Worst budget in a decade

For Immediate Release: July 9, 2021

Media contact: Gregg May, 1000 Friends of WI - Transportation Policy Director, 402-707-7379, gregg@1kfriends.org

State transportation budget is most harmful in a decade

Transportation advocates condemn unprecedented cuts to Milwaukee and Madison transits stems while green-lighting the unnecessary I-94 E/W highway expansion project Governor Evers signed the 2021-23 biennial budget (2021 Wisconsin Act 58) on Thursday, which included a one-time 50% cut to the transit systems in Milwaukee and Madison over the next two years. 

While the shortfall in transit funding may be filled by federal COVID relief funds, it is not guaranteed. 

Additionally, the budget also funded the proposed $1.1 billion I-94 highway expansion in Milwaukee. This project will have significant impacts on the region’s population by creating new congestion and adding air pollution, while failing to help those who do not own a personal automobile or who are unable to drive.

Organizations from the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) issued the following statements:

“This transportation budget is devastating for all Wisconsinites,” said Gregg May, Transportation Policy Director at 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. “Wisconsin cannot continue to expand highways while gutting public transportation. It is bad for the environment, bad for transit riders, and bad for Wisconsin’s economic recovery. At a time when we should be making historic investments in transit to get people too jobs, we are doing the opposite. If these cuts cannot be filled with federal funds, it will lead to the largest disinvestment in public transit in a generation.”

“The majority of this budget maintains the status quo, which means lead in drinking water, public lands strapped for funding, air pollution, barriers to clean energy and energy efficiency, and a transportation system that is not working for Wisconsin residents. However, the budget does even more damage than inaction. The transportation budget in particular is adding insult to injury,” said Elizabeth Ward, Chapter Director at Sierra Club - Wisconsin. “Public transportation is critical for stopping a climate catastrophe and is an essential form of transportation that provides access to jobs, recreation and other opportunities.”

“The budget signed yesterday will slash transit funding in Milwaukee by 50% and fully fund a $1 billion, unnecessary highway expansion of I-94 (from 16th to 70th Streets). This budget is contrary to public opinion, damaging to the climate, and exposes our communities and environment to increased air and water pollution,” said Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper with Milwaukee Riverkeeper. “We should be working toward a greener, healthier, and more climate resilient future; this budget takes us backwards.”

“The cuts to transit are a devastating blow to people of color, low-income people, the elderly, the disabled, and anyone who, for whatever reason, does not drive”, said Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice. “Cutting transportation funding is short-sighted, as access to public transportation is one of the determinants of access to jobs, education, health care, and recreation, and therefore is a key driver of a robust economy. It is further short-sighted in reducing efforts to deal with climate change.”

“Wisconsin needs better public transit, not bigger highways," said Tony Wilkin Gibart, Executive Director of Midwest Environmental Advocates, "The new transportation budget cuts public transit funding in Milwaukee and Madison and, instead, funds the I-94 highway expansion project which has not yet been thoroughly reviewed, updated to reflect recent data, or subject to meaningful public input. This proposal would increase our dependence on cars, add to greenhouse gas emissions, disproportionately hurt Milwaukeeans of color and cause significant harm to surrounding neighborhoods. We are disappointed that the biennial budget misses an important opportunity to prioritize climate-friendly solutions.”

“Global warming is the most important challenge of our time and no investment should be made without considering it,” said Megan Severson, State Director for Wisconsin Environment. “Transportation is now the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in our country, and we need a comprehensive approach to reducing transportation’s impact on the global climate crisis. We can only do this by getting people out of their cars and onto cleaner options, like public transit or a bicycle.”

“It’s clear from this latest budget that Wisconsin still has a misplaced appetite for costly, polluting and ineffective highway expansion projects,” said Susanna Cain, Transform Transportation Associate for WISPIRG. “COVID-19 has highlighted how stark our transportation needs truly are, especially for essential workers and low-income households without access to a car. Rather than cutting funding for public transportation and wasting money on highway boondoggles, we need to start using our taxpayer dollars more wisely by investing in public transit, walking and biking instead.”

July Newsletter

 

Kid-Friendly Black River Paddling Weekend is BACK! July 24-25    After a hiatus last year due to COVID restrictions, the local Black River family paddling/camping trip is back! This kid-focused trip is offered to encourage young families, adults with kids, and the young-at-heart to join us on the water. We’ll stop to play and explore, hike up a hidden waterfall, cook-out and sleep in tents on a sandbar. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/SCBlkRvrTrp21

July 20: Highway Cleanup    Please join us on July 20 at 6 p.m. for our first IN PERSON highway cleanup in more than a year! We’ll meet at the pumping station just northwest of the
intersection of Gillette Street and River Valley Drive. There, you will get gloves, bags, and
vests. We’ll pick up trash along the roadway and then, meet up at Rudy’s Drive-In on La Crosse Street for some post-cleanup refreshments! If you have questions, please call Pat at 608-788-8831.

July 27: Farming While Black   The Wisconsin Sierra Club Water Team is hosting an important online discussion on Tuesday, July 27 at 7 p.m. about Sustainable Farming. The evening will begin with “Uprooting Racism, Seeding Sovereignty,” a keynote address delivered by Soul Fire Farm’s Co-Founder and Farm Manager, Leah Penniman. Her book, Farming
While Black, is, “the first comprehensive manual for African-heritage people ready to reclaim their rightful place of dignified agency in the food system.” Read more at www.farmingwhileblack.org and sign up for the screening and discussion at tinyurl.com/
WSCFarmingProg 

CAFO Updates and Actions   If you missed the excellent June 5 Farm/Factories/Future program, you can watch online at https://youtu.be/TadukhpIGwE

From Crawford Stewardship Project: Nearly 100 people made their voices heard on June 10th at the Wisconsin DNR hearing regarding the Roth Feeder Pig II operation in Crawford County. Many more have written in to the DNR directly. Noted concerns mentioned in the hearing
included water quality, water quantity, air quality, tourism, property values, and much more. There was only one person in favor of the factory farm, the operator himself.

We’re expecting the DNR to make a decision in the next couple weeks on whether they’ll be conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which has been widely called for, or if they continue to move forward with the permitting of this facility. Despite the comment period officially ending for the permitting of the facility on June 17th, because the EIS request is a distinct determination, there should be continued requests to the DNR to complete an EIS. The Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act (WEPA), a foundational environmental statute, mandates a broader scope than what’s being reviewed through the Roth permitting documents. 

Currently, topics like odor, air quality and socioeconomic effects would only be reviewed through an EIS, and is not something the DNR has considered up to this point. To ensure the DNR is reviewing the proposal holistically, please write to the below individuals to request an EIS. Let them know that they cannot permit Roth Feeder Pig to grow into the largest hog CAFO in the state on one of the most sensitive landscapes in the state, without a more thorough study and analysis to inform their decision, and add conditions to protect water, air,
soil, and our communities. If the DNR does not have the resources to adequately study potential impacts, they should simply not permit this operation.

Find the original request for an EIS, submitted in November by Midwest Environmental Advocates on behalf of CSP and over 200 local landowners and residents, and supported by many environmental, agricultural, good governance, and hunting/fishing organizations at https://crawfordstewardship.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Roth-EIS-Request.pdf Email your request for an EIS to David.Siebert@wisconsin.gov, Todd.Ambs@wisconsin.gov and
Preston.Cole@wisconsin.gov. 

GRANTS FOR TEACHERS, STUDENTS   CRSC will again award grants for environmental
education projects involving young people at the elementary and middle school level to school or community organizations. In addition, a new Stewardship Grant, will be added for high school seniors who demonstrate leadership, action, public engagement and understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship
.
Those in Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon
counties are eligible to apply. Watch for application information and links in our August and fall newsletters! 

JULY EVENTS
July 20 - The Sustainability Institute will host an online Sustainability Chat at 3 p.m. featuring a virtual tour of sustainability projects at La Crosse’s Hamilton Early Learning Center/SOTA I, which include a solar array and food forest. Ben Burns, Hamilton-SOTA principal, and community partner, SOLS, will share their stories. Register (free) at tinyurl.com/SusChat0721

July 22 - La Crosse Area Transit Advocates will host a Ride SMRT to Viroqua day trip. Participants will ride the mid-morning Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit bus from La Crosse to Viroqua, spend the day seeing the sights, and return via SMRT to La Crosse in late afternoon. Jackie Eastwood, Transportation Planner with the La Crosse Area Planning Committee, will talk about the SMRT program during the morning ride. Read more: LaCrosseTransitAdvocates.org

The La Crosse County Comprehensive Planning Committee will focus on Farmland Preservation in July and plans a public event with area farmers to hear of their concerns and ideas. We will post the date on our social media as soon as it’s available. 

PFAS   Many communities across the country, including La Crosse, are dealing with PFAS contamination in drinking water. But PFAS are found in many more things from makeup to househood goods to bottled water to compost. The Center for Environmental Health has a single use foodware database at ceh.org/products/single-use-containers/ and Consumer Reports talks about bottled water PFAS at tinyurl.com/CRPFASWater.

Kid-Friendly Black River outing! July 24-25!

 We're BAAAAAACK!!!!

Get the kids! Pack the gear! Summer on the Black River is here!Saturday, July 24 (9 a.m.) to Sunday, July 25 (about 4:30 p.m) 

This kid-focused overnight paddling trip is for young families, adults with kids and the young at heart. We'll stop to play and explore, hike up a hidden waterfall, cook out and sleep in a tent on a sandbar. Must provide own boat, tent, gear, food and drinking water. Life jackets required. No fee. 

Event Organizers: 

• Patrick Wilson and Kevin Olson

Level: Easy (moving water-no rapids)

Cost: NO COST - but must provide own boat, tent, gear, food, transportation and drinking water.

Sign up Instructions: To learn more and/or register, contact Pat or Bobbie Wilson at pbwilson@centurytel.net OR (608) 788-8831

Bring: Everything you need for paddling, camping, eating, drinking, toileting, swimming, mosquitoes, sun/weather, health/medications. Feel free to ask the trip leaders for guidance. Water guns are fun for the kids...

Carpool: A carpool will be arranged just prior to the start of the trip so that most cars will be at the take-out prior to the start of paddling.

Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.

Cancellation Policy: After registering in advance for this trip, you will be notified if the trip needs to be cancelled or if it's moved due to low water levels.

June 2021 Newsletter

JUNE 5: Farms, Factories, and the Future - a virtual public forum Crawford Stewardship Project, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network, Socially Responsible Ag Project, Coulee Region Sierra Club and many more allies invite you to a virtual public forum on the direction of agriculture.

• Hear and ask about Crawford County’s experience with a CAFO, proposed expansions, regulations, and lessons learned
• Engage with sustainable and regenerative farmers and experts about resilient pathways forward for agriculture
• Network and strategize with a panel of community organizers from across the Midwest

Learn more at www.crawfordstewardship.org/join-us-for-a-farming-discussion/

CAFO ACTIONS  The Coulee Region Sierra Club has been active in working to stop Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) which pollute the air and water, use enormous amounts of water, reduce quality of life and property values, and endanger our environment. Read more about Sierra Club CAFO concerns at tinyurl.com/WISC-CAFOS

Current Coulee Region actions are concentrated around the Roth Feeder Pig CAFOs in Crawford County, one currently in operation and a second hoping to secure permitting. Important actions are planned in June to urge the Wisconsin DNR to require a full environmental impact statement before deciding on a permit for Roth Feeder Pig II.

June 2: To learn more about this issue, attend a gathering from 6 to 7 p.m. at Dancing Waters Permaculture Cooperative, 43188 Guthrie Road, Rolling Ground. (RSVP at fjahnke@crawfordstewardship.org or call/text 608-632-2183)

June 10:  Attend and speak at a virtual DNR public hearing at 10:00 a.m.  Register at tiny.cc/RothDNRHearing

ONGOING:  Use this tool: tinyurl.com/TakeCAFOAction to contact our elected representatives. You can get facts and talking points at tinyurl.com/CAFO-Points.  

LA CROSSE REGIONAL TRANSIT PLANNING PUBLIC INPUT  The La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC) is working with SRF Consulting to produce a Regional Transit Development plan covering services provided by the La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility, the Onalaska-Holmen-West Salem Shared Ride Taxi, and the SMRT Bus which services communities between La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, La Crosse and Viroqua, and La Crosse and Tomah. Public input is welcomed! Please find links to a survey, mapping application, and more input sessions at lacrossecounty.org/metropolitan-planning-organization/LAPC-Home/regional-transit-development-plan/public-meetings-and-materials

ENVIRONMENT AND WELLNESS   In May, Altra Federal Credit Union hosted an online Employee Wellness Week and asked the Coulee Region Sierra Club to participate by contributing a short video.

CRSC chair, Kathy Allen collected information and contributions from CRSC members to put together a great program about Personal and Environmental Wellness. The video talks about the health benefits of active transportation--walking and bicycling, growing and consuming healthy locally-grown food, purchasing or making your own environmentally safe household products and using reusable containers, doing physical activities in nature, and volunteering to care for the environment.

Thank you to those who contributed: Beth Piggush and family, Marilyn Pedretti, Alysa Remsburg and family, and Pat Wilson. Also highlighted in the video were local bike shops, the Kane Street Community Garden, Friends of the Blufflands, and Larson’s General (formerly Full Circle Supply).

Watch the nine-minute video at tinyurl.com/CRSC-Wellness and share it with friends and family members! 

JUNE 21 SOLAR SHOW AND TELL  Solar on La Crosse Schools (SOLS) and the School District of La Crosse will host a Summer Solstice Solar Show and Tell on Monday, June 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hamilton Early Learning Center/SOTA I, 1111 7th Street South. The event will celebrate a new 100kW solar installation completed with donations, including money raised by SOLS, and grants.

The event will begin with public remarks by La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds, and representatives of the school district, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, and SOLS. Tours of the solar installation will begin at 4:30, 5:00, and 5:30. Ongoing events include information booths, kids activities, music, refreshments and more!

SabadashApp (sabadashapp.com) is offering a Solar Summer raffle to help raise money for the district’s next solar project. Raffle items include a 288kW EcoFlow River portable power station, a 110W portable solar panel, two hammocks, and a ReWild soccer ball by Waboba. Learn more about the event at tinyurl.com/SOLS-ShowAndTell.

SIERRA CLUB JUNE EVENTS  

June 4: Testify at a DNR PFAS hearing, 1 p.m. ONLINE. Right now, the Wisconsin DNR is updating ground and drinking water PFAS regulations. Participate in this public hearing with assistance from the Sierra Club. Register at tinyurl.com/WISC-PFASHearing

June 5: National Trails Day! Participate in National Trails Day and be an outdoor activist. Sign up for this event and we will send you updates and ideas to make your National Trails Day fun and rewarding as well as safe!  tinyurl.com/WISC-NatTrailsDay

June 9: Virtual Volunteer Night, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ONLINE. This evening will be all about preserving the rare habitat and wildlife of Kohler-Andrae! We'll break out into different zoom rooms and work on different tasks, all to advocate for protection of these lands. Register at tinyurl.com/WISC-VolNite69

PLASTIC POLLUTION BILL  The Sierra Club urges you to tell Congress  to pass the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021. Fossil fuel corporations are ramping up plastic production, polluting air and water, making people sick, and adding to the plastic pollution crisis. The bill will require producers to manage the waste, better manage existing plastics, and limit new plastic production. Learn more and write your representatives at tinyurl.com/NoPlasticAct 

YOUR IDEAS NEEDED!  This past winter, the Coulee Region group board met (virtually) to conduct some strategic planning for our group. We agreed to adapt the Sierra Club's national goals and objectives for our group. These goals and objectives will help us decide what local and regional issues, events, and partnerships to support. The official goals and objectives of our Coulee Region group are listed below. The next step in the strategic planning process is to come up with tasks or "action items" to help us work towards our objectives - these could be short- or long-term, and one-time or annual targets.

We would like to hear suggestions from you, our members! What actions or tasks do YOU think would help us advance our goals? Please send your suggestions to crsierraclub@gmail.com  

Goal #1: ACHIEVE AMBITIOUS AND JUST CLIMATE SOLUTIONS - Solve the climate crisis in a way that protects the environment and also is enduring, fair, and equitable.

• Accelerate the transition to 100% clean, renewable energy in the Coulee Region.
• Support any efforts in our region that would support the following national Sierra Club goals:
  1) Maximize energy efficiency across all sectors, including transportation, urban design, and land use;
  2) Address non-energy emissions such as agriculture and methane;
  3)  Protect and rebuild the capacity of forests and other lands to absorb excess carbon dioxide and provide more robust climate resilience through supporting biodiversity and natural system functions.

Goal #2: EXPLORE, ENJOY AND PROTECT OUR NATION'S LANDS, WATERS, AIR AND WILDLIFE - Steward our natural resources to safeguard them for present and future generations.

• Support efforts to protect the Coulee Region’s air, water, land, and communities from pollution.
• Promote access to natural areas for all who live in the Coulee Region, including in or near their communities, as well as the opportunity to experience the natural world through Sierra Club events or in other ways.

Goal #3: ENGAGE AND SUPPORT A BROAD, DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND POWERFUL MOVEMENT - Attract and empower a base of supporters and activists strong enough to challenge the status quo and accomplish our ambitious programmatic goals.

• Build an empowered, capable, diverse, and inclusive volunteer base throughout the Coulee Region.
• Build our group’s ability to influence public perception and public officials on our core issues, and to elect and hold accountable environmentally committed leaders at all levels of government.
• Help our activists, local communities and allies succeed on the environmental issues most important to them. Engage in strategic alliances on broader issues that can help further environmental causes while remaining consistent with Sierra Club values.

Goal #4: ENSURE OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH AND SUSTAINABILITY - Ensure that the Sierra Club and its entities have a combination of diverse, secure, sustainable, and flexible funding.

• Ensure that our group has the financial resources and opportunities to succeed.

MONROE COUNTY PARTNERS WITH WISCONSIN'S GREEN FIRE  Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) supports the conservation legacy of Wisconsin by promoting science-based management of Wisconsin's natural resources. The group is working with the Monroe County Climate Change Task Force to conduct a Climate Readiness and Economic Opportunity Assessment. The assessment will come from a partnership of experts and community members and will examine community climate resiliency, built and natural infrastructure, and rural economic development opportunities through conservation.

Four sub-teams will concentrate on specific areas of concern, including Climate and Hydrological Modeling, Flood Resilience and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Forests. The goal is to inform and inspire community actions and investments.

Demonstration projects based on sub-team investigation  and research will begin in the summer and a public report is planned for the fall.

In summer 2020, WGF published a report,  “Strategies for Mitigating Climate Change with Natural and Working Lands,” which argues, “By managing our Natural and Working Lands effectively, Wisconsin could offset an additional 16 million tons of CO2 each year – equal to 20% of our annual net greenhouse gas (GG) emissions.”

Keep up on the Monroe County Task Force work at www.co.monroe.wi.us/government/county-board-of-supervisors/boards-committees/climate-change-task-force and read more about WGF at wigreenfire.org.

STOP LINE 3!  People from across Wisconsin will join the Treaty People Gathering, June 5-8, in northern Minnesota to support the First Nations-led resistance to the Line 3 pipeline.

Why must we stop this pipeline?  If completed, the Line 3 Pipeline will carry 700,000 barrels of dirty tar sands oil from Canada each day, violate Indigenous treaty rights, threaten waterways like the Mississippi, and lead to a jaw-dropping 193 millions tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Enbridge, a Canadian-based company, continues to build Line 3 through Anishinaabe treaty land and the Mississippi headwaters.

About the Wisconsin Solidarity Tour On June 4th, at least three caravan legs will converge in Chippewa Falls. From there, the group will travel the last leg of the journey together to a welcoming rally in Duluth.  On Saturday, June 5th, the caravan will continue to the Treaty People Gathering, joining with hundreds of people from around the world. Free camping is available or individuals can secure their own accommodations.  Many people will go home on Monday evening, June 7.

Get more information about this event and learn how to join or support the effort to stop Line 3 at treatypeoplegathering.com

JUNE 5 POLLINATORS PROGRAM  The Mississippi Valley Conservancy will will host Kaitlyn O’Connor in a free webinar to share tips on how to create a garden that supports a variety of bees and butterflies. Participants will also learn more about what pollinators need to thrive, tips on plant selection, different ways to establish a new garden, and be inspired with lots of examples of pollinator gardens with native plants. A question and answer session will be hosted after the presentation. Kaitlyn O’Connor is the Education and Outreach Specialist at Prairie Moon Nursery, a Minnesota business that provides over 700 species of North American native plants. Please register by June 3 at  www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/gardening-pollinators

JUNE 14: BOTANY AND BEER  On Monday, June 14 at 5:30 p.m., the informal group, Botany and Beer, will meet for a walk and talk at Kooyumjian-Lost Creek County Forest, Pine Rd, Hillsboro. The group notes that, “hikes usually last about 1.5 hours with a distance of about a mile. Participants bring reference books to help identify plants, birds, fungi, and insects encountered during the walk. If you wish, bring your own beverage. For more information, email hike@botanyandbeer.com. 

SUSTAINABILITY CHATS  The Sustainability Institute at Western Technical College hosts monthly online Sustainability Chats to highlight area projects, buildings, and programs. May’s program was a virtual tour of WTC’s LEED platinum Integrated Technology Center. On June 15 at 2 p.m., there will be a virtual tour of the Hilltopper Refuse and Recycling Center. Register (free) for the event at tinyurl.com/SusChatHilltopper. Past programs, including Drift Bike Share, Habitat ReStore, urban agriculture, mattress recycling, food forests, food waste, and more, may be viewed at www.sustaininstitute.com/spotlight

DRIFTLESS FOLK SCHOOL  On Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., learn about DIY Photovoltaics from Jon Passi,  an  educator  and advocate  for  photovoltaics  and  sustainable  technologies. On Sunday, June 27, a one day course on Mushrooms from A-Z: Preparing and Growing Fungi for Food and Medicine will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. These are two of several classes being offered this summer through the Driftless Folk School.

From July 18 through August 6, the Folk School is partnering with Thoreau College in Viroqua to offer The Summer Walkabout, an opportunity to learn about and explore the Driftless in a deep and unique way.

Learn more about the Driftless Folk School and its classes at www.driftlessfolkschool.org
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 18: Transit Talk in La Crosse

Join us ONLINE on Tuesday, May 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for our next Transit Talk with La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds and MTU director Adam Lorentz. We'll hear how COVID-19 affected the MTU; what's new as stimulus funds come to our area; what's planned for the future; and how the mayor, council and city can support and strengthen our public transportation system. Participants will have the chance to ask questions during the event.

To get access information, please REGISTER at this link: http://tiny.cc/LATA-TransitTalk or call 608-315-2693 (leave message for call back) for instructions about dialing in to participate by telephone.

We are collecting ideas for future LATA programs and events, so if you have suggestions, would like to join the planning team, or have any other ideas to help may us better area transit advocates, please email us at MTUFriends@hotmail.com or call 608-315-2693 (leave message for call back). 

And, if you want to help make our organization stronger and more effective, please JOIN US!

This event is co-sponsored by the Coulee Region Sierra Club and La Crosse Area Transit Advocates.

May 2021 Newsletter

 

RIGHT TO HARM. MAY 20 at 7 p.m. online film hosted by Wisconsin Sierra Club and Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless Coalition. The Sierra Club Wisconsin and the Driftless Co-op of Citizen Action of Wisconsin are co-hosting a screening of the documentary Right to Harm, an exposé on the public health impact of factory farming across the United States. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations -- or CAFOs -- are a significant source of nitrate contamination in Wisconsin that must be addressed. Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20th to learn more and take action! Register for the screening link at tinyurl.com/RightToHarm052021

MAY 11: SIERRA CLUB FUNDRAISER   Celebrate the Wisconsin Sierra Club’s important grassroots environmental work with delicious local Wisconsin food and drink. This interactive event will feature fun recipes, trivia and more. Special guests Kirk Bangstad of Minocqua Brewing and Chef Joel Carlson and David Payne of Potter's Crackers. Opportunities to donate to the important work of the Club will be offered throughout the evening, but attendance is free of charge. Register for the access link at: tinyurl.com/SCLocallyGrown

 FARMS, FACTORIES, AND THE FUTURE   Crawford Stewardship Project, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network, Socially Responsible Ag Project, Coulee Region Sierra Club, and many more allies will co-sponsor a virtual public forum on the direction of agriculture, Farms, Factories, and the Future. The event will be online on June 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. Learn more about the event at www.crawfordstewardship.org/join-us-for-a-farming-discussion

Planning is still underway, but there will be a session on CAFOs, including information about Crawford County’s experience with a proposed expansion, regulations, and lessons learned. In addition, a panel of sustainable and regenerative farmers and experts will talk about resilient pathways forward for agriculture. There will also be opportunities to network and strategize with a panel of community organizers from across the Midwest

Recent settlements won by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul with state CAFOs, including Rolling Hills Dairy Farm, LLC; K and D Manure Handling; and Wild Rose Dairy, LLC have finally brought some consequences for those who pollute Wisconsin’s waters.

PROTECT WISCONSIN WOLVES!   The Wisconsin DNR is accepting public comments in a survey on their plans for a November wolf hunt and a wolf management plan update.

It's important that Wisconsin's wolf management plan is based on public input, up-to-date science, tribal consultation, and broad stakeholder engagement.  This survey will help with the first step, so it's important to let your voice be heard.

We must avoid a replay of the disastrous February 2021 wolf hunt which was widely condemned for allowing throngs of unlicensed hunters to join the thousands of licensed hunters with their own packs of dogs, snowmobiles, GPS technology, and infrared-sensitive devices. Wolves stood no chance, enduring hours of pursuit and torment. Taking place during  the breeding season, the hunt allowed the killing of pregnant females and alpha males, disrupting family packs at a time-critical to pup survival.

Wisconsin’s DNR lacks the critical biological data needed to assess the impact of the February hunt on Wisconsin’s remaining wolves. Yet, compelled by a misguided law (Act 169) DNR is already looking ahead to another hunt in November, which places our wolf population in jeopardy and forces our DNR to violate its higher public trust obligations to manage our state’s precious wildlife in keeping with sound science and socially acceptable practices.  Wisconsin's wolf management plan will set the guidelines for a wolf hunt in 2022 and beyond, making public participation in the process, like filling out the survey critical.  

Learn more about the issue at  tinyurl.com/WIWolfComments and plan to participate in the survey by the May 15 deadline.

CONSERVATION CONGRESS   This year’s Wisconsin Conservation Congress spring hearings were held online which allowed more people to participate. Issues identified as priorities by the Wisconsin Sierra Club passed with wide margins.

Ninety-two percent of participants approved the Every Kid Outdoors Pass for Wisconsin’s state parks and 85% approved stricter PFAS regulations. Eighty-nine percent supported environmental impact considerations for high-capacity well permits and a majority supported DNR opposition to rebuilding the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline and voted to oppose permitting such a pipeline.

MEET THE SIERRA CLUB   In case you missed it, a recording of MEET THE SIERRA CLUB: More than a century of environmental advocacy is now available at our Facebook page: facebook.com/crsierraclub for viewing and sharing! On Tuesday, April 20, CRSC hosted an online presentation about our club as part of the 2021 La Crosse virtual Earth Week.

Thank you, Wisconsin Sierra Club Senior Campaign Manager Cassie Steiner, for giving an overview of the club’s history and priorities. CRSC board member Pat Wilson, who has decades of experience leading Sierra Club water outings, talked about the great trips, including kid-friendly family outings, offered through the club. Nancy Hartje, a Sierra Club board member, described our club’s environmental education grants with highlights and pictures from past grant recipients. And Kathy Allen, CRSC board president, talked about the club’s advocacy work, including clean water and renewable energy education and action.

We also thank Sierra Club volunteer, Steve Ringwood, who took our Zoom recording, worked video magic, and turned it into a smooth presentation! If you have special skills--from video editing to marketing--consider volunteering on a Sierra Club team.

If you want a refresher about the important work the Sierra Club is doing or have a friend who’s considering joining us, please view and share!

NEW NAME - SAME DEDICATION   The statewide branch of the Sierra Club changed its name in March to Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter. “The Sierra Club has broadened its perspective and become more diverse in many ways. We recognize how important it is to be inclusive and respect all voices, and we welcome everyone to the table as we work to limit the dire effects of climate change. Our new name reflects the fact that we represent everyone in Wisconsin.” The name change was approved by 83% of voters in the Chapter’s annual election. Read more at tinyurl.com/SCNameChange

 MONROE COUNTY CLIMATE CHANGE   The Monroe County Climate Change Task Force was established by the Monroe County Board in September 2019 as a project of the Monroe County Land Conservation Department who provide organizational leadership. The creation of the CCTF was a recognition of, and a response to, the extreme flooding impacts of climate change in watersheds of Monroe County. Objectives and goals of the CCTF are:

Flooding
1. Establish real time stream monitoring and weather stations to serve as flood warning systems that are coordinated with the county emergency management office and the National Weather Service. First phase monitoring installation will be focused on Little La Crosse and Kickapoo watersheds.
2. Floodplain management: Remove structures that have a history or vulnerability to flooding. Evaluate road crossings in floodway that impact flooding.
3. Complete flood impact study to identify 100 year flood level based on current rainfall and land use data.

Land Use
1. Zoning: Promote and enforce land use decisions that will encourage sustainable land use practices and contribute to mitigation of climate change impacts.
Improve enforcement of Shoreland Zoning ordinance.
2. Promote sustainable land use practices that contribute to mitigation of water runoff from the landscape.
3. Develop and implement water infiltration and retention practice that address rainfall and runoff.

Climate Mitigation
1. Identify contributions and sources
2. Establish standards for sustainable living
3. Implement mitigation programs, including tree planting and forest conservation, mass transit, landscaping to control water runoff, and carbon sequestration.

Information and Education
1. Monthly meetings have featured program topics related to objectives and are available for viewing at: www.co.monroe.wi.us/?navid=244

Fundraising
1. Seek funding sources to implement CCTF recommendations and goals

COULEE REGION EV EVENTS   Events in Viroqua and La Crosse helped spread the word about the benefits of electric vehicles. On Saturday, April 24, Drive Electric Earth Day, hosted by Plug In America and the Electric Auto Association, gathered more than 20 electric cars with their owners at the Viroqua Food Co-op. The event ended with an EV parade to Kickapoo Creekside in Readstown where Vernon County’s first DC fast charger is installed. See more about the event at:  driveelectricearthday.org/event?eventid=2663

In La Crosse, a neighbor-to-neighbor Ask Me Anything About My EV event, was held at the La Crosse City Hall parking lot, where a dozen electric cars and six electric bicycles were shown by their owners. Learn more and find research and information about EVs at http://tiny.cc/AMAEV-LaCrosse

Both Earth Week events provided opportunities for community members to get real facts and hear about real EV experiences from owners and dealers. A 2020 update to a 2018 study by the Union of Concerned Scientists confirmed that EVs really are better for the climate, and they’re getting better and cleaner every year. “Based on where EVs have been sold, driving the average EV produces global warming pollution equal to a gasoline vehicle that gets 88 miles per gallon fuel economy. ... And our estimate for EV emissions is almost ten percent lower than out previous estimate two years ago.” - tinyurl.com/USCEVsBetter

WDRT HOSTS SIERRA CLUB TALK   An hour-long program about the Sierra Club and the importance of a clean, accessible environment for our health will be heard on WDRT Radio, 91.9 FM on Tuesday morning, May 4 from 9 to 10 a.m. and available for streaming at wdrt.org/show/heart-of-wellness for a week after that. Drs. Paul and Paula Grenier, Viroqua-area chiropractors and hosts of the weekly program, Heart of Wellness, welcome Wisconsin Sierra Club Senior Campaign Manager Cassie Steiner and CRSC board member, Cathy Van Maren for a wide-ranging discussion about the physical and mental health benefits of nature and the role the Sierra Club has played and continues to play in advocating for access to and protection of our precious natural areas, wildlife, and resources. 

CRSC HIGHWAY CLEANUP   Four of us got out to pick up trash on River Valley Drive on April 24, as part of the Earth Day marsh cleanup.  Thank you to John Papenfuss, Maureen Kinney, and David Bange for helping out.  A lot of trash had accumulated over the winter, and we were able to clean up along half of the road.  We’d like to get the job completed in May, with volunteers picking up trash on their own schedule.  It you are willing to spend some time picking up trash to beautify the marsh, let Pat Wilson know (608 788 8831, pbwilson@centurytel.net) so he can assign a segment for you to work on, and provide trash bags and safety vests if you’re interested. 

LA CROSSE RIVER MARSH CLEANUP   Another cleanup in the marsh, the 28th annual hosted by River Clean Up La Crosse, will take place on Saturday, May 8, on and near the area’s rivers between 8 a.m. and noon. To learn more, register to volunteer, or become a partner, visit www.rivercleanuplacrosse.com

LA CROSSE AREA BIRDING IN MAY   The Coulee Region Audubon Society hosts early morning bird walks in May. Upcoming events include Myrick Park Center walks on May 4 and 11, Hixon Forest walks on May 6 and 13, and a Wyalusing State Park walk on May 15. Masks and distancing are required. For details, see  couleeaudubon.org/html/events.html.

LA CROSSE VICTORY GARDENS   Volunteer-led Community Victory Gardens, started in 2020 by the City of La Crosse to provide more fresh food and healthy exercise, are returning for the 2021 season. The gardens provide free fresh produce grown by neighbors for neighbors. For more information about the project or to learn how to help plant, weed, and harvest, go to http://tiny.cc/LaCrosseVG.

MTU DIRECTOR TALKS TRANSIT   Adam Lorentz, the director of the La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility, will be the main speaker at a May 18 “Transit Talk” hosted online by the La Crosse Area Transit Advocates. La Crosse’s new mayor, Mitch Reynolds, has also been invited. To learn more about and register for the event, visit LaCrosseTransitAdvocates.org or call 608-315-2693 (leave message for call back).

FISHING SEASON   General inland fishing season, along with the season for many specific species, started on May 1 in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin DNR offers information on regulations, licensing, best places to take kids fishing, and more at its website: dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/. Most anglers age 16 and older must purchase a fishing license. Reduced-price first-timers licences are available as are one day licenses. This year’s Free Fishing Weekend will be June 5 and 6. 

WATER OUTINGS   While Sierra Club outings are on hold until at least July 4, there is some hope that trips will be possible later in 2021. A January notice to Wisconsin River Outings leaders reported that, “As part of the restarting process, simple pilot trips will be run to test our COVID protocols across a range of daytrips in a variety of locations and contexts. . . . . .Once complete, we can pilot more complex trips, start running short, simple trips on a limited basis as conditions allow, and build up to full operations through 2021.”

One highlight for Coulee Region paddlers has been the annual summer family trip on the Black River. During his presentation for the online “Meet the Sierra Club” program, trip leader Pat Wilson described how many children and families had enjoyed canoeing and kayaking on that friendly river for at least four decades! (View his presentation at facebook.com/crsierraclub.)

Until these popular activities are able to start up again, here’s a link to a nine-minute video created by Wisconsin Sierra Club member John Roberts with the Wisconsin River Alliance about Breakwater Falls, Wisconsin’s sixth-highest waterfall. www.facebook.com/riveralliance/videos/300228341129794/

“For Native Americans, there can be no better remedy for the theft of land than land. And for us, no lands are as spiritually significant as the national parks. They should be returned to us.” - David Treuer

This quote is from John Treuer’s article, “Return the National Parks to the Tribes,” in the May 2021 issue of The Atlantic. It is part of a new series calledm “Who Owns America’s Wilderness?” Treuer is the author of The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America From 1890 to the Present. See: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/05/return-the-national-parks-to-the-tribes/618395/





 






 





 

Update on I-94 Expansion

 Advocates applaud opportunity for public input on I-94 East-West project, but new environmental review process still needed

WisDOT commits to additional public input and data review on controversial highway expansion project with major racial inequity and climate impacts

 

MADISON — After calls for broader public input and a better review, WISDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson announced Thursday that the state plans to undertake a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Interstate 94 expansion project in Milwaukee. Until now, WisDOT was pursuing the expansion project based on data and input collected before the project’s 2017 cancellation by then-Gov. Scott Walker. The additional input will provide critically needed input for state and federal transportation officials to seriously and meaningfully address environmental justice problems that have repeatedly been raised.

Last week, a coalition of transportation, faith, racial justice and environmental organizations from across Wisconsin met with the Federal Highway Administration to express their concerns over the proposed I-94 expansion. They requested that the project go through a full Environmental Impact Statement process. President Joe Biden recently set forth a vision for a healthier and cleaner transportation future that will work better for all Americans. This includes doubling funding for our aging public transit systems and fixing our crumbling roads and bridges.

The coalition also hopes and expects that the supplemental EIS will cover the many outstanding concerns about the project.

Members of this coalition released the following statements:

“We are pleased that WisDOT is going to take another look at the environmental and social impacts of the reconstruction and proposed expansion of I94 (from 70th to 16th Street)  as there have been some major changes since the original EIS for this project was completed over 5 years ago,” said Cheryl Nenn with Milwaukee Riverkeeper. “2019 was the wettest year ever in Wisconsin, and 4 of the 5 wettest years in history have occurred in the last decade. Given the significant increase proposed for impervious surfaces from highway expansion, it is imperative that we better analyze the impacts of highway runoff on water quality, flooding, and combined sewer loading from the various project alternatives, so we can better protect the environment and community.

“Meaningful public participation that involves the communities most impacted is a hallmark of the Environmental Impact Statement process,” said Tony Wilkin Gibart of Midwest Environmental Advocates. “While we are encouraged by today’s announcement, we will continue to push the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to listen to community members who have serious concerns about freeway expansion.” 

“I agree with the decision to take time to review a supplemental EIS, but in doing so WisDOT needs to ensure that the input includes people of color,” said Lee Henderson-Tatum of Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH). “It will be important that the communities most impacted have a voice in the decision making process. Looking at where we’ll be post-pandemic will impact how the decision is made as it relates to any development with I-94.” 

“While we are excited to see that WisDOT is looking for additional public input, there are many outstanding concerns about this expansion that still need to be addressed,” said Gregg May, Transportation Policy Director for 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. “WisDOT remains steadfast in their desire to expand the highway and has rejected popular alternatives that include transit. Until meaningful public participation is conducted and impacted communities are heard, we will continue to push for alternatives that are more fiscally, environmentally, and socially responsible.”

“It is encouraging that WisDOT is seeking more public input with a supplemental environmental impact statement. Now the focus must be on the right answers,” stated Susanna Cain, Transform Transportation Associate for WISPIRG. “Wisconsin has misspent billions of taxpayer dollars on mega highway projects for decades. All these years of disinvestment in public transportation, walking and biking infrastructure -- as well as fixing our local roads and bridges -- has created a transportation gap for Wisconsinites who don’t own a car. Major changes in our funding priorities need to be made to transform our transportation system and create more equitable, sustainable and accessible travel for everyone.”

“This is a good step toward ensuring we are making smart investments for our climate and the health of our communities across Wisconsin,” said Megan Severson, State Director for Wisconsin Environment. “But we must do more immediately. The transportation sector is the United States’ leading climate polluter. In order to solve this existential challenge requires rapidly transitioning to clean energy. We must get dirty vehicles off the roads by electrifying and decarbonizing passenger vehicles, shipping and freight. We must also prioritize mass transit. Doing all this is pivotal to tackling climate change, decreasing pollution and ensuring clean air.”

“We’re happy to see this development and the recognition by WisDOT that the public needs to have a key role in this progress and that the old EIS is out-of-date,” said Elizabeth Ward, Director of Sierra Club Wisconsin, “this is an opportunity to for WisDOT to get aligned with the leadership the Biden Administration has demonstrated on recognizing the impacts of highway expansions on Communities of Color and climate change. We look forward to working with WisDOT to make sure these things are fully analyzed and taken into consideration throughout the process.”

“As people of faith that care for the planet and all life on it, we cannot stand idly by when highway expansion would lead to increased greenhouse gases, flooding, and asthma, all hurting our neighbors,” said Terry Wiggins, Treasurer and Lead Advocate for the Interfaith Earth Network. “We will continue to stand up for the position that I-94 should not be expanded. We could spend the same amount of money to rebuild the highway and improve transit.”