Environment
Proposal to ban mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters sets off battle in Congress
A U.S. House panel broke along party lines Tuesday as its members debated mining near the most popular wilderness area in the country, following President Joe Biden’s decision earlier this year to block federal approval of a new mine. Democrats on the House Natural Resources Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee said they supported Minnesota U.S. […]
Summer hurricanes, wildfires and storms loom as FEMA faces pressure to step up
WASHINGTON — Another grueling summer disaster season is arriving, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is under intense pressure even as its portfolio balloons, it pleads for more money from Congress and criticism comes on several fronts. The agency manages more than 300 disaster declarations a year, a dramatic increase from the average of 108 […]
DNR update to logging rules raises alarms for activists
An update to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) rules that guide logging on public lands has raised concerns among activists that the department will allow more trees to be cut down and harm the state’s northern forests. The DNR’s Forestry Best Management Practices Advisory Committee is working to update the department’s best management practices […]
It’s hard to ignore some facts about the largest hog Confined Animal Feed Operation in Wisconsin
After the so-called Roth II hog factory in the town of Marietta, Crawford County, was granted a Wisconsin Pollution Elimination Discharge Permit by the Department of Natural Resources, Forest Jahnke, a longtime opponent of such giant operations told me, “To me, it says a CAFO of any type and size can be sited anywhere in […]
Wildfire risks remain high, with more than 70 fires over weekend
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is heightening concerns around the risk of wildfires across much of the state with warmer weather arriving this week. The department is warning residents to remain vigilant of fires and avoid burning. Over 40 counties are at “very high” fire danger, with another 12 counties having a “high fire […]
Biden administration vows to speed up environmental permits needed for infrastructure projects
President Joe Biden’s administration will seek to hasten construction of roads, bridges, wind farms and more by tweaking the federal review process for environmental and other permits, administration officials said Tuesday. On a press call, administration officials said they were seeking to make permitting easier without sacrificing environmental standards. The new permitting plan includes five […]
Study sounds alarm over decline of world’s reptile species
A study conducted by NatureServe, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Conservation International has revealed that a fifth of all the world’s reptile species are at risk of extinction. Published in the journal Nature, the analysis found that 21% of all reptile species globally are threatened with extinction. Wisconsin has 37 species […]
Wisconsinites support pollinators by taking part in No Mow May
Wisconsin’s transition from cold winter weather to the wetter conditions of spring offers many things for residents. Migratory birds return as habitats and ecosystems across the state prepare for warmer days. Pollinators return as well, either coming out of over-winter dormancy or returning from their own migrations. Once May rolls around, some Wisconsin communities make […]
Six Wisconsin tribes write letter opposing bill to delist wolves
Six Ojibwe tribes in Wisconsin wrote a letter this week to Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson opposing a bipartisan bill co-authored by Baldwin (a Democrat) and Johnson (a Republican) that would remove the gray wolf from the federal endangered species list in the Western Great Lakes region and Wyoming. Delisting of the gray wolf […]
EPA issues waiver for sales of 15 percent ethanol blend during summer driving season
WASHINGTON — The EPA issued a fuel waiver Friday afternoon to allow for a heightened ethanol gasoline blend to be sold at service stations this summer, an attempt by the Biden administration to lower soaring fuel prices. In a letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, EPA administrator Michael S. Regan wrote that the waiver will […]
U.S. Interior secretary to promote big spending jump for tribal, climate programs
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will ask a U.S. House spending panel to increase funding for the department’s tribal programs and climate resilience efforts, according to written testimony released ahead of a hearing scheduled for Thursday. The administration’s budget request for fiscal 2023 would significantly increase spending for the Interior Department. Its agencies oversee onshore oil […]
DNR taking public comment for Portage County CAFO permit
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comments on a proposal to modify a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permit for Gordondale Farms. Located in Portage County about a mile from the Village of Nelsonville, the farm’s permit runs until July 31, 2025. The DNR is re-examining the permit following a Supreme […]