On:
In: Collaboration, Latest News, News
Points North: The Iceman Giveth, The Iceman Taketh

By Ellie Katz

Points North is a biweekly podcast about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes.

This episode was shared here with permission from Interlochen Public Radio. 

Every November, mountain bikers flock to the woods of northern Michigan for the Iceman Cometh Challenge, a 30-mile mountain bike race that starts at a small town airport, cuts through steep forested hills, and ends at a campground.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/points-north-the-iceman-giveth-the-iceman-taketh/

Interlochen Public Radio

On:
In: Daily News

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow delivered her farewell speech to the U.S. Senate Wednesday before the end of her last term, capping off a career spanning nearly 50 years. Stabenow highlighted her accomplishments that were made in that time, including preserving the Great Lakes. Read the full story by WXMI-TV – Grand Rapids, MI.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-stabenow-farewell

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

A new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists argues that farmers can play a key role in protecting and restoring wetlands in the Upper Midwest. A key solution lies in the farm bill, specifically in strengthening policies that encourage farmers to take part in conservation, restoration, and sustainability efforts. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-farmer-wetland-protection

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $15.5 million contract to Miami Marine Services to prepare the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois, for the installation of defenses to keep invasive carp from getting into the Great Lakes. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-invasive-carp-prevention

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is among seven communities along Lake Michigan to receive portions of nearly $3 million in funding to develop plans for strengthening shorelines against flooding, erosion, loss of natural landscapes and climate change impacts. Read the full story by the Sheboygan Press.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-resilience-funding

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

For 25 years, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw has been buoying spirits by making a voyage from northern Michigan to Chicago, hauling a load of Christmas cheer. On Saturday morning at Chicago’s Navy Pier, 1,200 Christmas trees will be ceremonially unloaded, placed on trucks, and ultimately delivered to Chicago families in need. Read the full story by The Detroit News.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-christmas-ship

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

Grounded for over a week, the Algoma Central ship – Tim S. Dool – remained lodged on a shoal near Crysler Marina, east of Morrisburg, Ontario, on Thursday. Recovery efforts have so far failed to budge the ship. Read the full story by the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-ship-grounded

James Polidori

On:
In: Daily News

Alexander Cook holiday cards have been a big seller at the National Museum of the Great Lakes shop in Toledo, Ohio, for more than 50 years. After Cook’s death at the age of 99 in January, museum staff found a painting he’d done in 1985; it will be used as this year’s card to honor Cook’s decades of devotion to helping preserve the lakes he loved. Read the full story by WTVG-TV – Toledo, OH.

Original Article

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Commission

https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20241206-art-legacy

James Polidori

On:
In: Members

Support River Alliance with a year-end contribution: a note from Ken Bradbury

Wisconsin is a water state. But water doesn’t know the boundaries of towns, counties, or state lines. Water is an ebbing and flowing thing, and managing the water we share takes a great deal of communication, planning, science, and leadership.

When we need a strong advocate for clean and plentiful water, we can look to River Alliance of Wisconsin to be a leader to combine technical expertise with people power.

My firsthand experience with River Alliance’s work was during debates over water management in the Central Sands region of Wisconsin. Droughts had plagued the area, lake and river levels dramatically dropped, and farms that pumped high-capacity wells for irrigation strained the limited water resources.

River Alliance was a strong advocate for good water management in the Central Sands. When local government and state legislators held hearings, the testimony of River Alliance staff and the community members they supported were critical in persuading leaders and water groups to take action. River Alliance supported the use of groundwater modeling tools created by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and U.S. Geological Survey, reminding people that these are scientific tools to use and help guide decision makers.

In Central Wisconsin, River Alliance members and staff used their understanding of science, politics and policy making, and leadership development at the local level to bring people together around a common goal of protecting water.

Next, we need to tackle PFAS contamination in our state. River Alliance of Wisconsin is pushing for our state to have better standards that limit pollution in our groundwater and drinking water. These standards have to evolve along with our better understanding of toxins, where they come from, and how to limit them in our environment.

We’ve seen toxins in our environment before. When we needed to confront problems with agrichemicals such as aldicarb and atrazine, we used the best science we had available. We were told that regulating or eliminating those chemicals would destroy agriculture, but it didn’t. Limiting or eliminating PFAS chemicals in our water isn’t impossible, but it will be one of the most challenging antipollution efforts we’ve ever faced. Advocating for legislative action to address PFAS pollution is one of River Alliance’s top policy priorities for 2025.

Join me in supporting River Alliance with a gift today that will be matched by a group of fellow water advocates to support River Alliance’s work to address Wisconsin’s PFAS contamination problems and ensure our waters are clean and safe.

Donate today

River Alliance is dedicated to solving the most serious, systemic water challenges. But the organization also knows how to have fun.

I joined fellow River Rats on a paddle on the Black River this summer and it was fantastic. The river trip was a great way to meet people, raise consciousness about our state’s water resources, and enjoy what unique sights the river had to offer. I got to discover new places, having never been on that stretch of the Black River before. I hope to take another paddle trip with River Alliance in the future.

Thanks so much for being an advocate for Wisconsin’s water. Your support with a generous year-end gift helps River Alliance continue to protect and restore our waters for everyone who calls Wisconsin home.

For our waters,
Ken Bradbury
Hydrogeologist and former State Geologist

The post Support River Alliance with a year-end contribution: a note from Ken Bradbury appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Original Article

Blog - River Alliance of WI

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/year-end-donations-2024/

Allison Werner

On:
In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, great lakes news collaborative, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Ontario, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Spotlight on complexity of bottled water issues, as BlueTriton exits Ontario

Activist group, Water Watchers, had reason to celebrate last month when water bottler BlueTriton announced it will cease operations in Puslinch, Ontario in January, 2025. The group’s website beamed “We Won” and said the exit was a “historic win for water justice.”

To get a better understanding of the issues surrounding bottled water in Ontario, Canada, Great Lakes Now contacted Arlene Slocombe, executive director of Water Watchers and McMaster University Professor, Dawn Martin-Hill and founder of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/spotlight-on-complexity-of-bottled-water-issues-as-bluetriton-exits-ontario/

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Other topics

Summary

The Senior Agriculture Policy Manager (Manager) works to combat one of the most critical unmet water quality challenges in the Great Lakes.  They plan and execute policy analysis, advocacy, and project implementation under the Source Water sections of the Alliance’s strategy. The Manager implements work across the Basin – with a particular emphasis in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin – to achieve the Alliance’s agriculture and water goals. They are the lead liaison to state and local decision-makers, project partners, and stakeholders across the Alliance’s focus states. The Manager maintains a working knowledge of Great Lakes agriculture and source water programs and policies as they affect the Great Lakes and uses that knowledge to recommend new opportunities within the Alliance’s programs. The Manager ensures timely and high-quality execution of relevant Alliance strategic plan deliverables, and partners with a variety of other staff members to support internal work planning, external communications, grant proposals, and reports.

A typical workday at the Alliance is often self-directed and is based on balancing immediate tasks – drafting comments on land application rules in Ohio – and longer-term projects within the Source Water Program like understanding trends in water quality monitoring data in Western Basin of Lake Erie headwaters. These short-term and longer-ranging projects and tasks are developed in close coordination with the Source Water Policy Director based on the goals under the Alliance’s strategic plan, but the Manager is afforded the flexibility and autonomy to develop their own approach to advance these goals on a day-to-day basis. Our policy work is highly collaborative, and the Manager should feel comfortable engaging – independently – with legislative offices and agency staff as well as facilitating meetings with stakeholders and partners on a regular basis.  

The Manager position can be based in any of the Great Lakes states but a preference is given to those candidates based within the state of Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.  

Responsibilities

Planning & Policy 

  • Work in collaboration with the Source Water Policy Director (Director), to assist with the implementation of policy, governance, and funding mechanisms to support the reduction of agricultural pollution across the Great Lakes region.   
  • Manage relationships with state administrations, lawmakers, and regulatory agencies -including tracking relevant legislation and administrative programs. 
  • Identify emerging issues and programmatic reform opportunities to improve surface and groundwater quality in the Great Lakes Basin with particular emphasis on Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. 
  • In coordination with the Director, assist in advancing policy and advocacy efforts across the Great Lakes Basin. 
  • Identify trends in mission areas, create fundable concepts, and leverage work and ideas for increased organizational impact related to agricultural pollution reduction. 

Outreach 

  • Build issue-focused networks of key stakeholders.  
  • Be a leadership voice for the Alliance and for the Great Lakes across the region. 
  • Create and conduct external outreach opportunities, such as public speaking, conferences, and presentations. 
  • Serve as an Alliance liaison to the broader environmental community, identifying advocacy and partnership opportunities and engaging other Alliance staff as appropriate. 
  • Work with the Communications and Engagement team to determine and take advantage of opportunities to communicate to the media and Alliance supporters about the Alliance’s work in the Great Lakes Basin. 

Administrative 

  • Assist in the development of short- and long-term work plans.  
  • Create opportunities to add strategic capacity to Alliance work through affiliate programs, fellowships, and staff recruitment when possible. 
  • Contribute content to grant proposals and reports 

Knowledge/Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree, graduate degree preferred, with at least seven years of increasing professional experience in agriculture and or water policy analysis, natural resources management, government affairs, natural resources management, or similar field. 
  • Specific knowledge of state and federal agricultural and water quality policies and programs. 
  • Working knowledge of agronomy and on-farm nutrient management.
  • Familiarity with the process of policy development and advocacy as well as addressing the barriers and opportunities for policy implementation to be successful.    
  • Excellent diplomacy skills – the ability to read and respond productively to the needs of different stakeholders at any time is essential. 
  • Ability to communicate a working knowledge of Great Lakes issues with confidence to diverse audiences. 
  • Excellent listening, writing, and speaking skills. Must be able to speak publicly in a clear, compelling, and engaging manner. 
  • Able to identify and engage target constituencies that are most likely to have an affinity for the Great Lakes and motivate them to act on that affinity.  
  • Desire and ability to both lead and work as part of a staff team located in different offices with varying types of expertise and priorities. 
  • Ability to pivot strategies and tactics to an ever-changing policy landscape. 
  • Unwavering commitment to diversity, equity inclusion, and justice. Adhere to and exemplify these principles in addition to our values of community, relationships, courage, integrity, and optimism in everyday practice

Job Parameters

  • This position is full-time and consistent with Alliance employment policy. The Alliance has defined salary ranges that are evaluated annually, and it is customary for candidates to join at the lower half of the range to leave room for learning and development in the role. It is uncommon for starting salaries to fall above the mid-point. This position is considered a senior-level manager, and the salary range for this position begins at $80,000. A final salary will be based on the candidate’s experience in similar roles and expertise related to the qualifications.
  • Benefits include medical, dental, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, FSA, 12-week paid parental leave and 11 paid holidays plus the business days between 12/26 and 12/30 (staff who must work on any holidays may take those holidays at another time subject to the employee handbook). Employees start with 3 weeks’ vacation annually + 5 sick days; Fidelity 401(k) with a match of up to 6% of salary after one month of employment.
  • This position can work remotely from anywhere in the Great Lakes region, with a preference in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. If located in the Chicagoland area, applicants can work from and host meetings at the Alliance’s downtown Chicago office. This position must have the ability to attend evening and weekend meetings when necessary. Applicants must also be able to travel locally with occasional overnight travel required.

Application Process

Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references and writing sample to: hr@greatlakes.org. Include job title in the subject line.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Materials should be compatible with Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of their materials and further guidance and updates about the hiring process by e-mail, with interviews provided for finalists. No phone inquiries please.

About the Alliance for the Great Lakes

The Alliance for the Great Lakes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The search process will reinforce the Alliance’s belief that achieving diversity requires an enduring commitment to inclusion that must find full expression in our organizational culture, values, norms, and behaviors.

Our vision is a thriving Great Lakes and healthy water that all life can rely on, today and far into the future. We aspire to be a voice for the lakes, and to support the voices of the communities that depend on the lakes and their waters.

The mission of the Alliance for the Great Lakes is to protect, conserve and restore the Great Lakes ensuring healthy water in the lakes and in our communities for all generations of people and wildlife. We advance our mission as advocates for policies that support the lakes and communities, by building the research, analysis and partnerships that motivate action, and by educating and uniting people as a voice for the Great Lakes.  

To achieve our vision and mission, everyone in our organization will live our values of Community, Relationships, Courage, Integrity and Optimism, and weave the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion into all our work. Each value and principle is backed by measurable goals and expectations for our Board of Directors and staff. 

 For more information about the Alliance’s programs and work, please visit us online at www.greatlakes.org.

The post Senior Agriculture Policy Manager appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/12/senior-agriculture-policy-manager-2/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Invasive species in ballast water

US House of Representatives Must Vote Next for Critical Legislation 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Don Carr, Media Director, Alliance for the Great Lakes dcarr@greatlakes.org 

WASHINGTON DC (December 5, 2024) Last evening the United States Senate passed in a bipartisan vote the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024. The legislation, critical to the continued health of the Great Lakes and the communities and economies they support, now heads to the House of Representatives where supporters hope it will pass before the end of the session.  

In 2010, Congress established the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to allow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with other federal agencies, states, local governments and tribes, to fund projects to restore and protect the Great Lakes. GLRI projects clean up toxic legacy pollution near major urban areas, reduce agriculture runoff pollution threatening drinking water supplies, reestablishes habitat for plants and animal species and prevents the establishment and spread of harmful invasive species. 

“This is exactly the kind of federal legislation that Congress should be passing,” said Don Jodrey Alliance for the Great Lakes Director of Federal Relations. “The GLRI is bi-partisan, uncontroversial, and has a demonstrative positive rate of economic return. For every federal dollar spent it generates three dollars in economic activity.” 

“We’ve made progress on cleaning up industrial pollution, but sites with legacy pollution still linger. And the lakes are now facing a host of challenges from our rapidly warming atmosphere including more intense storms that are already overwhelming water infrastructure across the region. For those reasons, and many more, the Alliance is urging swift, bi-partisan passage of the GLRI in the US House of Representatives,” Jodrey added.  

Much of the GLRI’s efforts is to remove toxic legacy pollution at the 25 remaining Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). These are the region’s most contaminated sites and a legacy of industrial development, prior to the Clean Water Act, when toxic pollution was dumped unabated into our lakes, rivers, and harbors. Six AOC’s have already been delisted thanks to the GLRI, and the actions necessary to delist 10 additional AOCs have also been completed.   

Since 2010, the GLRI has built an impressive record of success. It has funded more than 7,563 individual projects totaling $3.7 billion thereby greatly improving the quality of life in the region. Pollution from local industry, particularly PCBs from a paper mill, resulted in the toxic sediments in the Manistique River in the city of Manistique, Michigan. In 2020, GLRI federal agencies and their partners began the process of removing mill debris and remediating over 50,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from the Manistique site. GLRI funding assisted the Invasive Mussel Collaborative and its partners in an experiment to determine if a molluscicide treatment would reduce quagga mussel density on a reef in Good Harbor Bay in Lake Michigan near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The testing resulted in a 95% reduction in mussel density.  

In May 2020, GLRI funding assisted in constructing an aquatic nuisance species barrier at a 5-mile stretch along the Ohio and Erie Canal towpath near Akron, Ohio. The barrier prevents the transfer of ecosystem-destroying invasive carp between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, protecting small businesses that rely on recreation and tourism. In 2021, over 4 million cisco (or lake herring) were stocked in Lake Huron as part of a rehabilitation program begun in 2018 in Saginaw Bay, Michigan. Once abundant throughout the Great Lakes, cisco populations flatlined due to overfishing and invasive species. The GLRI is also funding work to address toxic legacy pollution in a 45 mile stretch of Ohio’s Cuyahoga River that EPA designated as an Area of Concern in 1987. This is the river that famously caught fire in 1969. The river’s overall water quality is improving because of these investments.  

### 

The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes. 

Keeping Invasive Species Out of the Great Lakes

Once invasive species are established in the Great Lakes, it is nearly impossible to remove them. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes.

Learn More

The post US Senate Passes Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Reauthorization  appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Original Article

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/12/us-senate-passes-great-lakes-restoration-initiative-reauthorization/

Michelle Farley

On:
In: Latest News, News

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

Tucked about a mile offshore from Lake Michigan, in Charlevoix County, sits Norwood Centennial Farms.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/protection-of-wetlands-could-come-down-to-farmers-says-a-new-report/

Interlochen Public Radio

On:
In: Agriculture, Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, In your yard, Outreach and Education, Shoreline Blog, volunteer opportunity

Winter Sowing for a Healthier Fox-Wolf Watershed

We’re thrilled to share our latest video: Winter Sowing Hack: Grow Native Plants and Protect Water Quality! It’s your guide to making a meaningful impact on water quality and supporting local ecosystems—all from the comfort of your backyard.

Winter sowing is an easy and beginner-friendly method for growing native plants during the colder months. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this approach is perfect for all skill levels.

Here’s what you’ll learn in the video:

The Power of Native Plants
Discover why native plants are vital for clean water, pollinator health, and thriving ecosystems.

Step-by-Step Winter Sowing Guide
We’ll walk you through how to start your seeds using simple materials like milk jugs and markers.

Best Native Plants for Wisconsin and the Fox-Wolf Watershed
Get our top recommendations for plants that are perfect for our local environment.

By adding native plants to your garden, you’re creating a ripple effect that benefits pollinators, enhances natural beauty, and protects water quality across the Fox-Wolf Watershed.

Together, we can make a difference—one milk jug at a time.

👉 Watch the video here!

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more ways to protect and sustain our waters. Let’s sow the seeds for a healthier future!

The post New Video: Winter Sowing for Native Plants and Cleaner Waters appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2024/12/05/winter-sowing-wisconsin-native-plants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=winter-sowing-wisconsin-native-plants

Dan Beckwith

On:
In: Drinking Water

Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: what Wisconsin can do to protect water

December 16 is the 50th anniversary of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. A broad coalition of local and statewide environmental and public health advocacy groups came together this week to ask legislators for meaningful action to protect the drinking water of Wisconsinites.

Together, we gathered the facts, made our case, and asked for three avenues of policy change for our drinking water, from investing in public water infrastructure, to removing barriers from groundwater standards and future-oriented pollution prevention steps.

These actionable steps are things we can do at the state level. It’s our responsibility to ensure clean drinking water is available to all Wisconsinites: urban or rural, rich or poor. Without clean water, our economy, our lives and our future are at risk. 

 

Wisconsin legislators:

No matter who we are or where we live, all of us want to live in communities where we can turn on the tap and know the water coming out of it is safe to drink – both for us, and the people we love.

Fifty years ago, Republican President Gerald Ford signed the Safe Drinking Water Act into law, which promised to protect our drinking water. Fast forward to today, and it is clear: Wisconsin has not used the Safe Drinking Water Act to fully protect our communities.

Across the state, tens of thousands of Wisconsinites are still forced to protect themselves and their families from harmful contaminants by relying on five-gallon water jugs for everyday tasks like brushing their teeth, washing dishes, mixing baby formula, and preparing meals. PFAS, lead, and nitrate contamination are of particular concern due to their impact on our health across a wide range of Wisconsin communities.

Across our state, local community leaders are working hard to address these challenges and provide safe drinking water to their neighbors, but they need help from our state leaders.

Proactively tackling these issues with statewide investments would better-protect public health, and it would also save us up to $2.04 billion annually by helping families avoid the healthcare expenses associated with PFAS, lead, and nitrate contamination.

Without statewide investments, water utilities will either need to delay needed upgrades that leave families vulnerable to contamination, or substantially raise water rates to cover costs. This could make it even harder for Wisconsin families to pay their utility bills, a particularly concerning prospect when those same families are the ones facing contamination-related health costs.

Using the $4 billion surplus, we urge you to make a substantive investment in our drinking water infrastructure. Specifically, we recommend the following:

1. Support $953 Million for Our Public Water Infrastructure. The Safe Drinking Water Loan Program and the Clean Water Fund Program provide affordable financial assistance to municipalities for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects that protect public health and ensure compliance with state and federal standards. These are low-interest, revolving loan programs with some allowances for principal forgiveness based on community need and wealth. While they are receiving a boost in funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it is not nearly enough. EPA estimates Wisconsin will need $11.75 billion in water infrastructure investments over the next 20 years. However, given the local government levy limit and municipal debt limit constraints, communities are hesitant to take on additional debt. Investing grant money into our revolving loan programs will save us money in the long-term by preventing negative health impacts, and supporting more green stormwater infrastructure projects which mitigate costly flooding and improve water quality. We urge you to match the funding coming into these programs from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by supporting at least $953 million in water infrastructure grant funding for the 2025-27 biennium.

2. Support Policy Changes That Protect Private Well Owners. Approximately one-third of Wisconsinites rely on groundwater from private wells for their drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Act has no jurisdiction over groundwater standards and therefore provides no protection or financial support for these Wisconsinites. Additionally, Wisconsin’s mechanism for setting health-based standards is broken, constrained by 2017 Wisconsin Act 57. This legislation prevents Wisconsin decision makers from finalizing public health-based standards based on their health and economic benefits. These barriers are evidenced by the Department of Natural Resources inability to finalize nearly 50 standards. We urge you to remove 2017 Wisconsin Act 57 as a barrier to protecting our communities.

3. Support Preventative Action. We cannot afford to continue poisoning our water, cleaning it up, and repeating that cycle. Preventing these contaminants from getting into our environment better protects the people we love, and saves us money on our utility bills. We urge you to support phasing out the use of PFAS in non-essential consumer products as several states have already done, allowing local rental inspection programs that ensure apartments are free from lead, and funding pay-for-performance programs that reward hard-working farmers who effectively prevent nitrate contamination.

We owe it to every Wisconsinite to address the unfulfilled promises of the Safe Drinking Water Act and to deliver long overdue relief to communities impacted by contaminants like PFAS, lead, and nitrate. We welcome any opportunity to work with you to help make it happen.

Thank you,
Signed:

Peter Burress, Government Affairs Manager
Wisconsin Conservation Voters

Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger

Dean Hoegger, President & Executive Director
Clean Water Action Council of NE Wisconsin

Shyquetta Mcelroy, Executive Director
COLE Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Project

Sharon Adams, Interim Executive Director
Community Water Services

Mike Bahrke, Executive Director
Door County Environmental Council

Janet Pritchard, 
Director of Water Infrastructure Policy
Environmental Policy Innovation Center

Mandi McAlister, Co-Executive Director
Fair Future Movement

Alexander Malchow,Wisconsin Policy Coordinator
Faith in Place

Christine Reid, Secretary
Friends of the Forestville Dam, Inc

Charles Carlin, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts

Jenelle Ludwig-Krause, Executive Director
GROWW

Debra Cronmiller, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

Diane Sixel, President
Learning Disabilities Association of Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Director
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin

Tony Wilkin Gibart, Executive Director
Midwest Environmental Advocates

Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper
Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Joe Fitzgerald, Policy and Advocacy Manager
Milwaukee Water Commons

Eric Rempala, Director/Content Editor
Oneida County Clean Waters Action

Allison Werner, Executive Director
River Alliance of Wisconsin

Kathy Allen, Chair
Sierra Club – Coulee Region Group

Jenny Abel, Chair
Sierra Club Great Waters Group

Elizabeth Ward, Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Wisconsin

Cindy Boyle, Secretary
S0H20

Mike Kuhr, Advocacy Chair
Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited

Cristina Carvajal, Executive Director
Wisconsin EcoLatinos

Beth Neary, MD, Co-President
Wisconsin Environmental Health Network

Meleesa Johnson, Executive Director
Wisconsin’s Green Fire, Inc

Michael Engleson, Executive Director
Wisconsin Lakes

Cody Kamrowski, Executive Director
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

David Liners, Organizer
WISDOM

The post Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: what Wisconsin can do to protect water appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Original Article

Blog - River Alliance of WI

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/sdwa-anniversary-letter/

Allison Werner

On:
In: Energy News Roundup, Latest News, News
Energy News Roundup: Bad news for rooftop solar customers

Customers who paid Sun Badger Solar for installations that never came won’t get a refund — at least for now. The Wisconsin-based company’s limited remaining assets will instead be used to cover a fraction of its employees’ unpaid wages. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce development expects to receive about $126,000 to go toward employee compensation.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/energy-news-roundup-bad-news-for-rooftop-solar-customers/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Uncategorized
While the heavier snow showers have departed northeast Wisconsin, untreated roadways will likely remain slippery or even icy this evening as temperatures fall into the teens and lower 20s. Use caution while traveling and remain alert rapidly changing road conditions this evening.

Original Article

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.c274e6488cce9650eb847d731ed8633ea6cd7bbb.001.1.cap

NWS

On:
In: Uncategorized
* WHAT...Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. * WHERE...Waushara, Calumet, Winnebago, Brown, Outagamie, and Waupaca Counties. * WHEN...Until 9 PM CST this evening. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The strong winds combined with snow showers will lead to rapid reductions of visibilities below 1/2 miles at times through early this evening.

Original Article

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.1e6cf3763b26594a282d34b6851a2cbaa09024b7.001.1.cap

NWS

On:
In: Latest News, Michigan, News
Deep in the UP, an abandoned mine could offer hope for green energy fights

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/abandoned-mine-green-energy-fights/

Bridge Michigan

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Conditions are favorable for brief, heavy snow showers over the next 2 the 3 hours. These showers are embedded within a broader area of light snow. These heavy snow showers could result in a rapid increase in snow intensity, lowered visibility to a quarter mile or less, and wind gusts up to 40 mph and blowing snow. If driving, be alert for sudden changes in road conditions and exercise winter driving precautions. Any heavy snow showers would last about 15 to 45 minutes and then depart.

Original Article

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.4ded99e23a4b42415f4ad443bd511bd9edeeb66a.001.1.cap

NWS

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In: invasive carp

Chicago, IL (December 4, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, announced they had awarded the first construction contract for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project on November 27. The Brandon Road project is a partnership between USACE and the States of Illinois and Michigan that is designed to prevent invasive carp from getting into the Great Lakes. The barrier is a major priority for the Alliance for the Great Lakes, which hailed the construction announcement:  

“By moving ahead with construction in a timely manner, the Army Corp of Engineers and the states of Illinois and Michigan clearly recognize the threat invasive carp pose to the Great Lakes,” said Molly Flanagan, Alliance for the Great Lakes Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Programs. “The Alliance appreciates their continued dedication to stopping invasive carp from wreaking havoc on the Great Lakes.” 

Using the Illinois River and other waterways to expand their territory, invasive carp pose a significant threat to the ecological and economic health of Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes. Invasive carp have already wreaked havoc on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. They cause serious damage to native fish populations because they out-compete other fish for food. Silver carp jump into the air when startled, posing the risk of serious injury to people and making infested waters off-limits to boating. Great Lakes communities and industries would be deeply harmed if invasive carp get into the Great Lakes and their tributaries and inland lakes. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam was identified as the crucial pinch point where layered technologies could be used to stop invasive carp populations from moving into the Great Lakes.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes has helped conceptualize the project and pushed at the state and federal levels to secure funding, complete engineering work, and keep the project moving forward. Advocates at the Alliance have been pushing for the project since the early 2000s.

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Contact: Don Carr, Media Director, Alliance for the Great Lakes, dcarr@greatlakes.org

More about Invasive Carp

Read more about the invasive carp approaching Lake Michigan and the Brandon Road project designed to stop them.

Read More

The post Construction to Begin on Brandon Road Invasive Carp Barrier appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

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News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

News - Alliance for the Great Lakes

https://greatlakes.org/2024/12/construction-to-begin-on-brandon-road-invasive-carp-barrier/

Judy Freed

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Light snow is expected across central and east-central Wisconsin this afternoon. Embedded within the lighter snow, conditions are favorable for some brief, heavy snow showers. This could result in a rapid increase in snow intensity, lowered visibility to half a mile or less, and wind gusts up to 40 mph and blowing snow. If driving, be alert for sudden changes in road conditions and exercise winter driving precautions. Any heavy snow showers would last 30 to 60 minutes and then depart.

Original Article

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

Current watches, warnings, and advisories for Brown County (WIC009) WI

https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.819d7ccc52176bb1225651a1428f5f7549618908.001.1.cap

NWS