Environment


Access to Clean Drinking Water Shouldn’t be Controversial

Ensuring access to clean drinking water shouldn’t be a point of contention. Water is essential to life, and there should be bipartisan consensus that we must protect this vital resource. Yet, in the Northwoods, our water and our environment have been repeatedly sabotaged by our representative – first when he was in the State Legislature, and again once he joined Congress. Toxic Tom Tiffany has been a disaster for Wisconsin’s environment for over a decade, siding with mining and chemical companies over the health and well-being of his own district. It’s ...

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Wisconsin’s Fish Are in Hot Water

According to the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts our state has warmed by three degrees Fahrenheit since 1950, and as a result our waters are warming up too.  From our ponds and lakes to our winding rivers and cold, clear, trout streams these warmer temperatures spell trouble for some of our favorite fish.  To learn more about these impacts our local Citizen's Climate Lobby brings retired Senior Fisheries Biologist, Frank Pratt, to town for a discussion of his 45 years worth of research in Northern Wisconsin. If you love fishing you will want to hear ...

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POW WOW


To Be Human

  Like a ripe Touch-Me-Not seed capsule just waiting for a finger to trigger the pop that sends it's precious cargo out into the world, mornings burst with the promise of exploration, new discoveries and grand inventions.  If you don't believe me just watch any young child jump out of bed with a head full of grand ideas, or an aging, retired guy about to head out for his morning walk in the country.  Lord only knows what discoveries might be waiting out there. This delight in novelty and new challenges is what has brought us from our shaky, beginnings in ...

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Northern Environmental Advocates: PFAS in Drilling Fluids

Wisconsin DNR has a new research project to determine if PFAS are in DNR approved drilling fluids used for mineral exploration drilling and drinking water well construction. Contrary to what the DNR has admitted during recent meetings, DNR staff is still making unfounded public statements that products on their approved list do not contain PFAS. Since there has never been any testing to confirm these products lack PFAS, any statement claiming that products are PFAS free is not backed up by factual evidence. The DNR continues to absorb full liability for allowing use ...

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Wisconsin River Valley Trout Unlimited

Join Wisconsin River Valley Trout Unlimited chapter for a presentation and discussion on protecting clean water from mining in Wisconsin on Monday, September 12 from 6-9 PM. The event will be held at The Bar, 10302 Market Street, Rothschild. After the Trout Unlimited social hour, at 7:00 p.m., River Alliance of Wisconsin Water Advocates Organizer, Johnson Bridgwater, will give a presentation about mining proposals and prospecting in Wisconsin, including the Reef deposit in Marathon County.

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In Our Own Backyard

In Our Own Backyard Tuesday, September 13 at 6 PM There is a LOT happening in our own backyard! Our September presentation will be given by Jeff Sorenson with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Jeff will share the latest discussion regarding Rib Mountain State Park master plan with us. He will also address information on the Emerald Ash Borer and the new winter fat tire bike trail at the Nine Mile Recreation Area. This is a virtual conversation that can be reached through the Zoom Link at the bottom. Our presenter, moved to Wausau in 1998, where Jeff ...

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The Coalition to Save the Menominee River 5K

The Coalition to Save the Menominee River held their 5k Walk-athon on Sunday August 28 at Stephenson Island in Marinette. Registration was from 8 AM until the start of the walk at 10 AM. Walkers left Stephenson Island and traveled along the river on Riverside Avenue and looped back to Stephenson Island. Pictured is a necklace that one of the participants, Mary, created. Each bow has the name of a water protector who contributed. Pastor Ken Michaelis gave a welcome invocation prior to the start. After the walk there was music by Skip Jones. Food was available from ...

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Water Celebration Address

Welcome to the Second Annual Water Celebration. We have much to celebrate—there is no sulfide mine next to the Menominee River. If permitted, the proposed Back Forty sulfide mine would be a perpetual pollution machine discharging acid mine drainage to ground- and surface waters in perpetuity.1 So we have to continue with our opposition because the Gold Resource Corporation has taken over the permitting process after Aquila Resources was forced into bankruptcy. The effort to protect the Menominee River has been going on for over 20 years. How did we get to this point? ...

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Water Protectors

Water Protectors: The H.E.L.P. Campaign to Save the Penokees You need to read this book. The H.E.L.P. Campaign to save the Penokees is still powerful in showing what grassroots organizing can do and what community activism looks like. Back in 2013 I arrived in Mellen with several others from the Wausau area. We were greeted by none other than the author of this book, Nick Vander Puy. Along with him were Penokee Pete and Paul DeMain, and several others. It was an educational day for me up there, one of many that would follow. That day in Mellen at the Penokee ...

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