News

Potential AT&T cell phone Tower in Veterans Park Causing Controversy

October 25, 2011

 

Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn quoted a story from Fox 6 News.  See below for details.

 

New "Mining" Bill Does More Damage than Mining

October 25, 2011

So there's probably no doubt you've heard about the proposed Special Session Bills (SB 24 & AB 24) in the Wisconsin Legislature that aim to "reform" protections for navigable waters.  Originally thought to only open the doors to mining companies, the bills actually have turned out to be an all out assault on our state's water policy.

Here are just a couple portions this scary bill proposes:

Downtown Development Site on River Undergoes Cleanup

October 25, 2011

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

by Tom Daykin

A downtown development site overlooking the Milwaukee River has undergone an environmental cleanup, and is being transformed into green space.

The city-owned lot, at 1027 N. Edison St., had its cleanup funded by a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Also, the Milwaukee RiverWalk District is spending around $25,000 to landscape the 20,000-square-foot lot, and create a path through the green space that connects the RiverWalk to the nearby Highland Ave. pedestrian bridge, said Dan Casanova, of the Department of City Development.

Human Fecal Bacteria Detected in Harbor Water Samples

October 17, 2011

gathering waters 015

The article below greatly illustrates that much of the pollution entering our waterways comes not simply from sewage overflows, but from the daily leakage of an aging sewer system.

For more information on Milwaukee Riverkeeper's own human bacteria testing click here.

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

by Don Behm

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee scientists sorting through the bacterial soup in Milwaukee's harbor found "chronic pollution" of the waterway with human sewage, the researchers say in a new report.

Fecal bacteria from people, not cattle or other animals, was detected in each water sample collected from the surface of the harbor both in dry weather and on rainy days, said Sandra McLellan, senior scientist and associate professor with the School of Freshwater Sciences at the Great Lakes WATER Institute on the harbor.

Asian Carp Press Conference

October 13, 2011

SPCL LAKECARP

Check out the coverage from our Asian Carp press conference! It took place, Thursday Oct. 13th at Pere Marquette Park.  

To see pictures from the event visit our Flickr Page.

To read more about the press conference see below.

[excerpted from WUWM - Milwaukee Public Radio]

by Susan Bence

Advocates hoped a pile of postcards from citizens across Wisconsin would attract a crowd at Pere Marquette Park in downtown Milwaukee Thursday afternoon.

Shop @ Outpost - Support our Rivers!

October 12, 2011

Milwaukee RiverMilwaukee Riverkeeper is the grateful recipient of Outpost Natural Foods Community Wednesdays Program.  How does it work?  It's easy!

Step 1: Get your groceries at any Outpost location (MKE, Tosa, Bayview) on any Wednesday in October.

Step 2: At the register the clerk will ask if you would like to round up your total and give the remainder to Milwaukee Riverkeeper.

Step 3: Say Y-E-S!

Share Your Concerns with MMSD

September 28, 2011

sewer outfall-eddee

The Milwaukee Metropoliton Sewage District will be holding Public Meetings to get citizen input on the following dates & times:

Monday, October 10th, 8:30 a.m.
District Headquarters, 260 W. Seeboth, Milwaukee
-and-
Monday, October 24th, 8:30 a.m.
District Headquarters, 260 W. Seeboth, Milwaukee

The purpose of the hearings is to review the District’s 2012 Proposed Operations & Maintenance and Capital Budgets and to receive comments from residents and taxpayers. A summary of the budgets as proposed is attached below in a PDF.  
The District’s 2012 Proposed Combined Operations & Maintenance and Capital Budgets will be available for viewing between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the District.

The 2012 Proposed Budgets will be available electronically at the District’s website, www.mmsd.com, beginning September 5th. Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of disabled individuals through sign language interpreters or other auxiliary aids.

For additional information to request these services, contact the Commission Secretary, Office of the Commission at 225-2108, (FAX) 272-5227 or write to Office of the Commission, 260 W. Seeboth Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204-1446.

$20 million Cleanup of PCBs in Lincoln Park Begins

September 26, 2011

Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn is quoted in a recent article about the Milwaukee River PCB removal.  Great to finally see all that toxic sludge getting hauled out of our rivers!

---

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]

25833154-mjs_river24by Lee Bergquist

It took generations for industrial chemicals to pollute the Milwaukee River, but a project under way in Lincoln Park is taking a big step in removing a toxic legacy of the city's industrial past.

A $20 million cleanup began Sept. 15 to remove pollutants known as polychlorinated biphenyls from sediments of Lincoln Creek and a channel of the Milwaukee River.

Grafton Fish Passage Dead

September 23, 2011

DamLG

Milwaukee Riverkeeper unfortunately reports that the Fish Passage planned to bypass Grafton's Bridge St. Dam on the Milwaukee River is officially not going to happen.

The Grafton Village Board unanimously rejected a DNR permit that required a trap-and-sort portion aimed at stopping invasive species and disease-carrying fish from traveling upstream of the dam.  The restriction, which was not part of original plans for the passage, would have prevented all fish except lake sturgeon from moving through the passage.

Fix the Laterals

September 20, 2011

Milwaukee Riverkeeper agrees.  Fix the laterals!

MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL EDITORIAL

sewer lateralLeaking private laterals "is a hidden problem," according to Milwaukee Ald. Jim Bohl. "People don't see it." The alderman, a co-chairman of the city's Flooding Study Task Force, is right - most of the time. But area residents certainly became aware of the results of leaking laterals in July 2010, when a deluge of storms flooded streets and basements and spurred creation of Bohl's task force.

Although the problem is hidden, it's serious and it's widespread. To fix it, and mitigate the effects of intense storms, will require a concerted effort by local governments, private residents and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

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