Defender
Summer 2016 join us:
Wisconsin’s most vulnerable waters were left high and dry this spring when Attorney General Brad Schimel issued an opinion substantially scaling back DNR’s ability to review high-capacity well permit applications. While Clean Wisconsin, our members and fellow partners were vocal and active in opposing the opinion, DNR adopted the Attorney General’s opinion in June. This policy change, which threatens Wisconsin’s cherished waterways and perpetuates problems that have been created by an already too-lax system for groundwater protections, means we are even further from solving our groundwater management problem in a scientifically sound, equitable and efficient manner. It also means a continued struggle with lake levels in Wisconsin’s Central Sands area, where groundwater users, lakefront homeowners, hunters, anglers and recreational water users are already at war over the competing uses of the water resources.
CONNECTED BUT NOT EQUAL
HIGH & DRY AG opinion leaves our groundwater more vulnerable than ever
The core of the problem is that while Wisconsin has strong protections in place against the overuse of surface waters, our groundwater is not afforded the same protections. However, our groundwater and surface water are closely connected, and this is especially problematic in the Central Sands region where many lakes are 100% groundwater fed and there is a particularly high concentration of high-capacity wells, used primarily for irrigation. The state’s regulation of high-capacity wells, which are capable of pumping 100,000 gallons or more of groundwater per day, has been a high-profile issue in Wisconsin for many years. In 2011, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in Lake Beulah Management District v. DNR was hailed as a victory by those seeking protection for water resources in our state. The Court’s unanimous decision found that: “DNR has the authority and duty to consider the environmental impact of a proposed high capacity well if presented with sufficient scientific evidence suggesting potential harm to waters of the state.”
By Elizabeth Wheeler, Senior Staff Attorney
WAUKESHA DIVERSION
Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300 Madison, WI 53703-2500
Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1291 Madison, WI
APPROVED While conditions improve the application, we remain opposed to its approval
continued on page 4
On June 21, over eight years since the historic passage of the Great Lakes Compact and roughly six years since the city of Waukesha began its request, the Great Lakes Compact Council (representatives of the Governors of the eight Great Lakes states, who are the final decision-makers on diversion proposals under the Compact) voted unanimously to approve the city’s application to divert Great Lakes water. The decision is historic as it is the first test of the Great Lakes Compact, and the stakes were high to secure the strongest possible decision on how future requests for Great Lakes water would be handled. While the Compact Council made significant changes to Waukesha’s original request, Clean Wisconsin and many of our partner environmental organizations remain opposed because the decision did not go far enough to protect our Great Lakes from the threat of future diversions.
THE GREAT LAKES COMPACT By Ezra Meyer, Water Resources Specialist
Also in this issue
In the mid-2000s, our Great Lakes were facing many threats of water diversion. Dry continued on page 5
Kewaunee Update | Epicurean Evening MKE | Water Quality Projects
&Events
News, Notes
SHARE YOUR STORY WITH CLEAN WISCONSIN
Because we can’t protect Wisconsin’s environment without you, we want to know why you care enough to support us. Did you learn your conservation ethic from your grandparents? Do you take a daily hike through the woods near your home? Are you worried about the impacts of climate change? We want to learn about the places you love in Wisconsin, why they’re worth protecting, and why you support us. To share your story, contact Jon at 608-251-7020 x23 or jdrewsen@cleanwisconsin.org. Thank you again for supporting our work!
BECOME A SUSTAINING DONOR
Sustaining donations are our favorite kind of gift because they’re convenient for you and Clean Wisconsin. When you become a Sustaining Donor, it reduces paper and postage costs, divides your generous contribution into manageable monthly or quarterly payments, and provides Clean Wisconsin with a reliable stream of financial support. This means we can focus more on our work to protect Wisconsin’s air and water and less on fundraising. For more information, contact Jon at jdrewsen@cleanwisconsin.org or set up your Sustaining donation online at www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate.
634 W. Main St., #300 • Madison WI 53703 Phone: 608-251-7020 www.cleanwisconsin.org
Clean Wisconsin protects and preserves Wisconsin’s clean water, air and natural heritage. On behalf of our more than 30,000 members, supporters and coalition partners, we have been your leading voice for Wisconsin’s environment since 1970.
STAFF President & CEO Mark Redsten Development Director Angela Cao Director of Science & Research Tyson Cook Chief Financial Officer Nick Curran, CPA Development Associate Jonathan Drewsen Organizing Hub Co-Director Melissa Gavin Water Quality Specialist Scott Laeser Staff Scientist Paul Mathewson Director of Programs & Government Relations Amber Meyer Smith Water Resources Specialist Ezra Meyer
MILWAUKEE MEMBER APPRECIATION EVENT
General Counsel Katie Nekola Staff Attorney & Climate Resilience Project Manager Pam Ritger Senior Policy Director Keith Reopelle
Thursday, Sept. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Grant & Foundations Manager Ella Schwierske
Join us as we celebrate our supporters and partners in Southeastern Wisconsin! Mingle with our staff and board, learn about our current and upcoming work in southeastern Wisconsin, and enjoy first-rate hors d’oeuvres from our friend Chef Cole Ersel of Wolf Peach! Appetizers and one free drink will be provided.
1818 N. Hubbard St., Milwaukee
• Join our Action Network at cleanwisconsin.org • Watch legislative floor sessions, committee hearings and interviews at wisconsineye.org • Sign up to receive notifications about action on bills you care about at http://notify.legis.state.wi.us • Learn more about your legislators using the interactive map at http://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/
The Defender is owned and published quarterly by Clean Wisconsin 634 W. Main St., #300, Madison, WI 53703 608-251-7020, info@cleanwisconsin.org A one-year subscription membership is $40. Please direct correspondence to the address above. Volume 46, No. 3 Issue date: July 2016 ©2016 Clean Wisconsin. All rights reserved. ISSN # 1549-8107
2
Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Wheeler
BOARD
RSVP TO JON at events@cleanwisconsin.org. This event is free and open to the public.
Stay informed on what’s happening in our state government
Midwest Clean Energy Coordinator Sarah Shanahan
Chair Liz Feder, Madison Vice Chair Karen Knetter, Madison Secretary Glenn Reinl, Madison Treasurer Gof Thomson, New Glarus Past Chair Carl Sinderbrand, Middleton Belle Bergner, Milwaukee Shari Eggleson, Washburn Elizabeth Feder, Madison Gary Goyke, Madison Andrew Hoyos, Edgerton Mark McGuire, Madison Arun Soni, Madison Board Emeritus Kate Gordon, San Francisco Board Emeritus Chuck McGinnis, Middleton
Printed with soy ink on unbleached, recycled paper.
Summer 2016
CONTINUED FRUSTRATION With workgroup recommendations in hand, it’s time for real action for safe drinking water in Kewaunee County By Elizabeth Wheeler, Senior Staff Attorney
It has been 20 months since Clean Wisconsin and five other local, regional and national environmental groups called upon EPA for emergency action to provide safe drinking water to residents in Kewaunee County. Yet, little has been done. The latest well testing data shows that about 34% of the tested wells are contaminated with bacteria, nitrates or both. The contamination is likely caused by the high concentration of large animal feedlots and associated waste spreading over Karst geology, where large cracks and caves in the bedrock allow surface water to seep directly into the groundwater without the natural filtration typically provided by a more consistent bedrock formation. Because of this geology, standard manure management practices simply aren’t enough to prevent harmful pollutants from entering the private drinking water supply here. The situation continues to frustrate residents of the county, who have been forced to purchase bottled water for years as they wait for solutions that never seem to come. To add to the frustration, a Legislative Audit Bureau report released in early June details the DNR’s failure to issue permits in a timely manner, pursue adequate enforcement of violations, or address discrepancies between DNR’s water permitting programs and the federal Clean Water Act. In late June, DNR released the final recommendations from four workgroups that have met over the last year to draft dozens of recommendations for potential pathways to cleaner water in the county. DNR’s top recommendations include: • Asking for legislative appropriations of additional funding for well compensation and emergency water supply; • Providing additional testing for contaminated well water to determine the source of the contamination; • Providing additional notice for nearby homeowners when a well is found to be contaminated with bacteria; • Hiring an additional enforcement specialist for the Northeast region of the state; • Conducting additional manure hauling audits; • Setting specific recommendations for manure spreading restrictions on areas The report contains with shallow bedrock; and 65 consensus • Developing a communications strategy recommendations, to ensure that the public, farmers, mapotential pathways nure haulers and local officials are all to cleaner water in aware of the applicable requirements the county. and how to implement them. In all, there are 65 consensus recommendations outlined in the report. DNR has already initiated implementation of some of them, including the hiring of an enforcement officer and sending notices to neighbors when a nearby well is contaminated. A public meeting was held in Luxemburg on June 23 to discuss the results of the workgroup process and provide an opportunity for citizens to ask questions of DNR and EPA regarding the response going forward. Nearly 200 concerned citizens attended the meeting, hoping to hear how quickly they can expect solutions and asking for the state and federal agencies, as well as their county government, to act quickly now that the recommendations are released. Citizens expressed frustration and concern about the length of time it has taken to get the attention of the agencies and how no water has been delivered to affected residents to date. We are hopeful that the recommendations will be adopted quickly and changes will be made to ensure better access to clean drinking water. However, we remain concerned about the findings of the Legislative Audit Bureau and DNR’s lax enforcement record. Clean Wisconsin will continue to look for meaningful solutions that can ensure that all Wisconsin residents have access to clean, safe and reliable water. www.cleanwisconsin.org
from the President & CEO This summer, we hope many of you find yourself paddling down the Wisconsin River, swimming and relaxing at a cabin on one of Wisconsin’s many lakes, or enjoying a stay along Wisconsin’s miles of Great Lakes coastline. These summer vacation and relaxation spots bring great meaning to our lives, an enduring source of enjoyment and pride for Wisconsinites. When we arrive at these special places, Mark Redsten we know, without a doubt, that these waPresident & CEO ters will be there. But however plentiful our waters may seem, clean, abundant water is no longer a given in Wisconsin. Increasingly, people in many parts of the state are learning this as they are finding their drinking water or lakes and rivers contaminated, or disappearing altogether. While we might not think twice about where our water comes from, it’s important to work to protect Wisconsin’s water and special places and not forget what we have until it’s gone. Our team of science and legal experts is working to make sure that we never get to that point. Across Wisconsin, we are working on the ground and in communities to find smart solutions to water quality and water quantity issues. From Kewaunee to the Central Sands, the Fox River Valley to Milwaukee, from Lake Michigan to lakes Mendota and Monona, Clean Wisconsin is invested and involved in making sure that everyone receives the promise of Wisconsin: clean and plentiful water. I want to thank you for your support of our work and encourage you to help us even more. While you may be far from Madison and the work we do in the Capitol and state agencies, please know that your support is helping people and our environment in every corner of Wisconsin, perhaps even your back yard. Finding successful solutions takes work in every way possible, so that the places where you connect with family and friends on Wisconsin’s waterways and the memories they create can be there for the summers to come.
Thank you,
ARE YOU READY TO VOTE? By Melissa Gavin, Organizing Hub Co-Director
Although the presidential race is commanding the headlines, there are actually two important elections coming up. The fall partisan primary election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 9 for U.S. Congress and the Wisconsin Legislature. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, we will elect the next President along with our state and federal representatives. Recent changes to Wisconsin law mean changes at the polls. Here are a few things you need to know:
VOTER REGISTRATION If you have not voted in Wisconsin before or if your registration has lapsed, you will need to register. If you have a Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card, you will have to provide that number. You will also need proof of residence. To learn more, visit myvote.wi.gov.
VOTER ID Wisconsin voters must now show an acceptable photo
ID for all elections before a ballot will be counted. If you have a Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID with an expiration date of November 4, 2014 or later, you are set. For a complete list of acceptable photo IDs, and information on how to get a free state ID card for voting from the DMV, visit http://bringit.wisconsin.gov. If you are all ready to vote, make sure others in your social circle are, as well. Research shows that personally asking someone to register and vote is the single most effective way to get new voters to the polls. Do you know someone who recently turned 18, became a citizen, moved or changed their name, and needs to update their registration record? If so, talk to them about how important voting is and help them find answers to any questions they may have about upcoming elections. Finally, don’t forget to make a plan to vote yourself. Everyone’s voice matters in every election! 3
High & Dry continued from cover The finding was based on the constitutional Public Trust Doctrine, which says that all navigable waters in Wisconsin are to be held in trust by the Legislature on behalf of the public. It’s a core tenet of environmental law in Wisconsin and has protected our waterways from privatization, pollution and overuse for more than a century. The Lake Beulah case marked the Supreme Court’s recognition that all waters are connected and that the DNR must consider how impacts to groundwater will impact public trust waters. But that victory was just the beginning of the battle. The Lake Beulah decision changed the way DNR reviews high-capacity well applications and has highlighted how high-capacity wells impact lake levels, wetlands, streams, rivers and private wells in the Central Sands and across the state. In response, groundwater users have pushed the Legislature to roll back protections afforded by the Lake Beulah decision, while those concerned with protecting our waterways from overuse have alleged that the Lake Beulah decision did not go nearly far enough. In 2014, a group of citizens prevailed in administrative court when they challenged DNR for not considering the cumulative impacts of a proposed high-capacity well at nearby Richfield Dairy that would contribute to the already significant drawdown that was happening on their lake from nearby pumping. The Administrative Law Judge found in favor of the citizen plaintiffs in the Richfield Dairy case, and in his ruling, he nicely summarized why the issue was so important from a resource management perspective: “It is scientifically unsupported, and impossible as a practical matter, to manage water resources if cumulative impacts are not considered. That is, when assessing impacts to a resource, one must examine how existing and proposed impacts affect the resource as a whole from a pre-pumping or pre-impacted condition.”
UNDER PRESSURE
BY THE NUMBERS
150+
Estimated number of highcapacity wells awaiting DNR review that will no longer undergo vigorous environmental review
25%
Of those 161 wells are located in the already strained Central Sands
54%
Increase in high-capacity wells, 2000-2015
70%
Wisconsinites who rely on groundwater for their drinking water
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Wisconsin is at a crossroads
But as more court decisions came down on for our natural resource the side of public rights in waterways, more pressure was placed on the Legislature to proprotection. If we continue tect private business interests. In the 2013 down the path of less budget, a motion was passed to prevent the regulation in the name of type of lawsuit filed by the citizen plaintiffs in the Richfield Dairy case; state law now property rights and prevents citizens from challenging DNR for privatization, our lakes, its failure to consider cumulative impacts in a rivers, streams and wetlands high-capacity well permit action. The latest turn of events is an even greater will continue to be slap in the face to those who have fought for threatened. It is time for more protections of our waterways from unWisconsin to step up and checked groundwater pumping. After several bills on this topic failed to pass last session, protect the resources that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wrote to AG make our state exceptional. Schimel for an opinion about DNR’s role in high-capacity well permitting. Schimel’s response rolls back protections gained through the Lake Beulah and Richfield Dairy court decisions and reduces DNR’s regulation in this area to almost nothing. The AG’s official opinion states that a provision passed in 2011 Act 21 revokes any authority by DNR to consider the impacts of a well to surface waters and revokes any authority to place appropriate conditions on high capacity wells accordingly, except in very narrow circumstances. A month after Schimel’s opinion was released, DNR quietly updated its website to say it would, in fact, take the AG’s recommendations and issue permits with this minimal review approach. DNR will also reconsider the well permits already issued and will likely have to remove many of the conditions they originally required to adequately protect our natural resources. This means that hundreds of high-capacity wells currently in the queue or recently permitted could go online before the end of the summer without any oversight or pumping restrictions by DNR. Some lakes in Wisconsin, such as Long Lake, Huron Lake and Pleasant Lake, are already damaged beyond repair by nearby over-pumping. The DNR’s adoption of the AG’s position will completely reverse the protections won through the Lake Beulah and Richfield Dairy cases. It all but guarantees that lakefront homeowners and the public will have no choice but to watch as their lakes continue to disappear. Moreover, it undermines our constitutional public right to use and enjoy the waters of Wisconsin. Simply put, it takes Wisconsin in the wrong direction on this issue.
CONTINUING THE FIGHT Wisconsin is at a crossroads for our natural resource protection. If we continue down the path of less regulation in the name of property rights and privatization, our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands will continue to be threatened. It is time for Wisconsin to step up and protect the resources that make our state exceptional. It is time to show up for the people of Wisconsin, to protect public rights and to uphold the Public Trust Doctrine. Our history of environmental ethic, natural resource heritage, and Midwestern practicality have shown that we can be leaders on water protections. Both Minnesota and Michigan have put groundwater permitting systems in place that balance the needs of all water users, and it is past time for Wisconsin to do the same. Clean Wisconsin believes it is possible to overcome this challenge, and we will continue to fight to protect public rights in waterways until we do. Summer 2016
Waukesha continued from cover
Phosphorus in our water
Phosphorus pollution is a major issue in our waterways, causing dangerous, smelly algae that harms aquatic ecosystems and prevents Wisconsinites and visitors from enjoying the places we love.
But just how problematic is phosphorus pollution in Wisconsin?
1 pound
of phosphorus can promote the growth of up to
500 pounds of algae
25%
of more than 700 waterbodies on Wisconsin’s impaired waters list fail to meet water quality standards due to phosphorus pollution.
40% of Green Bay, X
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the largest freshwater estuary in the Great Lakes, is covered in algae, creating a dead zone.
Reported number of illnesses related to blue-green algae in Wisconsin waters.
R DANGE E LGA TOXIC A BLOOM
Ways You Can Help!
1 Use organic fertilizers. 2 Manage pet and livestock waste. 3 Use rain barrels. 4 Install rain gardens to absorb nutrients. Lawn Fertilizer
5 Start a watershed team in your community.
BONUS: Join our EMAIL ACTION NETWORK www.cleanwisconsin.org/action-network
Sources www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-agriculture www.cleanwisconsin.org/enviropedia/clean-water/blue-green-algae/ www.extension.umn.edu/environment/shoreland/lake-home-and-cabin-kit/docs/algae.pdf www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/scientists-dead-zone-showing-up-in-green-bay-b9977069z1-219902171.html dnr.wi.gov/news/mediakits/mk_phosphorus.asp
Infographic by Haley Johnson
www.cleanwisconsin.org
states in the west were eyeing Great Lakes water as a way to solve their drought issues. There was also talk of selling Great Lakes water to other regions of the world. These threats were met with a sharp response in the form of the Great Lakes Compact, enacted on a bipartisan basis in all eight Great Lakes states and Congress. The Compact bans water diversions, with limited exceptions for communities straddling the basin divide or in straddling counties provided they meet a very high bar; Clean Wisconsin was a leading group working on passage of the Compact and helped create those high standards. The Compact set up a rigorous review process, making the Great Lakes Governors the ultimate decision-makers, with input from Canadian provinces. A unanimous approval was required; in other words, any Great Lakes Governor could deny a diversion request. The Compact also set up requirements for public input, and required a community to look at all other options before diverting Great Lakes water, including water conservation and efficiency.
WAUKESHA’S REQUEST When Waukesha requested a diversion, it was all hands on deck for this first test of the Compact. We joined with several national and Wisconsin-based environmental and conservation groups to take a critical look at the proposal, hiring engineers and consultants to guide our recommendations. It was that in-depth analysis that pointed to the glaring fact that Waukesha had viable alternatives to Lake Michigan water; the Compact is clear that a community requesting a diversion must prove that it has no reasonable water supply alternatives. Waukesha’s application simply did not meet that test; unfortunately, the Regional Body and Compact Council drew a different conclusion on this issue. We are disappointed in that decision as it now sets a precedent for other communities to make similar requests, but we are also pleased by the significant changes the Compact Council made to the original proposal
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE While Waukesha originally requested an average of 10.1 million gallons per day from Lake Michigan with a daily maximum of 16.7 million gallons per day, the approved diversion allows an average of 8.2 million gallons per day with no daily maximum. In addition, the area Waukesha will be allowed to serve with Lake Michigan water is much smaller than the area initially proposed. Waukesha had requested to include significant areas of surrounding communities in an expanded water supply service area, which Clean Wisconsin and many others argued from the beginning was contrary to the requirements of the Great Lakes Compact. Waukesha based its request not only on current need, but also the needs they might have in the future due to continued development in those surrounding communities, which the Compact clearly does not allow for. While we applaud the decision-makers and their staff for their serious review and willingness to listen, we still believe, based on the rigorous, independent engineering studies we commissioned, Waukesha had other alternatives to Lake Michigan water.
WHAT’S NEXT? We are still reviewing the details of the decision. If there are no viable legal challenges, the next step for engagement will be a thorough review of the various permits DNR must issue to implement the diversion. Rest assured that Clean Wisconsin and our coalition partners will continue to watchdog both the City of Waukesha and DNR as they implement the diversion based on the Compact Council’s approval and conditions. Effective implementation of the Great Lakes Compact hinges on rigorous enforcement of the conditions the Compact Council approved. While the outcome wasn’t everything we had hoped for, input from over a dozen environmental groups, public testimony at the regional public hearing in Waukesha, and grassroots contacts with governors and Canadian premiers had a positive impact. Citizens submitted nearly 40,000 comments and contacts as part of this process to make it clear that protection of our Great Lakes is the ultimate priority; this overwhelming engagement by members and the public had a huge impact on the outcome and we should be proud we were able to move the bar significantly higher than it would have been had Waukesha’s original proposal been approved, setting a far more dangerous precedent for future diversions. 5
A night with celebrity chefs for |
M I L W A U K E E
|
Thank you to everyone who attended our inaugural Epicurean Evening Milwaukee on the shore of Lake Michigan.
We are so fortunate to have spent a wonderful evening in Milwaukee celebrating our ongoing work across the state to protect and preserve Wisconsin’s air, water and natural heritage.
We could not do this important work for Wisconsin’s environment without your support and generosity!
Also, a huge thank-you to our 2016 Epicurean Evening Milwaukee Chefs
Adam Siegel Lake Park Bistro
Justin Carlisle Ardent
Cole Ersel Wolf Peach
Our Event Sponsors Hoyos Consulting LLC
Chefs Adam Siegel, Justin Carlisle and Cole Ersel with Clean Wisconsin president & CEO Mark Redsten
Natalie Hoyos of sponsor Hoyos Consulting takes a chance at the wine pull
Board member Liz Feder shares take-home sweets from Madison’s Infusion Chocolates with guests
Guests taking a chance at our popular wine pull Sponsor Rishi Tea’s G & Tea cocktail Co-host Eric Paulsen shows off his juggling skills with Mariah Haberman at the Bobber Stop
The second course by Chef Cole Ersel featured trout from Rushing Waters in Palmyra
POLICY IN ACTION
Innovative adaptive management and water quality trading projects are collaborative solutions to Wisconsin’s growing water quality issues By Scott Laeser, Water Quality Specialist
Wisconsin is rich in water resources that support our lifestyle and economy. Unfortunately, many of our waterways have been impaired due to excessive phosphorus runoff. Found in lawn and farm fertilizers and cow manure, phosphorus feeds algae, especially dangerous blue-green algae, which is dangerous to human health. In 2010, Clean Wisconsin worked diligently to help pass a precedent-setting rules package that enables farmers and municipalities to work together to implement strategies that reduce phosphorus pollution. With these tools in hand, communities, farmers, landowners, businesses, treatment plants and more are coming together throughout Wisconsin to engage in projects to reduce phosphorus runoff which will, in time, improve the quality of our important waterways.
HERE ARE THOSE PROJECTS.
1
YAHARA WINS ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROJECT
6
STATUS: PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF PLAN FROM DNR
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Led by the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, this adaptive management project was one of the first in the state and is the largest effort to date. The project involves 23 municipal participants from the greater Madison area, including communities as far south as Stoughton and Oregon, and will eventually result in annual phosphorus reductions of over 100,000 lbs. to the Yahara River.
2
STATUS: PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF PLAN FROM DNR
LODI ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROJECT STATUS: DNR REVIEWING PLAN
The city of Lodi recently submitted its adaptive management plan to the DNR, which is evaluating the project. Spring Creek runs through Lodi and into Lake Wisconsin, and this project will work to improve barnyards in the watershed and install other practices on the land to reduce phosphorus runoff into the stream by 700 to 1,000 lbs. 8
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1
2
OCONOMOWOC ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROJECT The city of Oconomowoc submitted the first adaptive management plan in Wisconsin to the DNR in early 2015. Led by the city of Oconomowoc and involving both its municipal wastewater treatment facility and its stormwater management department, the project hopes to remove over 9,000 lbs. of phosphorus annually from the Oconomowoc River. In the first full year of implementation, over 15 landowners in the watershed are already actively engaged in installing or planning projects to reduce phosphorus runoff.
3
7
3
4
DANE-IOWA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROJECT STATUS: PLAN IN DEVELOPMENT
Serving the villages of Mazomanie and Black Earth, the Dane-Iowa WWTF will work to further improve Black Earth Creek, a well-known trout stream in western Dane County that has already received significant resources to improve water quality. Outreach to landowners in the community has already begun as the facility is working to pull together its plan.
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BAKER CHEESE COMPANY WATER QUALITY TRADE
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SPARTA WATER QUALITY TRADING PROJECT
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DEVIL’S LAKE WATER QUALITY TRADING PROJECT
STATUS: TRADE COMPLETED AND PERMITTED AS OF OCTOBER 2015
In the fall of 2015, Baker Cheese Company outside of Fond du Lac completed the state’s first fully permitted water quality trade. The company bought and restored 20 acres of farmland near the operation to native prairie and will manage the land to bring phosphorus-containing runoff to near zero. STATUS: PLAN SUBMITTED TO DNR, TRADING PROJECTS BEING IMPLEMENTED
The city of Sparta is working to restore eroded streambanks in the village as well as investing in agricultural best management and urban stormwater runoff projects for its water quality trading program. Some projects, like over 600 feet of streambank improvement, have already been completed, while others are continuing. STATUS: PLAN UNDER DEVELOPMENT
The project is still early in development, but will result in the restoration of agricultural land to native ecosystems around Devil’s Lake State Park and the eventual addition of lands to the park. Summer 2016
Zika virus has been in the news recently with the outbreak over the last year and the upcoming Olympic Games in Brazil, the center of the outbreak. Luckily, experts do not expect to find the mosquitoes carrying the virus here in Wisconsin. Our cold winters keep Wisconsin well north of the estimated range of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito most likely to transmit the Zika virus. Aedes albopictus, another species likely to transmit Zika, is more tolerant of cold weather, but its estimated range barely reaches into very southern Wisconsin. However, this could change in the future as the climate warms, making northern areas more hospitable to these mosquitoes, which also carry other diseases such as Dengue fever. Broadly speaking, warmer temperatures enable northward expansion of mosquito ranges by increasing overwinter survival. They also increase disease transmission by speeding up mosquito larval development and increasing the feeding rates of adult mosquitoes. The incubation time of a virus inside of a mosquito is also reduced by warmer temperatures, making it more likely to be transmitted before the mosquito host dies. While Wisconsin is not currently home to these species, it is home to more than 50 other mosquito species that can interfere with enjoying the outdoors this summer. With all the different products available that claim to reduce mosquito bites, it is hard to know what actually works. Fortunately, the UW-Madison Medical Entomology Lab maintains an informative website (labs.russell.wisc.edu/mosquitosite) summarizing the science-based information on preventing mosquito bites; there is also a companion site about ticks and tick bite prevention. Using information from this website as well as some more recent published studies, here’s a summary of what works and what doesn’t based on laboratory and field studies.
WHAT WORKS:
SURVIVING MOSQUITO SEASON What science says works — and doesn’t work — to repel mosquitoes By Paul Mathewson Staff Scientist
Under the Lens
• Repellents with DEET as the active ingredient consistently performed best in terms of bite prevention and protection duration. The concentration of DEET affects protection, with less than 20% DEET providing sufficient protection for a couple hours; more than 20% needed for longer exposure. • Picaridin is a chemical alternative that has been found to perform comparably to DEET and won’t damage plastic materials. IR3535 is another alternative that may or may not perform as well as DEET (different studies have shown different results). • For those looking for something more natural, lemon eucalyptus oil-based repellents (the active ingredient may be listed as “PMD” or “Citriodiol”) have been shown to be effective alternatives to DEET, but should not be used with children under 3 years old. • If it happens to be your scent of choice, one study found Victoria Secret’s “Bombshell” perfume can be an effective repellent for up to two hours. • Geraniol-based candles and diffusers have been found to provide moderate protection.
WHAT DOESN’T WORK: • • • • •
Citronella-based products have been well studied but not shown to be effective alternatives. Vitamin B tablets and skin patches Eating garlic Sonic, ultrasonic and electronic repellent devices Carbon dioxide-baited mosquito traps do capture mosquitoes, but do not reduce the number of mosquito bites due to the sheer number of mosquitoes. Repellents based on soybean oil or geraniol have not been thoroughly tested, but existing studies have reported mixed results. Finally, two studies have found that alcohol consumption increased a person’s attractiveness to mosquitoes.
Legislative Leader Profile Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) has long been a champion of clean water and energy issues in the State Legislature. Cowles is known for his ability to balance environmental protection with economic development for our state and values his role as a leader in natural resource protection. As Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee this session, Cowles has been heavily involved in most of the environmental proposals forwarded in recent years. “We’ve been able to vastly improve several of the natural resources bills that came before our committee this session by working with stakeholders to find solutions that protect our environment and natural resources,” he said. “I am especially proud that we were able to continue to protect Wisconsin’s waters while balancing the needs of businesses and property owners.” Cowles was the author of a Clean Wisconsin priority bill this session to ban the sale and manufacture of microbeads in personal care products. “Getting these potentially harmful plastic beads out of our waterbodies was a priority due to the potential human health impacts,” said Cowles. “Highlighting microbead pollution in Great Lakes states ultimately helped lead to a nationwide ban.” Cowles also authored a bill to restore funding to the recycling program. While ultimately unsuccessful, Cowles also launched an effort to comprehensively tackle the treatment of high-capacity wells. “I wanted to bring balance to this issue and make sure our waters are protected along with the economic interests of industries that depend on water.” He introduced the concept of sensitive resource areas (SRAs), which could require different management strategies to protect areas experiencing water quantity problems. “The concept of SRAs is good for Wisconsin.” Prior to serving in the Legislature, Cowles worked in the alternative energy field. Cowles is also a board member of the National Conference of Environmental Legislators and a member of Trout Unlimited. “Representing a Senate District that borders Lake Michigan and includes several lakes, streams and tributaries gives me a deep understanding of the state’s water resource issues,” Cowles says. www.cleanwisconsin.org
Sen. Rob Cowles 2nd Senate District R-Green Bay office phone: 608-266-0484 sen.cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov
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DON’T DELAY! Get your tickets today!
A night with celebrity chefs for
Join us for an evening of local food, first-rate cocktails and fun at
Epicurean Evening Madison,
our 3rd annual celebrity chef gala benefitting our statewide work to protect and preserve Wisconsin’s air, water and natural heritage! Our 2016 Epicurean Evening Madison Chefs
Michael Pruett Cento
Phillip Hurley Sardine
John Gadau Sardine
Nick Johnson Francesco Mangano 1847 at Stamm House Osteria Papavero
Thursday, October 6 Monona Terrace, Madison This must-attend culinary event features a wine pull, live and silent auctions, and our ever-popular cocktail hour with specialty drinks by local mixologists.
Epicurean Evening has been one of the most anticipated culinary events in Madison the last two years!
GET TICKETS OR BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY Tickets are $150 per person or $1,200 per table of 8
www.wisconsinepicureanevening.org
Executive Chef Sponsor Front of House Sponsors Hoyos Consulting LLC
Be part of this list! See www.wisconsinepicureanevening.org/sponsors or contact Angela Cao, acao@cleanwisconsin.org, 608-251-7020 x17