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Defendertheclean water • clean air • clean energy

Spring 2011

also insideour Changing Climate

Recycling

Valley Update

MaRCHinG oRdeRs:Protect Wisconsin’s environmental legacy

By Amber Meyer Smith, Director of Programs & Government Relations

Since taking office in January, Gov. Scott Walker and the state Legislature have chosen to take Wisconsin down a new

path. Unfortunately, this new direction comes with a vanishing environmental legacy. Several of Clean Wis-consin’s victories are at stake, both in the proposed 2011-’13 state budget and through the legislative pro-cess.

For 41 years, we’ve fought hard to keep Wiscon-sin a green state, regardless of the color of the politi-cal landscape; that determination will never change. But now, we find ourselves fighting tooth and nail to retain our hard-won victories. This includes com-monsense environmental protections like recycling and phosphorus regulations, victories that support Wisconsin’s strong, environmental history.

In this issue of The Defender, we look at what pro-tections are under attack and how, even in the face of staunch adversity, we continue with our marching orders to be your environmental voice.

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an online auction to support Clean Wisconsinnow through April 24

biddingforgood.com/cleanwisconsin

BUdGet sneak PeekOn Tuesday, March 1, Gov. Scott Walker introduced his 2011-’13 biennial

budget. In regards to Wisconsin’s environment, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. Here’s a glimpse at three of Clean Wisconsin’s budget priorities.

Recycling: A Wisconsin EthicThere is no doubt that Gov.Walker’s attempt to dismantle Wisconsin’s recycling laws is an

assault on the very fabric of environmental laws. It was an unexpected move, especially because the funding is raided for another program; it isn’t going to resolve the budget problem.

The good news is legislators are hearing our message. As of this writing, four Republican legislators have already come out against the governor’s recycling cuts. They understand that attacking this commonsense program and raiding recycling funds is the wrong move.

They also understand that the practical effect of the plan will mean that we all still have to recycle, but many of the convenient curbside pick-up options that we have today that make recycling convenient will be in jeopardy. There is no doubt that will mean more illegal landfilling of dangerous materials, or more burning or burying of garbage that could otherwise be recycled, adding up to more risk to our environment.

Clean the Green: Phosphorus Rule DelayAnother misguided provision of Governor Walker’s budget seeks to delay regulations on the

discharge of phosphorus which only went into effect last fall. Phosphorus contributes to the smelly green algae choking many of Wisconsin’s waterways. It comes primarily from farm fields, but is also discharged by industrial sources and wastewater treatment plants.

Clean Wisconsin worked long and hard in cooperation with those regulated sources for several years to come up with a creative, cost-effective and flexible way to address phosphorus discharges. Because of this cooperative effort, even regulated communities supported the phosphorus rules that went into effect.

Phosphorus is so devastating to our community that even EPA is stepping in to regulate it. Wisconsin must remain a leader and be able to bring our cooperative solutions to the table on these key environmental policies. We will be fighting to restore this provision in the budget.

Energy Efficiency in State BuildingsClean Wisconsin led the effort to establish strong goals to reduce energy usage in state buildings.

Walker proposes to invest an additional $100 million in energy conservation measures for state buildings to help meet these energy-efficiency goals.

In 2006, we advised Governor Doyle when he set an original energy reduction goal of 10% by 2008 and 20% by 2010. While the state has achieved the first goal of a 10% reduction, the second goal has not been met; this additional investment will certainly help keep Wisconsin on this conservation path. These energy savings are expected to be met through upgrades to energy efficient equipment and building systems, including HVAC systems, electrical as well as exploration into other sources of energy like geothermal, solar, wind, biomass and fuel cells.

Read more about environmental issues in the 2011-’13 budget on page 3

more auction info on insert and page 3

2 Spring 2011

Executive Director Mark Redsten Development Director Becky Bains

Grants Manager Rosie BellAccounting Manager Mary CoughlanMembership Assistant Jenny LynesWater Program Director Melissa Malott

Director of Programs & Government Relations Amber Meyer SmithWater Resources Specialist Ezra MeyerGeneral Counsel Katie NekolaSenior Policy Director Keith ReopelleClean Energy Jobs Coordinator Sarah ShanahanChief Financial Officer Roger SneathClean Energy Specialist Katy WalterMedia Specialists Amanda Wegner Sam Weis Staff Attorney Elizabeth WheelerOffice Administrator David Vitse

BoaRd

Chair Carl Sinderbrand (Madison)Vice Chair Margi Kindig (Madison)Treasurer Gof Thomson (New Glarus)Secretary Gary Goyke (Madison)

Belle Bergner (Milwaukee)Sue Durst (Verona)Shari Eggleson (Washburn)Luke Fairborn (Whitefish Bay)Scott Froehlke (Montello)Paul Linzmeyer (Green Bay)Chuck McGinnis (Middleton)Lucia Petrie (Milwaukee)David Wandel (Madison)

Kate Gordon – Board Emeritus (Washington, D.C.)

The Defender is owned and published quarterly by Clean Wisconsin, 634 W. Main St., #300, Madison, WI 53703,608-251-7020.A one-year subscription membership is $35. Please direct correspondence to the address above.Volume 41, No. 2 Issue date: April 2011©2011 Clean Wisconsin. All rights reserved.ISSN # 1549-8107

Clean Wisconsin is your environmental voice, but we need you to be involved! While we certainly appreciate your financial support, we also need you to support our work with your actions! The quick-est, most affordable way for us to contact you when we need your help is via e-mail. Please e-mail jlynes@cleanwisconsin.org with your e-mail address and join our action network. Be part of our winning team!

Thanks to your financial generosity, we are able to work to protect Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocate for clean energy. An easy and practical way to support our work with minimal impact on your monthly budget is joining our monthly donor program. You can set up monthly con-tributions of any amount that recur automatically on our secure website or that we can run in the office.

If you want to reduce your mail from Clean Wisconsin and support our campaigns year-round, become a monthly donor by visiting www.cleanwisconsin.org, clicking “Donate Now” and select-ing, “I want to make a recurring donation.” Or, call or mail in your preferred monthly amount, Visa or Mastercard information, and full name and address and we can take care of the rest.

The budget proposes to raid recycling funds. At the same time, it exempts businesses from the recy-cling requirements and eliminates the requirement for municipalities and counties to operate recycling programs.

The changes will amount to less convenient recycling options and more waste in landfills. Please con-tact your legislators to tell them that Walker’s recycling changes are a significant step backward for Wisconsin and we need access to local recycling programs. Most importantly, tell them not to restore this program on the back of another environmental program ... don’t steal from Peter to pay Paul!

Your voice matters! We’ve seen an unprecedented number of you take action to help fight for re-cycling. Thanks to you, several key legislators have already publicly spoken out against Governor Walker’s cuts to Wisconsin’s beloved recycling law. Thank you, and let’s keep up the good work!

If you haven’t made your voice heard on this issue yet, take action through our home page at www.cleanwisconsin.org.

GiVe Us yoUR e-Mail addRess

HelP Clean WisConsin all yeaR lonG

staFF

Clean Wisconsin protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officals and polluters accountable.

Founded in 1970 as Wisconsin’s Environmental De-cade, Clean Wisconsin exposes corporate polluters, makes sure existing environmental laws are enforced, and educates citizens and businesses.

On behalf of its 10,000 members, supporters and co-alition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin a wonderful place to live, work and play.

ReCyClinG FUnd Raid: yoUR aCtion CoUnts

Printed with soy ink on unbleached, recycled paper.

634 W. Main St., #300 • Madison WI 53703Phone: 608-251-7020www.cleanwisconsin.org

CLUES: river, spring, trout, garbage, beach ANSWER: Rubbish

enviro-sCRaMBleby Clean Wisconsin staff

Unscramble each of the five scrambled words below, filling each space with one letter. Then unscramble the enclosed letters to answer the riddle below.

RERVI __ __ __ __ __ RINPSG __ __ __ __ __ __ RUTTO __ __ __ __ __ BAGGEAR __ __ __ __ __ __ __ CEHAB __ __ __ __ __

What did the British environmentalist call a proposal to end recycling?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __

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Actions you can take for clean water, clean air and clean energy

TAKING ACTIONTaking Charge&

Clean Wisconsin is on the move!On April 15, Clean Wisconsin is moving from our State Street location in Madison to a new office several blocks off Capitol Square.MoVeO

N T

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Find us at our new address: 634 W. Main St., #300, Madison, WI 53703

www.cleanwisconsin.org 3

from theexecutive director

It is no secret that our strength as an organization comes from you, and that has never been as evident as it is today.

We are in the midst of one of the most challenging political times in memory, but the support we’re receiving from you has been an overwhelming bright spot in these tough times. This support is helping us protect our 40-plus years of environmental victories.

Since 1970, Clean Wisconsin has worked to secure victories that protect our state’s clean air and water and promote the development of clean, renewable energy. These victories have helped keep Wisconsin a clean, beautiful place to live, work and play.

Today, we face a new and challenging political climate, and we are now fighting to hold onto the progress we’ve made over the last 40 years.

The Governor and new leaders in the Legislature threaten to erase many of our recent victories. The Legislature recently acted to make it harder to build clean, renewable wind farms in the state, and the Governor’s proposed budget aims to substantially weaken standards for keeping algae-causing phosphorus in check.

Perhaps even more concerning than the attacks on our recent victories, however, are the attacks on environmental policies that were passed decades ago.

Governor Walker’s proposed budget aims to cut state aid to local recycling programs and end the requirement that counties and municipalities provide residents with access to local recycling programs. Clean Wisconsin helped pass the original Recycling Law in 1990, and we’re fighting today to preserve this important victory and ensure Wisconsin remains a leader in recycling.

Our issues are under assault, but our supporters have responded with enthusiasm and dedication, helping give us the tools we need to protect our victories in the face of attack.

Thousands of you have sent messages to legislators and the Governor urging them to protect wind energy and save recycling.

Other members have responded with donations that support our work defending Wisconsin’s air and water in the Capitol. One generous gift is allowing us to hire new staff to prepare for legal challenges and enforcement cases. This new legal department helps ensure we have the tools we need to fight attacks against environmental policies.

We will need your continued support in the coming weeks, months and years to make sure that we keep moving Wisconsin forward, not backward. Whether you can afford to give $5, $100, $100,000, or simply send a letter to your representative, we are eternally grateful for your support.

The pages ahead contain more information on the attacks to our past victories, but please do not let this dishearten you. Rather, we hope that you’ll use this troubling news as motivation to take action, and stand with us on behalf of Wisconsin’s wonderful environment.

Thank you for your continued support!

OUR CHANGING ClIMATENew report projects impacts of climate change in Wisconsin

By Keith Reopelle, Senior Policy Director Finding Strength in Numbers and ActionsIn early February, the DNR and UW’s Nelson

Institute released the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impact’s (WICCI) first assessment report, “Wisconsin’s Changing Climate: Impacts and Adaptation.” The report projects changes in Wisconsin’s weather over the next 40 and 90 years and the likely resulting impacts. The report highlights impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies for a variety of focus areas, such as water resources; natural habitats and biodiversity; agriculture and the soil resources; coastal resources; and people and their environment.

The report represents an amazing compilation of cutting-edge research by the WICCI scientists. To determine the potential likely impacts of climate change will have on Wisconsin, the scientists first looked at historic weather records in Wisconsin.

Temperatures in Wisconsin have increased 1.1 degrees Fahrenheit, on average, since 1950, though the warming varies greatly across the state, with the northwestern part of the state warming 2.5 degrees over that time. This warming is very consistent with the earth as a whole, which has warmed 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850. WICCI scientists took this historic weather data (including other parameters, such as rainfall) and ran it through 14 different climate models developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and “downscaled” the global models to predict localized weather patterns over the 21st century. Scientist ran the models with three (IPCC generated) scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions: a high-end, low-end, and middle carbon emission scenario, which all assume continued reliance on fossil fuels.

The impacts described in the report are based on weather predictions resulting from the middle GHG emission scenario. This scenario predicts that Wisconsin’s temperatures will increase, on average, anywhere from 4 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit by the middle of this century. The models predict that the temperatures will increase the most in the northern part of the state and the least along Lake Michigan. This rate of warming is approximately four times faster than the warming we have seen since 1950. Extremely hot days in the summer are expected to double by mid-century, along with roughly half as many extremely cold nights in the winter.

The different climate models show less agreement on how precipitation will change in Wisconsin, though overall they indicate a 75-percent chance that precipitation will increase. The models agree more on the likelihood of increased winter precipitation (more of it coming as rain and less snow) and they also have a higher level of confidence that we’ll see more intense rainfall events, particularly in the spring and fall. Whether precipitation will increase or decrease in the summer is less certain, based on this modeling.

The WICCI report gives likely impacts and vulnerabilities for each of the focus areas and discusses adaptation strategies. Here is a small sample of likely impacts:

1. Increased intense storm events in the winter and spring will increase nutrient and sediment loading to Wisconsin’s lakes and streams further impairing water quality.

2. The duration of ice cover on Wisconsin lakes in the winter will continue to shorten and lakes in the southern half of the state will not freeze over at all some years resulting in obvious impacts on winter tourism and exacerbating safety concerns.

3. Coldwater fish species will decline. Under the “worst case” emission scenario, Wisconsin will lose all of its brook trout habitat; under the “middle” scenario we lose 94 percent, and 44 percent with the best-case scenario.

4. Changes in temperature and moisture change the geographic range and disease transmission abilities of insects that carry a variety of viruses such as West Nile virus, LaCrosse encephalitis and Lyme disease.

5. While growing seasons will increase, a long list of climate changes hold potential to decrease crop production including flooding, droughts, increased disease and fungus due to higher humidity, and increased pests due to milder winters.

The report is by no means a climate change panic button for Wisconsin; quite the contrary, it is an objective, practical, scientific look at likely impacts, risk management assessment and options/recommendations for how resource managers, planners, health professionals and infrastructure managers may be able to adapt to the changes that we are already seeing and the more dramatic local climate changes to come.

Find the report at www.wicci.wisc.edu/publications.php

a HUGe tHanks to our donors: Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona • Alterra Coffee, Milwaukee • Amanda Wegner Yoga, Madison • Amazing Grace Family Farm, Janesville • Jake Barns • Bergner Associates, Milwaukee • Birchwood Lodge, Sister Bay • canvasondemand.com • Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton • Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Madison • Shari and Mark Eggleson • EZ Office Products, Madison • Carol and Luke Fairborn • Food Fight Restaurant Group, Madison. Fresco and John Jerabek, Madison • Scott Froehlke • Green Bay Packers • The Grumpy Troll Brew Pub, Mount Horeb • Holland's Family Cheese, Thorp • Ian’s Pizza, Madison • Jamie M. Swanson Photography, Fond du Lac • Landmark Theatre • Milwau-kee Madison Mallards • Hans Meyer • Milwaukee Brewers • Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee • Overture Center for the Arts, Madison • Pete and Lucia Petrie • Keith Reopelle • Returning Home Reiki - Marcia Halligan, Viroqua • Rivergate Gardens, Cazenovia • Schonheit Gardens, Sun Prairie • Shoo Inc., Madison • Vermont Valley CSA, Blue Mounds. (List current as of April 7, 2011)

Through April 24, show your support for Clean Wisconsin by bidding on items in our Wonderful Wisconsin online auction!

Go ahead. Browse, bid and bid again.Your winning bid sustains Clean Wisconsin’s work for cleaner water, breathable air, recycling and so much more that makes Wisconsin a

wonderful, beautiful place to live!

Place your bids here:www.biddingforgood.com/CleanWisconsin

4 Spring 2011

Governor Walker introduced his biennial budget bill on March 1. The budget is an important aspect of the governor and legislature’s work in any given session, and Clean Wisconsin closely monitors this process and weighs in on important environmental matters. As you can see below, there is no shortage of important environmental topics

addressed in this budget, and we will be asking you to contact your legislators on these issues.

THE GOOD...• $20 million funding for polluted runoff programs related to agriculture• $5 million to clean up contaminated sediment in the Great Lakes and tributaries• $100 million to upgrade energy efficiency at state buildings and the University system (see cover story)• $4 million for dam safety

THE BAD...• Seeks to repeal rules related to stormwater runoff regulation • While there are no cuts to Stewardship funding levels, Walker’s budget adds several onerous measures that will make it extremely difficult to

preserve any lands with Stewardship funding, especially cutting tax payments to communities.• Jeopardizes the great work the Brownfields program has accomplished in cleaning up contaminated lands by transferring its duties out of the

DNR• Eliminates the Office of Energy Independence• Eliminates the Renewable Grants and Loan Program which provided incentives for Wisconsin businesses to develop emerging energy tech-

nologies• Eliminates the Green to Gold revolving fund program which enabled Wisconsin’s industries to lower their energy costs, make products that

support the green economy, and create and retain jobs• Eliminates the Purchase of Agricultural Conversion Easements (PACE) program, which helps preserve farmland• Cuts funding for public transit by 10% and jeopardizes future dedicated transit funding

...AND THE UGly• Decimates Wisconsin’s recycling law by raiding funding and risking the convenient recycling pick up options many Wisconsinite’s have come

to expect (see page 5)• Seeks to repeal the phosphorus rule that was just adopted last fall that would help keep algae-causing phosphorus out of our waterways (see

cover story)

WIND SITING: A new rule to standardize the siting of wind turbines was set to go into effect on March 1. Clean Wisconsin was part of the advisory group that in-cluded businesses, local officials, health professionals and homeowners that crafted the compromise plan to address controversy over wind turbine siting.

However, on that same day, a legislative committee met to suspend the rule on a partisan vote, sending Wisconsin back to square one in terms of uniform wind laws. It also wipes out years of effort by groups like ours to promote wind energy as a means to end our over-reliance on energy sources like dirty coal.

There is no doubt this move will cripple wind for Wisconsin. In fact, two wind companies have already announced their plans to pull their planned project of Wisconsin because of the regulatory uncertainty. Those projects alone would have meant dozens of jobs and significant financial investment to local areas. We are disappointed in these developments and will carefully monitor opportunities to re-mind policy makers that Wisconsin must start relying on homegrown sources of clean energy rather than sending $16 billion out of state each year for our energy needs.

Our environmental priorities, at work in the CapitolBy Amber Meyer Smith, Director of Programs and Government Relations

leGislatiVe UPdateClEAN WISCONSIN’S

• Watch live and recorded legislative floor sessions, committee hearings and interviews at wisconsineye.org

• Sign up to receive notifications about action on bills you care about at http://notify.legis.state.wi.us

• Learn more about your legislators by entering your address or using the interactive map at http://legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx

• Most importantly, join our action network! Find it online at www.cleanwisconsin.org.

A lot has happened with the campaign to clean up We Energies’ Valley Coal Plant since the last publication of the Defender. Between building a coalition and enforcing the law, Clean Wisconsin has been very busy in Milwaukee this winter.

Despite the overwhelming number of comments the DNR received from the community and from technical experts, few substantive changes were made to their proposed air permit for Valley. The EPA then approved the permnt, and the DNR issue a final permit.

This is not the end of the line for Valley, however. Luckily there are still a number of legal tools that allow us the opportunity to hold We Energies’ Valley to the most up to date health standards. Along with the Sierra Club, Clean Wisconsin is petitioning the EPA to reconsider its approval of the permit for Valley. At the same time, the two groups have also filed a petition with the Division of Hearings and Appeals to challenge certain aspects of the permit.

While the legal case for cleaning up Valley is critical, equally important is the ongoing work to educate the commu-nity about this old and dirty plant. To that end, the Cleaner Valley Coalition has formed with the goal of holding We Energies, the EPA and the DNR accountable. Comprised of health advocacy groups, civil rights organizations, faith groups and local service providers, the Cleaner Valley Coalition represents the strength of a community united to fight one cause.

Stay informed on what’s

happening in our state

government

U P d a t eBy Katy Walter, Clean Energy Specialist

www.cleanwisconsin.org 5

HAVE yOU SEEN IT? The new www.cleanwisconsin.orgAfter a long-needed update, we launched a redesign of our website, www.cleanwisconsin.org, in late January.

Here’s a quick tour; we encourage you to check it out yourself and come back frequently!

NEW! The Clean Wisconsin blog

Learn more about our work, environmental issues and

more in easy-to-read (and sometimes laughable) bits!

Cleaner, crisper, easier to navigate!We admit it: The old site was pretty cluttered. We

simplified the organization of the site and gave it a

fresh new look with beautiful graphics and

eye-pleasing colors

Call to actionYour active participation in the environmental commu-nity is critical to our success ... thank you! We’ve made it easy to get involved on the new website: see current actions, attend events near you, join our actionnetwork or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter ... it’s all on the home page!

Clean Wisconsinites support recycling, because...

“I would rather look at grass and sand than bottles and bags!”

—Melissa Jill Belton, via Facebook

“I love Wisconsin and have this odd be-lief that our lakes, rivers, streams, forests, fields, and, yes, towns and cities are much more beautiful than candy wrappers, plas-tic bags and beer cans.”

—Todd Cox, via Facebook

“Grandma always said ‘Waste not, want not!’ Recycling is a legacy of wealth and health.”

—BaLynda Schweitzer, via Facebook

“Eventually we will run out of space for waste. Why put that burden on future generations? … I support recycling be-cause it is the right thing to do.”

—Brian, via the Clean Wisconsin blog

“How do we want to use our resources? For playgrounds, gardens and housing or for landfill and dumps??? … What do we want to leave for future generations: trees, streams and spaces or mountains of disposable diapers, perpetual plastic stuff and rusting junk?”

—Rev. Georgette Wonders, via Facebook

“Our future doesn’t need any more garbage!”

—Michelle Buerger, via Facebook

recyclingin WI

ton of recycled aluminum saves the same amount of energy as the total amount of electricity used by a Wisconsin home over 10 years

percent less air pollution by recycling paper instead of using virgin materials

percent reduction in mining waste thanks to glass recycling

gallons of gas saved by recycling one ton of newspaper

percent of Wisconsin residents support recycling & the recycling ethic

pounds of waste generated by each Wisconsinite annually

percent of that annual per-person waste total is cur-rently recycled

tons of waste diverted from landfills from recycling in 2009 alone

dollars dedicated to recycling in the proposed budget

For a generation of Wisconsinites, recycling is second nature. It is an environmental ethic faith-fully followed by residents throughout the state. But now, our state faces the possibility of losing its support system for recycling as Gov. Scott Walker proposes changes to Wisconsin’s recycling law in his budget proposal that would have a devastating effect on cycling as we know it by raiding the fund-ing that helps municipalities and counties sustain their programs.

Passed in 1990, the Wisconsin Recycling Law currently requires residents and businesses to re-cycle certain banned materials and ensures that we all have access to a locally run recycling program. Governor Walker’s budget jeopardizes the convenient options for recycling that we currently enjoy. And worst of all is that this funding raid does not even go to help with the state deficit, it is merely shifted into an unrelated government program!

Each year, Wisconsin’s successful recycling provision helps keep almost 2 million tons of solid waste out of our landfills each year. Wisconsin is recognized as a national leader in recycling. People of all political stripes support it; a DNR survey found that 90 percent of Wisconsin residents support recycling and the recycling ethic.

Raiding the recycling funds would require local governments across the state to cut back on pro-grams and could cause some to cut recycling programs all together. Also worrisome is that Walker’s proposal exempts businesses from recycling – half of the recycled waste stream!. If businesses stopped recycling, we could see up to 700 extra tons of waste dumped in our landfills.

These changes to Wisconsin’s recycling law would move Wisconsin two decades backward, and legislators should act quickly to restore recycling in the budget.

With so much to lose, raiding recycling funds is simply unacceptable.

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ReCyClinG A Wisconsin Ethic

Brief & relevantClean Wisconsin is your portal for environmental information in the state! We know you’re busy, so we

put the most important and relevant information on our home page and kept it brief.

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By Katy Walter, Clean Energy Specialist

95th Assembly District, La Crosse

FUKUSHIMA IN BRIEF At press time, the disaster at the Fukushima reactors was still evolving, and worsening. Briefly, the site has six boiling water reactors, which rely on electricity to run the water-cooled reactor core. Because the elec-tricity was cut off by the earthquake, those cooling systems could not operate. In addition, either the quakes and aftershocks or the tsunami made the back-up generators inoperable. Without cooling, reactor cores and fuel pools overheated, causing multiple explosions, core meltdowns, and the release of radiation which has now affected Japan’s drinking water and food supply. The most recent report has radioactive water being dumped into the ocean. The Japanese government has evacuated the area, and the chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com-mission (NRC) fears that workers trying to get the reactors under control will suffer lethal radiation doses. Japanese citizens who are struggling to cope with homelessness, lack of food and water, and loss of family members also must fear the effects of exposure to increasing levels of radiation.

NO TURN-OFF SWITCH The crisis at Fukushima has raised questions about the characteristics of nuclear power. Coal, biomass and gas plants create heat by simply burning the fuel. Wind turbines turn by the movement of the air, and solar photovoltaic cells produce electricity by turning light energy into a current. All these technologies can be “switched off.”

Nuclear can’t. Nuclear plants use enriched uranium fuel rods that react by split-ting atoms (fission), which makes heat, boils water, creates steam, and turns a tur-bine that spins a generator, creating energy. Once the reaction process starts, the decay process creates heat and radioactive emissions for hundreds of thousands of years. This is why some of the most serious radiation leaks in Fukushima are occurring in the “spent” fuel pools: large pools of water designed to cool and store radioactive fuel discharged from reactors.

COUlD IT HAPPEN HERE? While Wisconsin is not in danger of being hit by a tsunami, what happened in Japan highlights how sensitive nuclear reactors are to any natural disaster. Many problems can occur with technologies as complex as nuclear reactors, but the Fukushima disaster highlights the critical importance of cooling systems to prevent core meltdowns and radioactive releases. Emergency diesel generators provide onsite backup power for cooling when offsite power is lost. At Fukushima, these generators were knocked out by the tsunami. Although not publicized, U.S. reactors have had their share of diesel generator and cooling system problems, including the Kewaunee plant.

Besides being similar in age to the Japanese reactors, there are some notable sim-ilarities in the safety records of Wisconsin’s three active reactors as well. In 2002, Tokyo Electric was charged with falsifying plant safety records and five executives were forced to resign. Here at home, Wisconsin’s Point Beach nuclear plant own-ers paid a civil penalty of $60,000 to the NRC in 2006 for “deliberately providing inaccurate information to the NRC about an emergency preparedness drill.” In 1999, the Kewaunee nuclear plant, also located in Wisconsin, received a violation notice from the NRC for “falsification of security-related records.”

Other nuclear reactors around the U.S. have been cited by NRC as recently as 2010 for emergency diesel generator malfunctions, submitting inaccurate infor-mation to regulators, and failure to repair already-identified problems; find the list of violations at www.nrc.gov. As the events in Japan illustrate, the availability of power to run cooling systems is critical to averting meltdown and the release of radiation.

not the time to lift Wisconsin's nuclear moratoriumThe tragic events still unfolding in Japan have reminded people all over the world of the risks posed by radiation from nu-

clear reactors and spent fuel pools. Incredibly, even as we hear the news of deadly radiation contaminating more and more of Japan’s soil, air, and water, some Wisconsin legislators want to open the door to expand nuclear power in our state.

Now is not the time.

phone: 608-788-9854rep.shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov

legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/asm95

RepresentativeJennifer Shilling

Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D–La Crosse) has served in the Wisconsin State Assembly for over 10 years as a strong advocate for her district. In that time, she has earned a place among the body’s most respected legislators.

Rep. Shilling serves on the powerful Joint Committee on Finance, the body that handles all the state’s spending and budget issues. As the debate over Wisconsin’s budget heats up, Rep. Shilling’s position on Joint Finance will allow her to play a leading role in protecting the envi-ronment from harmful budget cuts.

Recent efforts to derail progress on wind en-ergy and high speed rail have given Rep. Shil-ling the opportunity be a strong voice for clean energy and highlight its role in rebuilding our economy and creating new jobs.

“If we want our state to be competitive on a national and international level, we need to in-vest in 21st-century manufacturing and agricul-tural industries,” Shilling remarked in response

to the governor’s proposed bill that would se-verely restrict wind energy. “Wisconsin has the potential to be a leader in clean energy manu-facturing, but we need our government to be a partner rather than an obstacle to this growing industry.”

Her forward-looking vision on energy issues is reflected in her work in the community. Rep. Shilling has helped Gunderson Lutheran, a lo-cal hospital system, toward its goal of lowering health care costs by becoming energy neutral. By implementing a series of clean energy and en-ergy efficiency projects, the hospital system has become a leader in the industry and an impor-tant example to the rest of the state. Shilling can bring experience with these local projects to the debate in Madison on clean energy issues.

Clean Wisconsin looks forward to working with Rep. Shilling on the state budget and other clean air, clean water and clean energy issues in the future.

lIFTING lEGISlATION For almost 30 years, Wisconsin has maintained a sen-sible law that requires two conditions to be met in order to construct new nuclear reactors. Inaccurately called a “moratorium” or ban on new nuclear power plants this law does not prohibit construction, but rather protects Wisconsin citizens from the skyrocketing costs of such construction, by requiring

• that any proposed project be “economically advantageous to ratepayers,” and

• that a safe, long-term storage facility exists for high-level radioactive waste before new reactors can be built.

Wisconsin legislators have recently indicated they want to open the door to the expansion of nuclear power in our state. Rep. Mark Honadel (R-South Milwau-kee), Chairman of the Assembly Utility Committee, has repeatedly stated that he intends to introduce a bill that would “lift the moratorium” on new reactors. The bottom line is that the tragedy in Japan has reminded us all of the dangers more nuclear power could expose Wisconsin to, not to mention its exorbitant costs.

Contact your legislators today and tell them now is not the time to consider rolling back Wisconsin’s existing nuclear law. Wisconsin needs a long range energy policy that relies on clean, safe forms of energy production and energy efficiency.

By Katie Nekola, General Counsel