Environment
Oconto County manure spill released 790,000 gallons of waste
In July, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) responded to a manure spill near the village of Pulaski, in Oconto County. At the time, it was known that the spill entered the Little Suamico River, though exactly how much contamination entered the waterway remained to be determined. Brian Hanson, a DNR agricultural runoff specialist, recently […]
Deer liver found to have high levels of PFAS
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released a report on its examination of the liver of a deer, which was found to have high levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluroalkyl substances). As a result, the DNR and Department of Health Services (DHS) have issued a Do Not Eat advisory for the liver of deer […]
DNC rural council meeting leaves out rural Wisconsin
After President Donald Trump won Wisconsin by 23,000 votes in 2016, the Democratic party put a renewed focus on the state and its issues — including naming Milwaukee the site of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Now that the 2020 presidential campaign is here and the convention has been moved to a virtual format because […]
Wisconsin Farmers Union grapples with climate change
Wisconsin’s agriculture industry is contributing to climate change even as the state’s family farmers are set to be drastically hurt by its effects. Large-scale dairy farming increases bacteria and nitrate levels in groundwater while large herds produce massive amounts of carbon. Meanwhile climate change also brings more extreme weather events, making 100-year floods such as […]
New species of invasive grass found by botanists in Wisconsin
Botanists working with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have identified a new species of invasive grass in Wisconsin. Research is ongoing to determine whether the plants found are actually Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), or if it’s simply a look alike. Thus far, the plants are contained in the Coulee Experimental State Forest in […]
Proposed mine faces mounting troubles
The controversial proposed Back Forty open pit metallic sulfide mine on the Michigan-Wisconsin border has suffered major financial and permitting setbacks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and increasing public concerns over the safety of tailings dams to store mine waste. The proposed mine, would be located next to the Menominee River, which flows into […]
Town hall participants discuss Wisconsin’s climate crisis
The climate crisis was the focus of a virtual town hall on July 29 featuring Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes and others leaders who stressed the urgency of climate adaption in Wisconsin. Climate change has major consequences for the Badger State, from the increase in severe weather events to the upcoming election. […]
Incidental take notice issued for endangered Queensnake in Racine
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued an incidental take notice for an endangered snake species in Racine. Workers are currently replacing existing historic structures on a bridge, as well as upgrading the roadways. Incidental take refers to the unintentional taking, or loss of individual animals or plants which are classified as endangered or […]
DNR monitoring cleanup of JCI/Tyco contaminated water spill
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that it’s monitoring the clean-up of an accidental release of contaminated ground water into storm drains, which flow back to the Menominee River. The contaminated water, which was mixed with river water, came from Johnson Controls/Tyco facility at Stanton Street, in Marinette. The incident was first reported […]
House passes bipartisan public lands bill; next stop president’s desk
WASHINGTON — Major environmental legislation sailed through Congress Wednesday while the nation’s political leaders were stuck in intense negotiations over the contours of a fifth coronavirus relief package. The bill would provide $9.5 billion over five years to pay down the National Park Service’s maintenance backlog and provide permanent funding at $900 million per year […]
Recent Pence visit doesn’t reflect the perceptions of climate change in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has received a lot of attention from Vice President Mike Pence, with his repeated visits to the Badger State in recent months. At a campaign rally held on July 17 in Ripon Wisconsin the vice president’s speech touched on a few key concerns for his conservative base. Among those was climate change, something the […]
How could COVID-19 reshape our cities?
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically upended society. Dane County and the City of Milwaukee have mandated that everyone wear masks at restaurants, stores, and other indoor gathering places. Wisconsin spent months under a safer-at-home order that has been overturned, but the economic impact of the disease is still getting worse. On top of the pandemic, the […]