Celebrate the program that keeps our rivers clean! On Friday, September 19, Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers will be holding our Second Annual Riverkeeper Bash at Performance Yacht Services. Take in the beauty of the Milwaukee River while enjoying delicious food, music by the Garlic Mustard Pickers, and a silent auction, all for the benefit of the Milwaukee Riverkeeper® Program. Tickets are $35 for members, $40 for non-members. Please RSVP by September 10, 2008.

RSVP form [PDF]

Milwaukee Riverkeeper spurs $24.4 million cleanup of the Kinnickinnic River

Governer Jim Doyle announced Wednesday that the Kinnickinnic River will receive an extensive cleanup next Spring.  170,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment will be removed from a 2,000-foot section of the river.

The Kinnickinnic River had long been neglected, contaminated by PCBs and littered with shopping carts, tires and other trash.  Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers and our Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Cheryl Nenn, worked for two years to bring recognition to Milwaukee's "forgotten river".  Last year our efforts were successful when the KK was named one of the nation's 10 "Most Endangered Rivers" by American Rivers.

Almost instantly after receiving the status as an endangered river, the wheels of government moved into high gear. People were aware of the sediment problem for many years, but there was no available funding for the cleanup. Since the designation, the governor has put funding in his budget for cleaning up the river, and the EPA moved it into their top priority for Legacy Act funding. As of this week, all the funding is in place.  Dredging will begin next Spring and will be completed by the end of 2009.

Thanks to Cheryl for all her hard work on this project!

Article in Journal Sentinel
 

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