Eco-Minute

The new federal budget spells disaster for Wisconsin’s environmental research, with the Upper Midwest Environmental Services Center in La Crosse facing closure alongside similar centers nationwide. Meanwhile, the EPA controversially approves two PFAS-laden pesticides for crops like tomatoes and almonds, while considering relaxing chemical reporting rules. Adding to the turmoil, AI technology...

Clean Wisconsin is challenging new energy grid rules that prioritize gas-burning plants over renewable sources, claiming they unfairly benefit fossil fuels. A proposed 1.2 gigawatt gas plant exemplifies the issue, potentially sidelining cheaper, cleaner energy like wind and solar. Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s Pettit Ice Arena is embracing sustainability by installing a massive solar rooftop array to cut...

A proposed AI data center in Dane County threatens to consume over twice the county’s current electricity usage. Tech developer QTS plans to build the data center on 600 acres in Viana, prompting county officials to consider amending their comprehensive plan. In response, Senator Jody Sineken and Representative Angela Stroud have introduced a bill mandating transparency in water use and an a...

AI data centers in Wisconsin are guzzling more water than expected, potentially surpassing even major cities’ consumption, according to Clean Wisconsin’s latest analysis. Despite using water recycling, these centers’ energy needs are a significant drain on the state’s water resources. Meanwhile, the EPA has paused plans to scrap the Energy Star program, which saves American...

Air pollution ups breast cancer risk, says an Oregon study, spotlighting the perils of heavy vehicle emissions, especially as the Trump administration rolls back EPA rules. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s rural communities brace for a federal food share cut, threatening local farmers markets and leaving thousands in the lurch. In brighter news, Wisconsin Apples orchard shines as a top organic apple p...

Federal budget cuts are threatening Wisconsin trout as funding slashes hit the USGS Ecosystem Mission Area, crucial in battling invasive sea lampreys. These parasitic fish have wreaked havoc on Great Lakes fisheries, but recent progress is now at risk. Meanwhile, as autumn leaves carpet our lawns, experts advise against sending them to landfills. Fallen leaves serve as winter havens for pollinator...

Amy Barrilleaux reports from Stella, Wisconsin, where residents demand answers from the EPA and DNR over dangerous PFAS contamination linked to industrial sludge from paper companies. Alarmingly, there’s no mandate to disclose PFAS in agricultural sludge. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s coastal areas receive a financial boost with $1.3 million in grants aimed at shoreline preservation, celebrating Coastal...

Wisconsin takes a leap towards clean energy with the approval of its first wind farm in 14 years, the Badger Hollow Wind Energy Center, alongside a new solar farm. Yet, record high temperatures in cities like Milwaukee signal trouble for fall’s vibrant hues. The Wisconsin State Climatology Office warns that hotter nights, a result of climate change, lead to duller leaf colors. Meanwhile, AI...

Michigan’s Supreme Court is set to hear a pivotal case against Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, as opponents claim legal violations in the approval of an oil tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac. Meanwhile, a new report by Clean Wisconsin highlights the dire impact of nitrate pollution from fertilizers and manure, forcing families to endure higher water costs and health risks. A staggering...

Clean Wisconsin’s latest analysis unveils a startling fact: AI data centers in the state, notably Vantage Data Center and Microsoft’s new hub, will consume over 3.9 gigawatts—more power than all state homes combined. Meanwhile, Senator Tammy Baldwin celebrates the Senate’s approval of a crucial bill to combat toxic algae in Wisconsin’s lakes. This legislation mandates impro...

Wisconsin hunters are warned: mallard and wood ducks from Green Bay are contaminated with PFAS chemicals, traced to Tyco fire products. Meanwhile, the crucial Mississippi River Ecosystem Research Area faces severe federal budget cuts, threatening its century-old scientific contributions on water quality and wildlife. These developments underscore the importance of environmental vigilance and advoc...

Wisconsin’s environmental scene heats up as a state court of appeals rejects a lawsuit threatening crucial water protections, safeguarding waterways from CAFOs’ waste. Meanwhile, the Line 5 oil pipeline controversy escalates, with the battle shifting to Madison. Experts are set to testify on the environmental risks of Enbridge’s plan to expand the pipeline, which involves clearin...

Regulators have imposed a hefty $29 million burden on Midwest families to revive a dormant coal plant in Michigan, thanks to a controversial Trump-era emergency order. The financial hit has sparked outcry as the plant’s inefficiency becomes painfully clear in just five weeks. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s often-overlooked wetlands are emerging as unsung heroes, offering a staggering $4.5 billion in...

A legal challenge against the Line 5 oil pipeline is set to begin August 12 in Ashland. Canadian oil giant Enbridge wants to trench and blast across northern Wisconsin to make way for a new 41-mile section of the pipeline. Environmental groups and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are challenging permits and other approvals for the project issued by the DNR. Environmental groups across...

Baby bald eagles near the great lakes are testing positive for PFAS and other toxic chemicals. Researchers found that eagles living near the great lakes had six times more toxic chemicals in their blood streams than inland populations. Other chemicals found were DDT and PCBs which were banned decades ago. A small Wisconsin school district just got some big clean energy bragging rights. The Eleva-S...

An unwelcome surprise for Wisconsin farmers looking to apply for the Federal Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP. The popular program helps rural small businesses and farmers invest in money saving energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy. But the application window that was supposed to open July 1st was abruptly closed by the USDA. The agency says it is delaying the grant application win...

We’re seeing all the smoke, but what exactly is causing all the fires in Canada? Turns out the 5,000-year-old forest stretching across the country doesn’t get as much snow cover in the spring as it used to and is experiencing warmer, drier summers because of climate change, making wildfire season much more severe. Canada’s boreal forest is the largest intact forest in the world. If you’re in the m...

The Wisconsin Supreme Court hands a big win to the environment. The court ruled it is unconstitutional for a legislative committee to block rules created by state agencies. The decision means good environmental rules now face an easier path to getting to the finish line and becoming law. For years, “legislative vetoes” by a handful of legislators stymied a long list of environmental protections. A...

The website climate.gov is no more. The site that served as a trusted resource for federal research on climate change has been officially shut down a month after its staff was fired by the Trump Administration. When it was online, climate.gov received hundreds of thousands of visitors every month. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says climate information will be housed else...

Environmental groups say the Midwest grid operator, MISO, is pushing an emergency energy plan that discriminates against wind and solar, the two cheapest ways to produce energy in our state. The plan favors fast-tracking construction of gas-burning power plants at the expense of clean energy projects. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected a similar plan from MISO last month, but enviro...

The Trump Administration’s order to keep a Michigan coal plant running could mean higher energy bills in Wisconsin. Just days before the aging plant was set to retire, the Department of Energy ordered it to stay open, citing emergency wartime powers. Staff were already gone and there was no coal on site. The utility that owns the plant wants to recoup the tens of millions of dollars it costs to br...

Warm weather is finally here and so is wildfire smoke from Canada. Forecasters say we can expect air quality warnings to come and go and come again this month with no end in sight as fires blaze out of control across central and western Canada. Environmental advocates say the hazardous smoke blanketing our state—just when we want to head outdoors—shows no community is safe from the impacts of clim...

June is pollinator month, and some Wisconsin lawmakers have introduced a package of bills to protect our bees, butterflies and other insects. The bills would prevent the DNR from using a class of pesticides of called neonicotinoids which are known to harm pollinators. They would also prevent retailers from labeling plants as pollinator-friendly if they’ve been treated with high levels of pesticide...

Dismantling the IRA and other federal clean energy incentives will add  half a gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions  by  2030 . That’s according to modeling from Princeton University. House Republicans passed aggressive cuts to clean energy incentives in their latest budget. Slowing down energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy progress will also cause higher energy costs...

Sen. Tammy Baldwin presses EPA head Lee Zeldin on Great Lakes funding at a hearing on Capitol Hill. The exchange came just one week after Clean Wisconsin, the Healing Our Waters Coalition, and Alliance for the Great Lakes met with Baldwin to stress the importance of fully funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Zeldin ended up going on record saying the protections would be funded. Wiscons...