The Defender, Summer 2007 by Clean Wisconsin

SUMMER 2007 • Vol. 37, No. 3

Working hard in the capitol Keith Reopelle

he 2007-08 State Legislative Session is in full swing as of the writing of this article. The ﬁrst several months of the session have been dominated by the Governor’s budget bill deliberations, which seems to be going relatively well for the environment. There are many individual bills that are high priorities for Clean Wisconsin that we are tracking and advocating for as well. Here is an update on where some of our important legislative initiatives stand as of a few weeks prior to this newsletter’s printing:

Federal Legislative Update GLCIA (Great Lakes Collaboration Implementation Act): A $20+ billion bill to establish a collaborative program to protect the Great Lakes. This bill was introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress in March, and the following members of the Wisconsin Congressional Caucus are co-sponsors: Senator Herb Kohl, and Representatives Petri, Kagen, Sensenbrenner, Kind, Baldwin, Moore, and Ryan. Senator Feingold and Representative Obey have not signed on as co-sponsors. Senator Feingold has an outstanding record as an environmental leader, however, he has a standing principle that he does not co-sponsor any legislation with an appropriation unless he is offering an initiative that makes up the shortfall in the federal budget. Representative Obey is reluctant to co-sponsor legislation with an appropriation given that he is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee. He, like Senator Feingold, has a very strong record supporting environmental funding initiatives.

State Legislative Update

Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (Great Lakes Compact): An interstate compact to manage and regulate water in the Great Lakes basin. This bill needs to be passed by the Wisconsin Legislature, along with the other seven Great Lakes states’ legislatures, and then consented to by the U.S. Congress to become binding law; it could become law in Wisconsin upon passage of a state bill. The Great Lakes Compact would prevent major diversions of Great Lakes water outside of the basin as well as set up water conservation standards for large water users within the basin. Minnesota and Illinois have passed it, and most other Great Lakes states have introduced it. Wisconsin has not yet introduced it; look for its introduction later this summer or early fall. Clean Wisconsin has been working on this issue since 2002 and since September has been part of a legislative council study committee drafting this legislation. Invasive Species Legislation - Ballast Water Management, 07 AB 86 and SB 119: This bill requires ships to obtain a permit from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) showing that they will not discharge invasive species into the state’s waters through ballast water. This bill has been introduced to the Assembly, and referred to the Natural Resources Committee. It was introduced by Representatives Molepske, Bies, Cullen, Hahn, Hilgenberg, Hintz, Kreuser, Pocan, Sheridan,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

INSIDE Taking charge and taking action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Elm Road case; Tell us your global warming story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Taking clean energy national; Air quality watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Use CFLs or not?; Water and warming conference recap . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Pernicious, pervasive polluted runoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Lake weeds; Shoreland zoning; Protect the Great Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Cover story cont.; Green building; WI Safe Climate Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Clean Wisconsin in the news; Community Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Thank you Jim Carter; Envelope Please. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Taking Charge and Taking Action Below are some of the actions you can take to help protect Wisconsin’s clean water, clean air and clean energy. Say YES to Renewable Electricity Standard Please contact your representative and ask them to co-sponsor HR 969 the “Renewable Electricity Standard” bill. (See page 4 inside for more information.)

Tell us Your Observations Are you noticing birds are arriving at your feeders earlier in the spring than usual? Did the hibernating chipmunks show up on your porch before they looked awake? Clean Wisconsin wants to know if you’ve noticed any changes in your natural environment that could be attributed to global warming. If so, please call our specially-designated toll-free number 1-866-WIS-WARM (866947-9276) and leave us a message describing the changes you’ve noticed. (See page 3 inside for more information.)

Reduce Wisconsin’s Global Warming Emissions Call your representatives and urge them to support legislation reducing Wisconsin’s global warming emissions. Call 1-800-362-9472 or visit http:// waml.legis.state.wi.us to ﬁnd out how to contact your representatives. (See pages 4 and 8 inside for more information.)

Stop Junk Mail

122 State Street Suite 200 • Madison WI 53703-4333 Phone: (608) 251-7020 • Fax: (608) 251-1655 www.CleanWisconsin.org Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected ofﬁcials and corporations accountable. Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, 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 coalition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live, work and play.

STAFF Executive Director Mark Redsten

Program and Communications Program Director Keith Reopelle

Energy Program Director Katie Nekola

Not only is junk postal mail annoying, it wastes paper and energy. Contact the firms sending you junk and ask to be removed from their lists. If you want to make an overarching request to get off specific junk mail lists, like catalogs or credit card offers, check out the following website for easy instructions: http:// www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm#getofflist.

Water Program Director

Air Clean Laundry

Communications Creative Manager

There’s nothing like the freshness of clean sheets dried on an outside clothesline. Save energy by setting up an air drying system in your backyard or laundry room. Also, only run your washer when you have a full load and use the cold water setting whenever possible.

Tap It, Tap It Good Using tap water instead of buying bottled water is an easy way to save money and the energy otherwise used to make billions of those little plastic bottles. Also, refilling your own container helps prevent those bottles from ending up in your local landfill. The U.S. has some of the best water in the world; but for water connoisseurs, you can purchase a water filter for your tap.

Recycle Your Stuff Reusing items prevents the need for new items, which saves energy, materials and cash. Check out places in your area that offer to recycle your stuff. Whether it is a nonworking microwave that can be dissected for parts or a gently used piece of furniture, there are places and people who want your old things.

Less is More Purchase products with reduced, reusable or recyclable packaging – all options help decrease the amount of energy used to produce the package. Send a letter to the manufacturer of your favorite product and ask them to consider more environmentally friendly and minimalist packaging options.

Change Bulbs and Power Them Green According to Focus on Energy, by changing your five most frequently used light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs) you can save as much as $60 per year on utility bills. CFLs use 75% less energy than regular incandescent bulbs. Take it a step further and ask your utility company to supply you with energy from renewable sources. Many have solar or wind energy options available. Is the mercury contained in compact-florescent light bulbs a deterrent to using them? NO. Find out why on page 5 of this issue.

The Defender is owned and published quarterly by Clean Wisconsin, 122 State Street Suite 200, Madison, Wisconsin 53703, (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. 3 Issue date: July 2007 ©2007 Clean Wisconsin. All rights reserved Printed with soy ink on unbleached, recycled paper. ISSN # 1549-8107

Melissa Malott

Communications Director Joyce Harms Shauna Cook

Water Specialist Will Hoyer

Staff Scientist Peter Taglia

Grassroots Organizer Ryan Schryver

Membership and Development Development Director Brian Kelly

Membership & Development Manager Becky Weber

Development Assistant Bridget Barry

Finance and Administration Financial Manager Holly Brassington

Ofﬁce Administrator Laurie Maloney

BOARD Pam McGillivray – Chair (Madison) Susan Greenﬁeld - Co-Chair (Racine) Will Fantle – Secretary (Eau Claire) Gof Thomson – Treasurer (New Glarus) Mark Gill (Milwaukee) Kate Gordon (Madison) Gary Goyke (Madison) Paul Linzmeyer (Green Bay) Carl Sinderbrand (Madison) David Wandel (Madison) Guy Wolf (Stoddard)

The Defender, Summer 2007,Vol. 37, No. 3

Elm Road cooling intake case: The ﬁght continues Katie Nekola

arlier this year, Clean Wisconsin celebrated a victory when Dane County Judge Shelley Gaylord ruled that an administrative law judge (ALJ) must reconsider his decision to uphold the water discharge permit for the new Elm Road coal plant (ERGS). Judge Gaylord was very clear: the ALJ should re-decide the question of whether ERGS was a new or existing facility under the Clean Water Act. This is a threshold question that determines what level of environmental protection is required at the plant. In his earlier decision, the ALJ had agreed with WE Energies and DNR that ERGS was an existing facility, even though everything about it was brand new, and completely independent of the adjacent Oak Creek coal plant. DNR relied on a loophole in federal law that was created by the Bush administration for just such situations, when utilities wanted to expand their operations yet not be subject to modern environmental standards. However, in January of this year, a federal court

case closed that loophole, and Judge Gaylord ruled that the ALJ must take that case into account in reconsidering his earlier decision. She also instructed the ALJ to follow the federal case (Riverkeeper II) in other important areas; for example, the Riverkeeper

case made it clear that “restoration” or simply restocking the lake with fish was not an adequate substitute for preventing massive fish kills in the first place. We were surprised to learn that WE Energies had been working behind the scenes with DNR to bypass

the judge’s orders and the entire judicial process. Although the case was sent back to the ALJ for reconsideration, the utility and the DNR proposed to begin a lengthy “permit modiﬁcation” process in which the DNR would again classify ERGS as an “existing facility” and they could proceed as though our case and Riverkeeper never happened. Meanwhile, they would continue to construct their open-cycle cooling system, clearly not the “Best Technology Available” as required by the Clean Water Act, a technology that’s been banned in other Great Lakes states. Clean Wisconsin objected to this proposal and, as of this writing, is waiting for a decision. The ﬁght against this enormously destructive cooling intake system could continue for some time. It’s prolonged battles like these that make all of us at Clean Wisconsin especially grateful for the support of our members. Those of you who want to take action can call the DNR and remind them that it’s their job to implement and uphold the Clean Water Act, not to make it easier for utilities to damage Lake Michigan. For more information, please call Katie Nekola at (608) 251-7020 extension 14.

Tell us YOUR global warming story Karen Stevensen, Clean Wisconsin volunteer

ne of Aldo Leopold’s many legacies was an increased appreciation for the importance of observation. He showed us how much can be learned when we look at our natural surroundings with deliberate care and attention. Clean Wisconsin hopes to tap this powerful source of information and insight as we move forward with our efforts to address the issues of climate change in our state. We suspect that many of you have already noticed changes in your own lives and surroundings which have caused you to wonder if global warming might be involved. A personal example is the fact that my cross-country ski equipment has gotten very little use in recent years; I remember nostalgically the January cross-country ski trips we used to make to the Minocqua area each year until the snow became unreliable four or ﬁve years ago. Other examples might include changes in usual habitat for animals or plants, or in blooming times for plants. Clean Wisconsin would like to begin building a record of personal stories reﬂecting upon the changes occurring in Wisconsin. We ask that you turn your attention to whatever your Wisconsin environment might be---in small towns, cities, yards and gardens, favorite woods, rivers and lakes--you name it. When you notice a change that you think might be related to global warming, please call our specially-designated toll-

Clean Wisconsin

free number 1-866-WIS-WARM (866-947-9276) and leave us a message describing the changes you’ve noticed in the natural environment. If you are more comfortable sending an email, send us your story at wiswarm@CleanWisconsin.org. Be sure to include your name, address and telephone number. You needn’t have scientiﬁc proof that the change you’re seeing is caused by global warming, as long as your common sense suggests that it might be. All too often, scientists and politicians spend to too much time focusing on the changes global warming is causing on the global scale, without any attention paid to the local level. This is your chance to tell the world how global warming is affecting you! As Clean Wisconsin members, you can help to build this record by telling your friends, neighbors, and family members to call with their stories as well.

Tell us YOUR global warming story Call toll free: 1-866-WIS-WARM (866-947-9276) or email wiswarm@CleanWisconsin.org Cut out and place near your phone or computer for future reference. Thank You - Clean Wisconsin.

Taking clean energy national

Clean Wisconsin pushes for federal legislation requiring all public utilities to provide more renewable energy Ryan Schryver

n 2005 Clean Wisconsin was a driving force behind implementing Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Act which required Wisconsin’s public utilities get more than 10% of their energy from renewable resources by the year 2015. Now, Clean Wisconsin and the Union of Concerned Scientists have teamed up to help promote federal legislation that will require all public utilities to provide more renewable energy. The U.S. House of Representatives “Renewable Electricity Standard” Bill (HR 969) will create a growing market for clean, renewable energy that increases gradually to 20% by the year 2020. Clean Wisconsin believes this bill is a tremendous opportunity for Wisconsin and the rest of the country to move toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. The United States lags behind much of the world in our use of renewable energy sources. Many European countries receive more than 30% of their energy from renewable resources and continue to increase this amount. By creating a 20% federal Renewable Electricity Standard, the United States can catch up to the standards of the rest of the world, reduce our pollution and bolster our economy. By 2020, a 20% Renewable Electricity Standard would: • Create more than 355,000 jobs – nearly twice as many as generating the same amount of electricity from fossil fuels. • Help farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners earn more than $16 billion in new income. • Lower electricity and natural gas prices, saving consumers more than $49 billion on their energy bills, as competition from renewable energy generators increases.

As demand for renewable energy sources increases at all levels, market competition and economies of scale will drive down the price of renewable energy facilities and equipment. These cost reductions will be passed to you, the consumer. With Wisconsin’s abundance of natural resources and strong agriculture traditions, we are uniquely poised to lead the country in renewable energy production and benefit from these financial windfalls. By 2020 in Wisconsin, a 20% Renewable Energy Standard would: • Generate an additional $30 million in income and $70 million in gross state product for Wisconsin’s economy. • Produce 4,410 jobs in manufacturing, construction, operation, maintenance and other industries for Wisconsin – more than 1.8 times as many jobs as using fossil fuels to meet our energy needs would produce. • Create savings on electric and heating bills as more of our energy will be produced from local sources of cheap or free energy. • Produce significant investments, revenues, and payments to local areas: o Nearly $384 million dollars will reach Wisconsinites in the form of payments for renewable biomass production; o Almost $61 million in new property tax revenues will be created; and, o Close to $17 million will go to Wisconsin farmers and rural landowners to lease property for new wind generation. No matter how you slice it, the Renewable Electricity Standard is not only a win for our environment, but is a huge win for our pocketbooks as well. Often overlooked during conversations about

supporting clean energy, are the positive environmental impacts of not using coal Please contact your and oil to meet representative and ask our energy needs. them to co-sponsor Global warming has rapidly become HR 969 the “Renewable the top concern Electricity Standard” of scientists and bill. environmentalists everywhere. Renewable energy sources like those supported in this legislation are a major part of the effort to reduce our global warming pollution. This bill would help eliminate more than 434 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere. This massive reduction in global warming pollution is the equivalent to taking more than 71 million cars off the road by the year 2020. Several of Wisconsin’s congressional leaders have already pledged their support for this important bill. Representatives Kind, Kagen and Baldwin have already agreed to co-sponsor this legislation; but it is important to enlist the support of the entire Wisconsin delegation. Please contact your representative and ask him/her to co-sponsor HR 969 the “Renewable Electricity Standard” bill.

Clean energy means a better Wisconsin!

Representative Gwen Moore: (414) 297-1140 Representative Dave Obey: (202) 225-3365 Representative Paul Ryan: (202) 225-3031 Representative James Sensenbrenner: (262) 784-1111 Representative Tom Petri: (920) 922-1180

Air quality watch Elizabeth Wheeler

n Wisconsin, many of us are familiar with the term “ozone action day,” but not all of us know exactly what it means. It is especially important to be aware of air quality during the summer months when outdoor activities are especially appealing. Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared that ﬁne particle pollution is even more dangerous than ozone pollution. Although stratospheric ozone acts as a protective shield from harmful ultraviolet rays, ground-level ozone is a pollutant hazardous to human health. It has been shown to damage lung tissue, irritate respiratory disease, and can impair immune system defenses. It especially affects children, who breathe more air per pound of their bodies and whose respiratory systems are still developing. Fine particle pollution is similarly damaging to respiratory (and cardiovascular) health. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) declares an “air quality watch” or “air quality advisory” when it predicts that levels of ground-level ozone or ﬁne particles will be unhealthy

to breathe. This advisory warns against heavy outdoor activities, especially for children. Because of how ozone is formed (through chemical reactions with sunlight), it is a bigger problem during the summer. However, fine particles are present year-round, and now air quality watches or advisories will not just be a summertime phenomenon. The pollutants contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particles mainly come from power plants, cars, lawn mowers, and other household and industrial sources. Thus, you can directly impact the air quality by reducing your use of energy from coal, reducing the number of car trips you take and keeping your tires fully inflated, fueling

your gas tank at night, and mowing your lawn after 6:00 PM. To ﬁnd out about air quality and advisories in your area, you can call the WDNR toll free hotline at (866) DAILY-AIR, or sign up for email alerts at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/newsletters/.

The Defender, Summer 2007,Vol. 37, No. 3

Clean Wisconsin members ask:

Is the mercury contained in compact ﬂuorescent light bulbs a deterrent to using them?

isconsin consumers can take a simple and easy step to reduce their personal contributions to global warming by switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). “National studies show that compact fluorescent lights use two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer,” says Suzanne Bangert, director of the Department of Natural Resources Waste and Materials Management program. Bangert notes that in addition to energy savings, switching to compact fluorescent lights can save money and be more convenient. “Replacing a 60-watt incandescent with a 13watt CFL can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. Because they last longer they help homeowners avoid the hassle of changing bulbs and, since they generate 70 percent less heat, they are safer to operate and save on cooling bills,” Bangert says. While there is concern about the mercury -- a contaminant and poses a threat to human health and the environment -- contained in CFLs, Bangert says that overall they are a better choice for the health of the environment. “There is a trade-off,” Bangert says, “but the benefits are clear. By switching to CFLs we use less

energy, resulting in a net reduction in mercury emissions. Each CFL can prevent more than 450 pounds of emissions from a power plant over the lifetime of the bulb while the mercury in a CFL is contained and can be safely recycled.” Bangert said CFLs from businesses and, ideally, households should be treated as hazardous waste once they reach the end of their long life. For households, Bangert advises people check to see if local stores have a take back programs for CFLs. People can check the Energy Star web site (www.energystar.gov) for stores that take back CFLs or Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Program’s web site for product/service provider information (www.focusonenergy.com). If no local stores are part of the program, people can take used CFLs to a local hazardous waste collection site or to a Clean Sweep program. If the bulb is broken, place the entire contents in a sealable plastic bag. If there are no other options, the sealed bag can go into the garbage. Bangert also said there is confusion about the green-tipped ‘green’ CFLs. “The CFLs that have a green band near the base are a good step in the right direction. They’re made with less mercury but mercury is still present. These bulbs should be treated the same way as the other CFLs,” she said.

The beneﬁts of using CFLs are clear. And keep in mind CFLs need to be recycled or disposed of properly. (See article for more details).

Sinsinawa “Water and Warming” conference a success Will Hoyer and Ryan Schryver

n a day with more than 1,400 events around the country calling for Congress to “Step It Up” and reduce global warming pollution Clean Wisconsin organized a successful conference in southwest Wisconsin. Almost 100 people showed up for the day-long event highlighting threats to Wisconsin’s waters and the threats posed by global warming. Highlights of the day included a presentation by noted climate scientist and UW-Madison professor Jon Foley and a motivating keynote presentation by author and ﬁlm-maker Mike Tidwell. Foley quickly dispensed with any notion that there was any debate over whether global warming was happening and went on to note the consequences of global warming are already being seen across the globe, including more than 150,000 additional deaths annually. Tidwell made the connection between the totally foreseeable (and preventable) disaster that occurred in New Orleans with what is

Clean Wisconsin

Ryan Schryver (left), Clean Wisconsin’s grassroots organizer, and Mike Tidwell, author and keynote speaker at the water and warming conference.

happening globally with climate change. Other presentations included Clean Wisconsin Water Program Director Melissa Malott talking about the Great Lakes, Wisconsin DNR Mississippi Team Leader Gretchen Benjamin discussing the threats to the Mississippi River and UW-Madison limnologist John Magnuson talking about the changes to Wisconsin waters under global warming. Attendees also got the opportunity to choose among breakout sessions that covered biofuels, advocacy, legal issues and communications. Attendees left the conference motivated to take action, making changes in their own lives and pushing for policy changes at the state and federal levels. We would like to give special thanks to the Dominican Sisters at Sinsinawa Mound for allowing us the use of their facility, for providing an excellent lunch and refreshments and for general logistical support. The Sisters were great partners to work with and we look forward to working with them in the future.

Pernicious, pervasive polluted runoff Melissa Malott

ith over 15,000 lakes, and more than 33,000 miles of rivers, Wisconsin is a water rich state. These flowing waterways support our lifestyle and economy; where they once transported logs for the paper industry, today boaters and fishers skim the surface. Beneath the surface, however, and sometimes floating on it, lies a heavy load of phosphorus, sediment, bacteria and other pollutants. Polluted runoff into our lakes and streams is drowning our state. As we Wisconsinites prepare our schedules and gear for summer on or near the water, and think about the good times we’ll soon be sharing with friends and family, we forget the negative memories from the summer before: stinking algae clumps littering our beaches, slime clinging to the edges of our lakes, and mosquitos. Unlike mosquitos, however, we can do something about the algae and other noxious materials in our waterways. These problems stem from polluted runoff, and we can prevent them by taking measures to cut down on polluted runoff. Polluted runoff, or nonpoint source pollution, is generally the most significant water quality problem in Wisconsin. Nonpoint pollution is a product of our lifestyles, our land use planning, and agricultural system. The way we fertilize our lawns and fields, allows stormwater to drain off the streets; and the way we dispose of chemicals and other products have an impact on our waterways. Unfortunately, this area of water pollution is under-regulated. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District recently did test to determine on where pollution in the Milwaukee-area rivers come from. MMSD’s tests for some of the major pollutants in our waterways, including phosphorus, fecal coliform, BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), suspended solids, and nitrogen, and found that between 80-90% of these pollutants come from agricultural and urban stormwater runoff. While this does not discount the importance of reducing sewer overflows, it is interesting to know other areas of pollution that we can reduce in order to clean up our waterways. Urban pollution occurs because pavement, roofs, and reduced green space prevent absorption of rainwater into plants and infiltration into the ground. Instead, these large volumes of waters collect in stormwater systems, and flow rapidly to waterways. Besides the listed pollutants, urban polluted runoff often hold some more insidious pollutants, like fertilizer and pesticides, oil, bacteria and organic material, sediment, and more. Furthermore, runoff from developed areas may be warmer than stream water, and when the heat mixes with increased flow rates and pollutants, can further affect water quality and aquatic life. Agricultural runoff can contain some of the same materials, but is most notable for runoff of manure that has been spread on fields. Agricultural runoff can contain E. coli and other bacteria, along with large amounts of phosphorus. So what can we do? Because polluted runoff comes from our actions, if we want to cut down on polluted runoff we need to change our actions. Fortunately, many of the actions we can take will have multiple benefits.

Household actions: Basically, we can all take actions to conserve and protect runoff water from pollution. A great way to reduce runoff from our own residences is to collect rainwater in rainbarrels. Rainbarrels collect and store the water from your roof for later use in watering your lawn or garden. Rainbarrels help save signiﬁcant water costs – throughout a typical Wisconsin season, rainbarrels can store 1,300 gallons of water. You can often buy rainbarrels from local gardening stores, make one, or simply use a large bucket. For instructions on making a rainbarrel, see: http://www. cwp.org/Community_Watersheds/brochure.pdf. Besides collecting water that could carry polluted runoff, there are ways to prevent the pollution from reaching the road. First of all, create as many porous surfaces as possible: use bricks or concrete lattice in walkways to allow water to soak into the ground. Create vegetative buffer strips and raingardens to allow any runoff to be absorbed by the ground and plants. Raingardens serve a few functions: they beautify our lawns and make them spongelike at the same time. A raingarden or buffer strip is simply an area of plants that soak up water like trees, shrubs, and groundcover plants and ﬂowers. And of course, be conscious of pollutants that you are using in your yard. Replace phosphorus lawn fertilizers with non-phosphorus, natural fertilizers. Keep pet wastes and litter away from runoff areas. Clean up spilled toxins like oil, grease, antifreeze, and other chemicals that would otherwise wash into our waterbodies.

ing for pollution prevention over pollution treatment, education, public participation, monitoring, and enforcement components. In the end, we have the opportunity to create major change in our own waterways. While pushing for strong protection via regulations is important, we can make a difference through our own actions. Because urban and agricultural runoff are a result of the way we live, if we change some of our actions, we can reduce polluted runoff. Go forth and prevent pollution!

Difference between point and nonpoint pollution

Point source pollution is pollution from factories and sewage treatment plants. When you think of a pipe draining into a lake, this would be point source pollution. Nonpoint source pollution (aka polluted runoff) has many different sources. When rainfall or snowmelt move over and through the ground, it collects pollutants like manure, dirt, oil, and fertilizers and carries them to waterways, including groundwater.

Advocate for responsible local ordinances In addition to controlling polluted runoff from your own residence, you can help your community be more responsible with polluted runoff by advocat-

The Defender, Summer 2007,Vol. 37, No. 3

A stinking mess: Wisconsin’s lake weeds Will Hoyer

t’s the time of year when many of us want to get out and enjoy Wisconsin’s wonderful lakes. Whether it’s boating, fishing, swimming or simply watching the sun set lakes can play a major supporting role in our summertime fun. Unfortunately many of Wisconsin’s lakes are not as enjoyable as they could be due to the thick mats of weeds that plague the lakes’ surface. Many lakes have seen the arrival of well-known invasive species such as Eurasian water milfoil. Once established, milfoil can be very difficult to eradicate. Treatments include mechanical harvesting, chemical applications, bio-controls such as beetles and weevils, water level manipulations and dredging. None of these, unfortunately, is the perfect solution, but all can play a role in reducing the effects of the invasive species. Ultimately, prevention is the only good solution. There are many on-going efforts to educate, monitor and enforce provisions intended to keep aquatic invasive species from invading new lakes. Making the conditions of lakes less conducive to plant growth is another part of the solution. While many lakes in Wisconsin are naturally eutrophic, or nutrient-rich, most have more nutrients than they naturally would due to things like runoff from agricultural fields, construction sites and lawns, and aging septic systems. Controlling sediments and excess nutrients from reaching our lakes would help keep our lakes cleaner and more user-friendly for summer recreation. While weeds may affect some recreation opportunities they can be better than not having any weeds at all. Many lakes may exist only in two possible states – one that is plant-dominated with clear water and the other that is weed-free but looks like pea soup with turbid water and dense green algal growth. While weeds may be a nuisance, they are likely preferable to an algal-dominated lake where anything more than a couple inches below the water’s surface disappears into the murky darkness. Personal actions and public policies that prevent the introduction of new invasive species and reduce plant growth are both necessary to keep Wisconsin’s lakes clean for current and future generations of summer vacationers.

Another round of shoreland zoning hearings Will Hoyer

roposed changes to outdated 40-year-old rules governing the development of Wisconsin’s shorelands will once again be debated this summer. The DNR’s Administrative Rules, NR 115, have been revised again and will be released for public comment this summer. Two years ago proposed changes brought in one of the highest comment totals the DNR has ever seen with more than 12,000 public comments that led to substantial revisions. This year’s revised rules are sure to be controversial once again. For more information and to stay updated on the proposed rule and public hearings visit our website at www.cleanwisconsin.org or contact water specialist Will Hoyer at whoyer@cleanwisconsin.org or (608)251-7020 extension 20.

For more information about Wisconsin’s aquatic plant management program see: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/lakes/aquaplan.htm

Clean Wisconsin

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE Sinicki, Soletski, Townsend, Turner, Wasserman, Zepnick, Richards, Vos, M. Williams, Mason, Steinbrink, Black, Schneider, Hraychuck, Hebl and J. Ott; and cosponsored by Senators Wirch, Schultz, Hansen, Roessler, Lassa, Plale, Risser and Coggs. Invasive Species Legislation - Ballast Water Management, 07 SB 119: This is the mirror bill to AB 86, above. It has been introduced and referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources. It was introduced by Senators Cowles, Wirch, Hansen, A. Lasee, Harsdorf, Breske, Plale, Risser, Roessler, Schultz, Lassa, Coggs, Lehman and Sullivan; and cosponsored by Representatives Nygren, A. Ott, Molepske, Hahn, Pocan, Cullen, Black, Berceau, Sheridan and Hilgenberg. Mercury Products Ban: Senator Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) is having legislation drafted that will phase out the use of products with toxic mercury where there are readily available and reasonably priced alternatives to mercury. Examples of such products are thermostats, numerous switches and relays (e.g. tilt switches in the refrigerator and freezer doors), and measuring devices. This legislation should be introduced later this summer. Appliance Efﬁciency Standards: Senator Bob Wirch (D-Kenosha) is drafting legislation to place minimum efﬁciency standards on a wide variety of home and business appliances and equipment that the Federal Department of Energy has

failed to set a reasonable minimum efficiency standard for. Items covered by the bill include residential furnaces, swimming pool pumps and heaters, DVD players and a variety of light fixtures. A preliminary draft of this legislation has been prepared and it should be available soon. The 2007-08 State Budget, SB 40: Most other legislation is on hold until the legislature passes the state budget bill. Several of our highest priority environmental initiatives are contained in the state budget bill, for example: $30 million in funding for renewable energy grants and loans, $37 million in funding for reducing polluted runoff, and $17 million for clean up of PCB contaminated sediments in the Milwaukee and Kinnicnick Rivers. The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) finished work on the budget in early June and the Senate passed its version of the budget bill on June 26 and as of this writing the Assembly has not yet begun deliberations. The $37 million for PCB clean up passed the Joint Finance Committee unanimously so that should stay intact through the final budget deliberations; the Senate retained this funding in their version. The polluted runoff money was decreased slightly by the JFC but overall is a substantial increase over past funding levels. The $30 million in renewable energy funding failed to pass the committee on an 8 to 8 vote, but was restored in the Senate bill. The Senate also included $47 million in funding for municipal recycling programs. The recycling, renewable energy and some of the polluted runoff funding in the Senate bill come from a $7 (per ton) increase in solid waste tipping fees at landfills; that’s a $4 increase over the $3 increased proposed by the Governor.

Following up on UW-La Crosse’s green building Jeremy Jansen

W-La Crosse remains in the planning phases of constructing a new academic building on campus. In early May, a forum was held for students, faculty, and administrators that was titled a “sustainability workshop”. In this workshop the campus community was educated on elements of green design. A large number of students showed up throughout the day to voice their opinions. The building is expected to stand for almost a century. Students, being the “green generation”, will be forced to deal with a multitude of environmental issues, like global warming. With this in mind, many students offered innovative and creative methods for the new building.

Students suggested: • A green or living roof. This could include a vegetated roof which could serve an educational purpose as well as an area to study. • Solar panels or solar hot water heating. Solar electricity generation could increase the percentage of renewable energy state facilities use. Solar hot water could be used for all the hot water needs of the building as well as being pumped through ﬂoor pipes to save on heating costs. • Harvesting rainwater. This could be used for landscaping needs around campus and would reduce the amount of water being introduced into the storm water system of La Crosse.

Though these were only a few suggestions students presented, many creative ideas were tossed around at the four hour listening session. At this point, none of the elements of sustainability are finalized because the project’s design is not yet final. Students and faculty will continue to encourage the UW system officials and the architects to go beyond state facility standards mandated by the Clean Energy Act. With constant pressure and continuous turnout to events like the “sustainability workshop,” UW-L will be proud of the green building constructed with state tax dollars. After all, if green buildings are part of our future, universities should be at the forefront leading by example.

Wisconsin’s Safe Climate Act Ryan Schryver

arlier this year, State Representative Spencer Black and State Senator Mark Miller introduced Wisconsin’s Safe Climate Act. The Safe Climate Act creates a framework for Wisconsin to reduce its global warming pollution to 1990 levels by the year 2020, and helps lay the groundwork for more significant global warming emissions reductions in the future. Wisconsin’s Safe Climate Act is modeled after the first stage of the groundbreaking legislation California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law earlier this year. The California legislation featured two distinct stages of emission reductions, the first of which required the state to reduce their global warm-

ing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The second stage requires California to reduce their emissions to 80% below the 1990 levels by 2050. In recent years the scientific community has become increasingly unified behind the notion that in order to avoid catastrophic levels of climate change, the United States must lead global efforts to reduce global warming emissions nearly 80% by the year 2050. Wisconsin’s Safe Climate Act is a great first step towards achieving those science-based goals. Call your representatives today and urge them to support legislation reducing Wisconsin’s global warming emissions. Call 1-800-362-9472 or visit http://waml.legis.state.wi.us to find out how to contact your representatives.

The Defender, Summer 2007,Vol. 37, No. 3

Here’s a glimpse of some of the recent media coverage Clean Wisconsin has received. Water level not only threat Letter-to-the-editor: Wisconsin State Journal Madison, April 20, 2007 Monday’s article “Low water levels trouble shipping on Great Lakes” correctly pointed out the importance of our Great Lakes to Wisconsin’s shipping economy. Beyond that, healthy levels in the Great Lakes keep our commercial and recreational ﬁshing, tourism, and a large part of our agricultural sectors strong. Put simply, problems with the Great Lakes are problems for our economic security. The Great Lakes are vast, but they are not inﬁnite, and they need protection. Lake levels are falling, yet outsiders are planning strategies to steal from them. For example, in 2001 a private company started taking steps to ship Great Lakes water to China in tankers. Fortunately, we have a solution in the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement among the eight Great Lakes states to responsibly manage Great Lakes’ water. To make it legally binding, each of the states, then Congress, needs to pass the compact into law. - Melissa Malott, water program director, Clean Wisconsin, Madison

Power plant dealt setback Judge says permit for water intake at odds with federal ruling Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Milwaukee, March 9, 2007 In a setback for the state’s largest utility, a Dane County circuit judge has ruled that a water permit for the $2.2 billion power plant under construction in Oak Creek does not comply with a recent federal appeals court decision. Judge Shelley Gaylord directed a state administrative law judge to conduct another review of We Energies’ plans for drawing 1.8

billion gallons of water a day from Lake Michigan to cool the new plant. Clean Wisconsin, which ﬁled suit against the utility with Sierra Club, has long contended that the water intake system is illegal. “This is a position we have consistently been taking and the (state agencies) ignored”, said Carl Sinderbrand, a lawyer for Clean Wisconsin.

Wisconsin could become second state to require fewer greenhouse gases Wisconsin State Farmer Waupaca, March 9, 2007 Wisconsin could become the first (sic) state after California to pass a law requiring a dramatic lowering of greenhouse gases under a bill announced on Thursday (Feb 15th). Wisconsin’s emissions of carbon dioxide have increased 25 percent since 1990, compared with a 20 percent increase nationally, according to an analysis by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The increase in Wisconsin has been blamed on coalfired power plants, which accounted for half of the state’s carbon dioxide emissions in 2005. Keith Reopelle, program director for Clean Wisconsin, said construction of new coal-fired power plants in Wisconsin shows the state is headed in the wrong direction when it comes to controlling emissions. The bill sponsored by Black and Sen. Mark Miller, D- Monona, would be a “critical first step” in tackling global warming, he said.

Alliant’s plan for Cassville coal plant ‘cheapest, dirtiest solution’ Telegraph Herald Dubuque, IA, April, 15, 2007 Ryan Schryver had nothing good to say about Alliant Energy’s proposed 300 megawatt, coal-ﬁred power plant near Cassville, Wisconsin. “There are cleaner, more efﬁcient technologies. That’s why Alliant’s proposal is so frustrating”, says the staffer with Clean Wisconsin, the environmental group which co-sponsored Saturday’s conference on global warming at Sinsinawa Mound.

Tell others: Give to Clean Wisconsin through Community Shares

lean Wisconsin’s partnership with Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee provides us with critical funding for our operations. But you can also play an important role in helping sustain this organization right where you work. Many of you pledge money to Clean Wisconsin through the convenience of payroll deduction at your workplace – Community Shares enables us to have a presence in workplaces throughout Milwaukee County. We are especially grateful for this funding because every dollar we receive through Community Shares is “unrestricted,” meaning that we can use it to pay the heating bill, the light bill, or to increase our program budgets – whatever our greatest needs are. Unrestricted dollars are not available through United Way or through most foundation grants. That’s one reason we value this partnership. Community Shares is also unique because it encourages the donor to give to whichever group (or groups) he or she wishes to support – and in any amount they feel they can give. We currently receive only a portion of what we could be receiving in workplace-giving campaigns because many people don’t realize they can give to us through Community Shares. With just a little help from you, we could raise signiﬁcantly more dollars in

Clean Wisconsin

employee-giving campaigns this year.

3 easy ways you can support us where you work: 1.) Give through Community Shares at your workplace. • If you work in a public sector ofﬁce (school or government), you will ﬁnd our organization listed under the “Community Shares” heading in your fall pledge brochure. • If you work in a private industry or business, tell your HR staff or employee-giving campaign leader to provide you with a Community Shares Pledge Form. Because Community Shares no longer participates in United Way’s Donor Choice program, you will need to use a Community Shares Pledge Form instead of a United Way form. Please call CS at 414-3420883 if you need forms. 2.) Tell others at work about the advantages of giving through Community Shares. • They can support the organizations of their choice – in any dollar amount – through Community Shares.

• The dollars from their donation can be used by the organization where it is needed most – this is not possible when giving through United Way. 3.) If you work in a private business or industry that does not have an employee giving campaign, please call us or call Community Shares at 414342-0883 – or email outreach@milwaukeeshares.org. They will work to set up a campaign at your workplace that will enable to you and your coworkers to give to the organizations of your choice through payroll deduction. You can play a key role in sustaining this organization by simply making sure we have a presence in your workplace this year. Your effort will beneﬁt this organization – and dozens of others – for years to come!

Thank you to departing board member Jim Carter! Clean Wisconsin’s staff and board would like to thank Jim Carter for his years of service and strong support of our work. Mr. Carter helped us tremendously in our efforts to raise awareness about the health impacts of air pollution from old and dirty coal plants. As a former Green Bay Packer player, Mr. Carter was very vocal about the need to clean up the old J.P. Pulliam coal plant in Green Bay. His efforts played a big part in our victory in that case, and have resulted in cleaner air in the greater Green Bay area and reduced pollution impacting the Great Lakes. Mr. Carter was also an excellent ambassador for our organization, and helped recruit many new members to support our cause. In fact, he was our top volunteer fundraiser in 2006, raising nearly $10,000! We wish Jim all the best as he heads off for Minnesota, and hope he stays a strong part of the Clean Wisconsin family. Thanks Jim!

“And the envelope please...” Becky Weber omething as simple as a little number nine envelope can make a huge difference. Really. It seems like such a small gesture but the impact on our work can be enormous. We all agree that we want and deserve clean water and clean air. We want and deserve clean energy alternatives. We need to protect the special places that make Wisconsin wonderful. And that is what Clean Wisconsin, along with all of our members, is doing. And here is where the envelope comes in. The little envelope that is tucked inside this newsletter makes it easy for you to assist Clean Wisconsin in being an advocate and effective voice. Simply write a check for whatever amount you choose, slip it inside the envelope, stamp it, and drop it in the mailbox. You can even donate via your credit card. It is as simple as that. Perhaps you took a minute. Maybe two. But that act of making a contribution to Clean Wisconsin has an impact. You are helping to work toward clean water, clean air, and clean energy.

The Defender, Summer 2007,Vol. 37, No. 3