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Oct. 29, 2008
IRA charitable rollover
extended through 2009
The $700 billion bailout bill
passed by the U.S. House of Representatives extends a
provision allowing the tax-free rollover of individual
retirement accounts for charitable purposes.
The provision originally was passed in 2006 and was extended
through 2007, producing more than $130 million in charitable
gifts over both years.
Individuals over the age of 70 and a half can donate up to
$100,000 from an IRA account to Milwaukee Riverkeeper and
other approved charities, without having to count the funds
as taxable income.
The latest provision extends the rollover through 2009.
Oct.
13, 2008
Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers
changes name to Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers
announced today that it is changing its name to Milwaukee
Riverkeeper®. The organization, now thirteen years old, has
been licensed as the Milwaukee Riverkeeper since 1998.
“We are certainly still friends of all three of our rivers”
stated Executive Director, Dr. Lynn Broaddus, “but in recent
years more and more people have come to know us in our
Riverkeeper role. The new name reflects that reality.” The
new name reflects the organization’s focus on a vision of
rivers that are once again clean enough for swimming and
being able to safely eat the fish that are caught.
“We are proud to more fully embrace our identity as
Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and join over 181 other grassroots
groups and individuals throughout the world who are the
local spokespersons, advocates, scientists, lawyers, and
protectors of their waterways” said Cheryl Nenn, who serves
in the staff position of Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and is also
a Board Member for the Waterkeeper Alliance. “As Milwaukee
Riverkeeper, we identify sources of pollution, respond to
citizen concerns, and work with our partners to find
solutions to problems affecting our rivers.”
"Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers has been an incredibly
effective organization in the Milwaukee area and across the
Great Lakes,” said Steve Fleischli, President of the
Waterkeeper Alliance. “The entire Waterkeeper movement is
honored to see them fully embrace their membership in the
Waterkeeper Alliance by changing their name to Milwaukee
Riverkeeper.”
In its first thirteen years, the organization has been
involved in a wide variety of river-improvement initiatives.
It is perhaps most widely known for the annual river cleanup
which attracts more than 2,500 volunteers to 35 sites in
Milwaukee and upstream communities. Other accomplishments
include working toward the removal of a drop structure on
the Menomonee River, protection of the Milwaukee County
Grounds, removal of a dam on Pigeon Creek to open up miles
of potential trout stream, advocacy for sewage right-to-know
matters, litigation against illegal sanitary sewer
overflows, creation of rain gardens, marking of storm
drains, protection of river buffers through zoning
ordinances and state regulation, and much more.
Our past efforts to identify and draw attention to river
pollution have met with success. In August of this year,
Governor Doyle pledged over $17 million to dredge
contaminated sediments from the Kinnickinnic River on the
south-side of Milwaukee, as well as to initiate cleanup
upstream of the Estabrook Dam. The funds came after
Milwaukee Riverkeeper brought attention to the Kinnickinnic
River by working to get it designated as one of America’s 10
Most Endangered Rivers. Milwaukee Riverkeeper also
coordinates over 80 citizen volunteers that regularly
monitor water quality in rivers throughout the Milwaukee
River Basin, and is one of the largest water quality
advocate groups in the State.
Currently, the organization is monitoring stormwater
outfalls on the Menomonee River and water samples to test
for human bacteria, which if found would indicate
contamination from leaky sanitary sewer pipes. Dr. Sandra
McLellan’s lab at the Great Lakes WATER Institute is
performing the lab work. The organization hopes to grow this
program to other stretches of the rivers, including the
Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic.
Findings from outfall tests will be shared with Wauwatosa,
Milwaukee and other municipalities so that municipalities
can prioritize aging infrastructure repairs and maintenance
in a manner targeted at improving water quality. Milwaukee
Riverkeeper also patrols our three rivers for other sources
of pollution, such as erosion from construction sites, and
monitors permits and projects that have potential to
negatively impact our rivers.
The organization is supported primarily through the private
funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
Oct.
13, 2008
Stir Marketing promotes clean
rivers with ad for Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Stir Marketing, an advertising
and marketing firm in Milwaukee, has developed a pro-bono ad
to promote Milwaukee Riverkeeper's work towards clean and
swimmable rivers.
The ad ran in today's Journal
Sentinel and will run again on Friday. Stir developed
the ad to participate in the Journal Sentinel Partners in
Humanity competition. Stir and Milwaukee Riverkeeper
will compete against 9 other marketing agencies that have
developed ads for nonprofit groups.
Thank you to the folks at Stir
for taking Milwaukee Riverkeeper as your client! May
the best ad win!
See the ad
Oct. 3,
2008
President Bush signs Great
Lakes Compact into law
The Great Lakes
Governors today applauded President George W. Bush for
signing a joint resolution of Congress providing consent to
the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources
Compact. The President’s action marks the final step in the
Compact’s approval process thus enabling these historic
protections to become law.
FMR has worked with our state and federal partners and with
you—our members—to advocate for passage of a strong Great
Lakes Compact. We applaud Governor Doyle and our Legislators
for passing the Great Lakes Compact, and President Bush for
signing this important law to protect our lakes for current
and future generations.
In December 2005, following a nearly five-year negotiation,
the Governors of Illinois, Indiana , Michigan , Minnesota ,
New York , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin reached
agreement on the Compact. The Compact provides a
comprehensive management framework for achieving sustainable
water use and resource protection. The eight Great Lakes
States reached a similar, good faith, agreement with Ontario
and Québec in 2005, which the Provinces are using to amend
their existing water programs for greater regional
consistency.
During 2007 and 2008, each of the eight Great Lakes State
legislatures ratified the Compact. Legislative approval was
completed by the U.S. Senate on August 1, 2008, and by the
U.S. House of Representatives on September 23, 2008.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, Council of Great Lakes
Governors Chair, said, “I applaud President Bush for his
action. Together, we have taken a major step to protect the
Great Lakes . I am hopeful that this historic cooperation
will enable us to accelerate our future efforts.”
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm said, "I thank the
President today for signing the Great Lakes Compact into
law. His support ensures that the Great Lakes will remain a
protected national treasure for years to come."
New York Governor David Paterson said, "I thank President
Bush for carrying out the will of Congress and signing this
important piece of legislation. I proudly announced the
state legislation, earlier this year, that added New York
State to the Great Lakes Compact. The Compact will ensure
that harmful water diversions are controlled and the Great
Lakes ecosystem is protected for future generations."
The Compact includes the following points:
> Economic development will be
fostered through sustainable use and responsible management
of Basin waters.
> In general, there will be a ban on new diversions of water
from the Basin but limited exceptions could be allowed in
communities near the Basin when rigorous standards are met.
> Communities that apply for an exception will have a clear,
predictable decision making process; standards to be met;
and, opportunities to appeal decisions. These processes and
standards do not exist under current law.
> The States will use a
consistent standard to review proposed uses of Basin water.
The States will have flexibility regarding their water
management programs and how to apply this standard.
> Regional goals and
objectives for water conservation and efficiency will be
developed, and they will be reviewed every five years. Each
State will develop and implement a water conservation and
efficiency program that may be voluntary or mandatory.
> There is a strong commitment
to continued public involvement in the implementation of the
Compact.
A broad, bi-partisan consensus
has been built in support of the Compact. The Compact was
developed in collaboration with regional partners who have
also played a key role in its implementation. Members of
Congress, Mayors, local government officials and
stakeholders have all been instrumental.
The Great Lakes are a national
treasure—important to our nation and the world as both an
environmental and economic asset. Our national economy
depends on the Great Lakes for industrial uses, hydropower,
maritime commerce, agricultural irrigation and many other
uses. The Great Lakes are also a globally unique and
important environmental resource. The Compact will ensure
that the Lakes are used sustainably in order to continue to
provide benefits to us all.
Oct. 3. 2008
Outpost members - vote for the
rivers!
Members of Outpost Natural
Food Co-ops will get an opportunity to cast a vote for their
favorite charity this fall in Outpost's Community Wednesdays
program. The program donates 1% of Wednesday profits
to 12 nonprofit groups over the course of 12 months.
We hope you'll consider casting a vote for the rivers! Our
name will be on the ballot as Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers,
since this opportunity came up before our name change was
official.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper has participated in this
program in the past and we are honored to have a chance to
participate again this year. The funds we raise from
Community Wednesdays go directly where they are needed most
- to help us stop pollution going into our waterways.
The Community Wednesdays ballot is included in your 2009
Outpost Ballot.
We appreciate your vote!
Oct. 3, 2008
House sends Great Lakes Legacy
Act to President
During a rare Sunday session this week the House voted 411
to 9 to pass the Great Lakes Legacy Act - again. The Senate
had considered the House bill late last week. During Senate
consideration, the Senate amended the bill and lowered the
authorized funding to current levels, or $50 million a year
for sediment remediation projects. The Senate took this
action because Senators from outside the Great Lakes basin
were blocking the increase in funding that Great Lakes
Senators supported. The House had to accept the Senate
amendments before the bill could go to the President for his
signature, which is set to happen in the next week or so.
Although the Senate amendment
lowered Legacy Act funding to current levels, it also only
authorized the program for an additional two years instead
of the typical five. This means that Congress will have to
take up the funding levels for the program again in the new
Congress, which starts in January.
Thank you to each of
Wisconsin's US Representatives for voting in favor of
protecting our Great Lakes!
Oct. 3, 2008
Milwaukee County to
draw-down dam this weekend
Milwaukee County will commence a controlled drawdown of the
Estabrook Dam and Impoundment beginning Sunday, October 5
2008 at 5 PM. In the past, the drawdown would occur over a
short period of time resulting in a large spate of flow
downstream that resulted in potential safety issues
downstream and upstream of the dam. This year's controlled
drawdown is proposed to occur over a period of days to
minimize safety issues.
Oct. 2, 2008
Don't be alarmed if the river
looks green
The City of Milwaukee has hired a firm to
test inflow and infiltration in the its stormwater pipes
near the Menomonee River upstream of Burleigh. Workers are flushing green dye into the
system to determine if there are leaks in the stormwater and
sewage pipes. You may see some very green looking
bodies of water - but don't worry - the dye is non-toxic.
Oct. 1, 2008
Milwaukee Riverkeeper Comments
on Green Infrastructure
Dear Chairman Oberstar and
Ranking Member Mica,
On behalf of our members and
supporters we are writing to request that you hold a hearing
on green infrastructure solutions to polluted stormwater
runoff from transportation infrastructure. Roads and related
infrastructure, such as parking lots, comprise two-thirds of
all paved surfaces. These hard surfaces are the primary
source of stormwater runoff, preventing rainfall from
soaking into the ground and recharging aquifers and
filtering pollutants. Roads collect pollutants from tailpipe
emissions and brake linings along with other contaminants
that wash into rivers and streams during storms, polluting
those bodies of water.
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