrent issue. If there is additional space, we’ll alsoprovide you with general things you can do to makea difference in our world.

If you have an action you would like to submitfor consideration in an upcoming issue, please emailit to [email protected]. (Please understandwe cannot guarantee to use all submissions.)

Taking Charge

A whack on the side of the head - Asiancarp are no laughing matter

Forget the funny-looking videos of fish flying intoboats and whacking people on the head. Asian carpare an increasingly serious issue needing ourattention. (For more information, read Melissa Malott’sarticle in this issue, located on page 8.)

Take action:1) Call your U.S. Representative and Senators

today. The Capital switchboard will connectyou to your member of Congress: (202) 224-3121.

2) Tell them the Asian carp will destroy the GreatLakes. Urge members of the House ofRepresentatives to support the Great LakesAsian Carp Barrier Act of 2007. UrgeSenators to support the Barrier ProjectConsolidation and Construction Act of2007.

Attend a conference on water resourcesand the threat of global warming

Clean Wisconsin and the Dominican Sisters of theSinsinawa Mound are teaming up to host aconference on regional water issues and globalwarming on Saturday, April 14th 2007.

Held in southwest Wisconsin, among picturesqueviews of the Mississippi River watershed, the morningwill consist of presentations by the nation’s leadingexperts on global warming. The afternoon willprovide training sessions on topics helping veteranand new activists develop the skills to help saveWisconsin’s vital natural resources; among some ofthe topics are media skills, grassroots organizing, basicactivism, letter writing, and coalition building. Formore information and registration details go towww.cleanwisconsin.org, www.sinsinawa.org orcontact Grassroots Organizer Ryan Schryver at (608)251-7020 extension 25 or at [email protected]. (For more information, turn to page 4 inthis issue.)

Great Lakes Compact

We all have a responsibility to protect the GreatLakes, not for a single interest, but for our families,wildlife and the future. For more frequent updateson the implementation of the Compact, along with e-mails letting you know how you can help us pass astrong Compact, please contact Melissa via e-mail [email protected]. (For more informationon this topic, turn to page 8 in this issue.)

Oppose Alliant Energy’s new plan foran old technology coal plant

Clean Wisconsin has long opposed theconstruction of outdated coal plants in our state,and we are actively fighting to keep the AlliantEnergy project from being approved by the PublicService Commission. We will consistently needyour help in this campaign. Currently, here’s whatyou can do:

• The best way for us to contact you is throughour email alert system. Please sign up by emailingBecky at [email protected].

• We also need organizations, faith congre-gations, community clubs, elected officials, andsporting groups to sign our statement supportingrenewable energy and opposing outdated coalplants. If you are a part of, or know anyone in agroup that may be interested in listing theirsupport for renewable energy, contact us as soonas possible.

• Educating the community about the illeffects of global warming and coal plants will beone of the most important steps in holding Alliantaccountable. Please help us get the word out;help schedule and plan public events in yourhometown to highlight this issue across the state.

If you do not have email and want to help in thisfight, contact Ryan Schryver at (608) 251-7020extension 25. (For more information, turn to page12 in this issue.)

Energy savings tips

Turn to page 20 and check out the Kids’ Page inthis issue of The Defender. You’ll find a handful ofenergy saving tips for everyone, not just kids.


All washed up on energy efficiency? Here’s a staff member’s tale in buying a new washing machine.Melissa Malott

When my aging clothes washing machine recently died in a bubbly blast of warm water, I decided it was timeto spend the extra money to get an energy efficient washer, in hopes that it would reduce the load on my aging

dryer. There were a dizzying array of options. The newer front-load and“high-efficiency” top load washers have better capacity and washingperformance than the traditional top-loaders, which means fewer loads oflaundry (this non-domestic diva appreciates that). Additionally, these newtypes of machines use less water, and have higher spinning speeds than oldversions, which reduces the amount of drying time. Front-loaders arequieter than many top-loaders, and do not pose the risk of an unbalancedload causing the machine to bounce around your laundry room.

While I was initially tempted by all the bells and whistles of the top-end,pricey front-loaders, with their fancy steam, silks, and/or wools cycles andbeautiful colors, I found through research that the less fancy machines canaccommodate delicate fabrics with specific settings (plus, I enjoy supportingthe environmentally-friendly dry cleaner when needed). In the end, I spenta couple of hundred dollars more than a typical top-load machine, but withthe increased capacity and higher spin speeds, I am doing fewer loads oflaundry, and spending half the time and money drying.

Which watershed is your watershed?

In Wisconsin, there are three main watersheds:Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and the MississippiRiver. Within those, there are 21 smaller watersheds,such as the Wolf River, Central Wisconsin River,Milwaukee River, Lakeshore (Door County shores)and more. And within those watersheds are smallerwatersheds. You can find out which watershed yourlocal river or lake is in at the following website:http://dnr.wi.gov/org/gmu/sidebar/watersheds.html. The WDNR has State of theBasin Reports available for most Wisconsin watershedsand you can find out the major water quality issues inyour basin. We want to know what you think aboutwatershed plans in your area. To voice your opinionor concern, contact Melissa Malott at (608) 251-7020, extension 13 or email [email protected]. (For more information, turn to page 5 inthis issue.)

Email action alert system

Clean Wisconsin’s email action alert system is howwe connect to you on timely issues where we mayneed your help, or just want to share current environ-mental news. Please sign up by emailing Becky [email protected].

For those of you who do not have a computer,maybe a neighbor or family member would be willingto receive the alerts on your behalf. If so, have thatperson email Becky at the address above to request tobecome part of the email alert system.

Mercury petition

Help get mercury pollution out of Wisconsin’schildren and fish and clean up our air and water.Sign Clean Wisconsin’s mercury petition cuttingpollution from power plants by 90% by 2010. Go to www.cleanwisconsin.org/action/mercuryaction.html.

& Taking Action


Jill Logeman

Every time we turn on a light, ride in a car, or take a bath we use energy.Almost all everyday actions require energy, but we rarely think about howmuch energy we’re using or where that energy comes from.

There are many different sources of energy. The two main categories thatthese sources fall under are non-renewable and renewable. Non-renewable energysources are those that take a very long time to be made again once they are usedup. This means that we have a limited supply of them. Most non-renewableenergy sources are called fossil fuels, meaning that they are formed from theburied remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Examplesof fossil fuels are coal, natural gas, petroleum, and propane. All of these non-renewable sources are found in the ground, and we must mine or drill the earthto get them. These processes are often very harmful to the earth, destroying thehabitat and polluting the air and water. As these fuels are used up, they will getmore and more expensive, and we will have to find replacement energy sources.

Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are those that can bereplenished very quickly, meaning we do not have a limited supply of them. Themost common renewable sources are sun (solar), wind, biomass, and geothermal.In addition to never running out of these types of energy, we can also expect a lotless damage to the environment. Fossil fuels release a lot of pollution into the airwhen they are burned. These pollutants make the air harmful to breath, and raincan wash them into the water system as well. The worst part is that the airpollution released includes greenhouse gasses, the cause of global warming.Renewable energy does not pollute the air or water in this way when they areused.

Because we mainly use non-renewable resources, it is very important toconserve energy so that we cut down on air and water pollution. This may seemlike a “grown-up” problem, but there is a lot you can do…

How can you conserve energy?• Turn off lights, TVs, stereos, and video games when you’re not using them.• Take showers instead of baths; when taking a shower, time yourself to see if

you can take a shorter shower.• Make sure you don’t leave doors or windows open if your air conditioning

is on.• Instead of turning on the air conditioning right away in the summer, use

fans to circulate air and keep your house cool.• Plant trees in your yard. Trees help to clean pollution from our air and can

keep our homes cooler in the summer.

Fill in the Blank:1. ________ fuels release greenhouse gasses when they are burned.2. Solar and wind are types of ____________ energy sources.3. __________ types of energy take millions of years to be formed.4. Natural gas, petroleum, propane, and _______ are all non-renewable

resources.5. _________ anything that uses electricity if you’re not using it.

Answers: 1 Fossil; 2 renewable; 3 Non-renewable; 4 coal; 5 Turn off

Resources:http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/saving_energy/index.html http://www.tvakids.com

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCESNON- RENEWABLEENERGY SOURCES

SOLAR WIND BIOMASS COAL NATURAL GAS OIL

The Defender, Spring 2007

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Transcript of The Defender, Spring 2007