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Jan. 25, 2007
Students learn
about rivers, lake
 On
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers and 65
fifth graders from the University School of Milwaukee took an
excursion to the confluence of the Kinnickinnic and Milwaukee Rivers
and Lake Michigan. Braving the cold weather, the students played an
interactive game in which they learned how the trash they drop in
their community can end up in the river and eventually the lake. By
witnessing firsthand how the urban waterways are connected, students
gained a deeper appreciation for the environment and how to advocate
for its health. One student wrote in a thank you letter to FMR,
“Thank you very much for showing where the rivers meet the lake.”
The students new understanding of Milwaukee’s urban watershed will
be a catalyst for a cleaner and healthier city for everyone.
Jan. 25, 2007
Buffers
encouraged through conservation program
Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Fond du Lac Counties are promoting the
installation of buffers in the Milwaukee River Basin by providing
landowners financial incentives available through the Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Buffers installed along the many
streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands can significantly reduce the
sediment and phosphorus that impairs many water bodies.
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is a
Federal-State-Local partnership between the United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Department of
Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and participating county Land & Water Conservation
Departments. The USDA is providing $200 million in federal funds to
landowners for the implementation of the federal portion of the
program in Wisconsin. The State of Wisconsin is contributing $40
million in bond funds to landowners while participating counties are
utilizing Land Conservation staff to implement the state portion of
the program.
Landowners have through December 2007 to sign-up for CREP. The
buffered area can be enrolled in a 15 year agreement or perpetual
easement. Payments for the buffers are provided by the USDA and
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection and
in some cases a bonus payment is provided by the DNR when rivers and
streams flow into Lake Michigan.
Interested landowners should contact their local County Land & Water
Conservation Office.
For more information visit the Ozaukee County website
Jan. 23, 2007
Runoff from Development Threatening
Wisconsin’s Waters
Better Implementation and Enforcement of 2002 Runoff Prevention Law
Needed
Milwaukee, WI-Four years after the passage of the nation’s strongest
stormwater regulations, runoff from construction sites in Wisconsin
continues to pose a serious threat to the health of Wisconsin’s
waters, according to a new report released today by the Wisconsin
Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) and American Rivers.
“We have the tools to reduce runoff pollution from development,”
said Bruce Speight, WISPIRG Field Director. “But, we’re not really
using them.”
The report, Protecting Wisconsin’s Waters: Better Oversight of
Development is Necessary to Prevent Runoff Pollution, finds that
weak enforcement practices at the Department of Commerce (which
oversees commercial construction sites) allow developers to skip
required runoff prevention measures.
“Construction sites can operate in ways that reduce stormwater
runoff and protects Wisconsin’s rivers,” said Gary Belan, Associate
Director of American Rivers’ Healthy Waters campaign.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t happening consistently in Wisconsin.”
These weak enforcement practices will have serious consequences for
water quality in areas of the state that are expected to grow and
develop rapidly, such as Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay and central
and western communities like Plover, Onalaska and Eau Claire. If
development continues at even half the pace as in the past, the
amount of built-up land in Wisconsin could increase by about 12
percent by 2020, a construction site one and a half times the size
of Milwaukee county.
“Development to accommodate future growth in Wisconsin will likely
occur around our growing population centers, many of which are
located in the Milwaukee River Basin,” said Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper
for Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers. “Many of our prized urban rivers
are most at risk for suffering the negative impacts of stormwater
runoff from construction. Wisconsin must do a better job enforcing
stormwater regulations that protect our rivers, our lakes, and our
quality of life.”
Commerce has recently updated its rule to improve management of
stormwater at commercial construction sites. Nonetheless, the
proposed rules do not require sufficient information from developers
for project review, allow only 7 days to object to an application
before permit coverage is automatically granted, and propose an
inadequate $25 fee to fund the program.
In addition, Commerce has fewer enforcement tools than the
Department of Natural Resources to ensure compliance with the law,
and it has failed to refer a single violation to the Department of
Justice since it began monitoring commercial construction sites in
1994.
Wisconsin’s 2002 runoff prevention law requires builders to reduce
sediment runoff both during and after construction by 80 percent at
sites of one acre or larger. Yet, a DNR official has estimated 100
percent non-compliance in at least one region of the state.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a
construction site of one acre can release between 20 and 150 tons of
sediment per year.
To prevent future growth from exacerbating runoff pollution,
Wisconsin’s government must improve oversight of development
projects. With the start of the 2007-2008 legislative session,
WISPIRG urges state leaders to consolidate stormwater regulation
within the Department of Natural Resources, require developers to
supply comprehensive and detailed information about their
construction plans equivalent to DNR procedure, and increase permit
fees to ensure adequate funding and staff to review applications,
inspect sites and address violations.
“The legislature can not let these standards slide away with the
runoff that is contaminating our waters,” continued Speight. “The
legislature needs to take action to make sure that the
implementation of Wisconsin’s landmark 2002 runoff rules remains
true to the goal of protecting our waterways from runoff.”
Runoff is a dominant source of water pollution in over two-thirds of
impaired river sections in the state and over 50 percent of impaired
lakes, according to a 2006 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) assessment. Runoff increases the variability of stream flow,
eroding stream banks, impairing wildlife habitat, polluting drinking
water, and contributing to flooding and sewer overflows.
Jan. 20, 2007
Honey Creek
tainted with human waste
Honey Creek
flowing through West Allis, Milwaukee and Wauwatosa is more sewer
than natural stream.
The creek
carries as heavy a load of fecal bacteria throughout the year as you
would expect to find inside a sanitary sewer. Storm sewers discharge
the waste into the stream.
Journal
Sentinel article
Jan. 16, 2007
Waterkeeper apparel available online
Now you can purchase FMR gear at the
Waterkeeper Alliance website. The Waterkeeper Alliance
represents FMR and over 100 other river and water protection groups
around the world.
You can
purchase sweatshirts, hats and other apparel with the FMR logo.
Choose "Milwaukee Riverkeeper" in the
menu of logo choices.
*Note* - some items are only available
with FMR's logo if you purchase ten or more. Hats, fleece and
other embroidered items can be purchased one at a time.
Waterkeeper Alliance
Store
Jan. 11, 2007
From the Healing Our Waters Coalition:
Stop Asian Carp from Becoming #184!
As many of you know, Asian carp
are making their way toward the Great Lakes. And we don't want 'em!
A recent
CBC video includes footage from a week spent boating up the
Mississippi River to the Illinois River (where Asian carp make-up
nine out of 10 fish) and finally to the Great Lakes' last line of
defense: an electric barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
Congress has failed to protect the Great Lakes by never authorizing
this project. The region has had to scramble for funding for years
to keep it operational. With Asian carp knocking on the door of the
Great Lakes, it's time to take action.
Urge Congress to Act Now
Members of Congress are poised to introduce legislation later this
month in the House and Senate that would authorize funding to
operate and maintain this critical barrier. Our goal is to get the
entire Great Lakes delegation signed on as original co-sponsors of
the legislation.
Take action
with Great Lakes Restoration
CBC video on carp problem
Jan. 1, 2007
Internet searching raises money
for FMR
FMR raised money in 2006 through the simple act of searching the
internet with Goodsearch, a search engine geared towards raising
money for nonprofits. Goodsearch donates approximately 1 cent to FMR
for every internet search made in our name. Thanks to members and
friends searching for us, we raised $57 last year. With your help,
we could increase those funds tenfold. For example, if 100 people
search twice a day, we will earn $730 per year.
Learn more about searching for
FMR
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