Defender the
clean water • clean air • clean energy
Summer 2011
our water our way of life By Melissa Malott, Water Program Director
Wisconsin is blessed with an abundance of lakes, rivers and streams, yet they face major challenges. Pollution and runoff turn can these gems to stinking, foul waters and overusing our groundwater can literally drain them dry. Clean Wisconsin has prioritized the most important water issues to protect our way of life; we’ve focused our work on polluted runoff, water conservation and efficiency, and protecting and restoring our Great Lakes. But beyond those priorities, there are issues unique to various regions of the state. Throughout this issue of The Defender, we’ll focus on our state’s water issues, from the priorities we focus on for statewide policy approaches to the unique issues around the state.
For decades, Clean Wisconsin has helped lead efforts to protect and restore our state’s waters. By fighting for our water, we’re fighting for our way of life.
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inside starting on pg 6
The State of our Water Conserve! Fund for Lake Michigan
After many long weeks of uncertainty, we were heartened on June 3 to learn that that Joint Finance Committee removed a provision from the state budget that would have delayed the implementation of Wisconsin’s phosphorus rule by two years. The longer we wait to clean up our waters, the more costly solutions become. Nearly half of Wisconsin’s listed impaired water are due to phosphorus and sediment runoff and, on average, 80 percent of the phosphorus in our waterways comes from agricultural lands. This excess phosphorus in waterways results in the unsightly and smelly algae blooms frequently seen in summer, with a single pound of phosphorus having the capacity to create over 500 pounds of algae. At its worst, blue-green algae can form, which is toxic to humans, pets and wildlife. In some parts of the state, algae blooms have become so bad that the air becomes unhealthy to breathe and people are developing serious illnesses. The phosphorus rules were just enacted in December 2010. And they’re smart. These rules allow dischargers to work together to find the most cost-effective ways to clean up the waterways. Communities across the state are already coming together to figure out how to clean the green out of their local waterways. Though the delay of the phosphorus rules was taken out of the budget, that might not be the end of the attempts to delay it. Our work will continue, with your help, to protect these manageable soltions to the problems facing our waters.
Read more about the green
Phosphorus Cycle, pg 7 The Tainter-Menomin, pg 8
clean the green
phosphorus rules victory