Environment
Committee passes pipeline protest bill with only one Democrat voting no
The Senate version of a bill that would enhance criminal penalties for trespassing on pipeline sites and other energy- or water-related infrastructure passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday on a 4-1 paper-ballot vote. Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison) cast the lone vote against SB 386, which has been promoted by […]
Rep. Taylor takes Madison team to Vermont to learn about F-35s
A group of community leaders led by Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) flew to Burlington, Vermont, last week to see firsthand how a community that has recently begun hosting F-35 fighter jets is responding to the jets’ arrival. Madison Ald. Rebecca Kemble and community activist Brandi Grayson also joined the tour. The Air Force has chosen […]
New rule-making push on PFAS water contamination
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) on Wednesday moved to establish a rule making process for PFAS levels in water sources for Wisconsinites. The unanimous vote represents another step in addressing water contamination issues statewide. PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of man-made chemicals used in products like non-stick cooking supplies, fast food […]
Public urged to weigh in on water quality
Safe drinking water is receiving significant attention this year, from proposed rule changes by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to creating new incentives for companies to clean up and reduce pollution. But advocates pushing for safer drinking water are still looking for more. “It’s about time EPA takes the crisis seriously by putting forth much […]
Pipeline protest bill opponents hope for veto
As a controversial bill escalating penalties for trespassing on pipeline sites looks increasingly likely to pass the Wisconsin legislature, critics of the measure are shifting their focus to trying to persuade Gov. Tony Evers to veto it. On Tuesday, a state Senate hearing on the Senate version of the bill, SB 386, was essentially a […]
Milwaukee rejects slaughterhouse after citizens object
Plans for a proposed slaughterhouse in Milwaukee, owned by Franklin-based Strauss Brands, have been withdrawn by the company. Animal rights activists and community members who opposed the project declared a victory, saying the city has moved a step closer to bringing quality jobs to a blighted neighborhood. Balaji Venkatesan, a lead organizer with Direct Action […]
Senate power-plant effort fails, but Wisconsin moving forward on clean energy
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday rejected Democrats’ attempt to overturn a controversial Trump administration power plant regulation. Democrats forced a Senate floor vote on a resolution to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant rule, which was seen as a weaker replacement for an Obama-era regulation to clamp down on power plants’ […]
Pipeline protest bill has evolved from state to state
Bills like the one pending in Wisconsin have passed several states in various forms.
DNR investigating manure spill in Marathon County
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is currently responding to a manure spill in Marathon County. The DNR is working with the Marathon County Land and Water Conservation District to assess the full impact of the spill. First reported to the DNR on October 7, the spill near Huckleberry Road in northeast Colby has […]
Neighbors and activists call for transparency with proposed slaughterhouse
Activists and community members filled the Common Council chambers at Milwaukee’s City Hall Tuesday morning, voicing discontent at a proposed slaughterhouse in a predominantly African American district on the north side of Milwaukee in the Century City Business Park. Holding signs reading, “stop the slaughter,” organizers pressed the council to suspend a vote on the […]
Animal rights activists focus on Wisconsin
Animal rights activists are promoting the idea of an animal bill of rights with protests in 26 cities worldwide, which launched last weekend. Milwaukee was the only city in the Midwest targeted by demonstrators, who assembled outside Gov. Tony Evers’ Cream City office on Saturday, October 4. The demonstration was part of a Global Lockdown […]
Little debate on Senate resolution supporting F-35
A resolution supporting a U.S. Air Force plan to bring F-35 fighter jets to Truax Field in Madison passed on a voice vote without any audible “nay” votes from the Senate floor on Tuesday. An amendment offered by Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison) and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point) that would have added a request to […]