Defender the
clean water • clean air • clean energy
Spring 2011
MARCHING ORDERS: Protect Wisconsin’s environmental legacy By Amber Meyer Smith, Director of Programs & Government Relations
also inside Our Changing Climate Recycling Valley Update
bid today! an online auction to support Clean Wisconsin now through April 24 biddingforgood.com/cleanwisconsin
join us
more auction info on insert and page 3
Since taking office in January, Gov. Scott Walker and the state Legislature have chosen to take Wisconsin down a new path. Unfortunately, this new direction comes with a vanishing environmental legacy. Several of Clean Wisconsin’s victories are at stake, both in the proposed 2011-’13 state budget and through the legislative process. For 41 years, we’ve fought hard to keep Wisconsin a green state, regardless of the color of the political landscape; that determination will never change. But now, we find ourselves fighting tooth and nail to retain our hard-won victories. This includes commonsense environmental protections like recycling and phosphorus regulations, victories that support Wisconsin’s strong, environmental history. In this issue of The Defender, we look at what protections are under attack and how, even in the face of staunch adversity, we continue with our marching orders to be your environmental voice.
Budget Sneak Peek
On Tuesday, March 1, Gov. Scott Walker introduced his 2011-’13 biennial budget. In regards to Wisconsin’s environment, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. Here’s a glimpse at three of Clean Wisconsin’s budget priorities.
Recycling: A Wisconsin Ethic There is no doubt that Gov.Walker’s attempt to dismantle Wisconsin’s recycling laws is an assault on the very fabric of environmental laws. It was an unexpected move, especially because the funding is raided for another program; it isn’t going to resolve the budget problem. The good news is legislators are hearing our message. As of this writing, four Republican legislators have already come out against the governor’s recycling cuts. They understand that attacking this commonsense program and raiding recycling funds is the wrong move. They also understand that the practical effect of the plan will mean that we all still have to recycle, but many of the convenient curbside pick-up options that we have today that make recycling convenient will be in jeopardy. There is no doubt that will mean more illegal landfilling of dangerous materials, or more burning or burying of garbage that could otherwise be recycled, adding up to more risk to our environment.
Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1291 Madison, WI
Clean the Green: Phosphorus Rule Delay Another misguided provision of Governor Walker’s budget seeks to delay regulations on the discharge of phosphorus which only went into effect last fall. Phosphorus contributes to the smelly green algae choking many of Wisconsin’s waterways. It comes primarily from farm fields, but is also discharged by industrial sources and wastewater treatment plants. Clean Wisconsin worked long and hard in cooperation with those regulated sources for several years to come up with a creative, cost-effective and flexible way to address phosphorus discharges. Because of this cooperative effort, even regulated communities supported the phosphorus rules that went into effect. Phosphorus is so devastating to our community that even EPA is stepping in to regulate it. Wisconsin must remain a leader and be able to bring our cooperative solutions to the table on these key environmental policies. We will be fighting to restore this provision in the budget.
Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300 Madison, WI 53703-2500
Energy Efficiency in State Buildings Clean Wisconsin led the effort to establish strong goals to reduce energy usage in state buildings. Walker proposes to invest an additional $100 million in energy conservation measures for state buildings to help meet these energy-efficiency goals. In 2006, we advised Governor Doyle when he set an original energy reduction goal of 10% by 2008 and 20% by 2010. While the state has achieved the first goal of a 10% reduction, the second goal has not been met; this additional investment will certainly help keep Wisconsin on this conservation path. These energy savings are expected to be met through upgrades to energy efficient equipment and building systems, including HVAC systems, electrical as well as exploration into other sources of energy like geothermal, solar, wind, biomass and fuel cells.
Read more about environmental issues in the 2011-’13 budget on page 3