— A local government coalition focused on climate issues aims to ensure residents get their “fair share” of federal resources coming to Wisconsin.
That’s according to Erick Shambarger, Milwaukee’s director of environmental sustainability and co-founding member of the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition. In a recent interview, he said the group helps members share ideas and find opportunities to collaborate.
“Obviously with the federal infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, I mean there’s a lot of opportunities,” he said, referencing the billions of federal dollars Wisconsin is expected to receive. “So the coalition is just a good forum for local governments that are interested in these issues.”
Those opportunities — and challenges — will be examined at a WisPolitics-WisBusiness event Thursday in Milwaukee. See below for event details and a registration link.
The coalition was founded about two and a half years ago following conversations between Shambarger, Eau Claire Senior Planner Ned Noel and Kathy Kuntz, director of Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate Change. It has now grown to include 16 members across the state, representing communities with 1.8 million collective residents.
Much of the coalition’s work thus far has focused on utility regulations, Shambarger explained.
“When there’s issues that affect all of us, we weigh in on those things, because the regulations of how the utilities operate really affects a lot of different things,” he said.
While the group doesn’t do any lobbying, it has issued joint comments to the state Public Service Commission on various topics, ranging from increasing funding for the state’s Focus on Energy program to allowing third-party financing for solar projects. Its website lists a number of policy priorities including retiring coal plants and other fossil fuel facilities, investing in the clean energy workforce, boosting support for the electrification of buildings and transportation systems, and more.
Noel explained founding members of the coalition were interested in pooling resources and presenting a unified voice on shared priorities like these.
“Kind of the earlier adopters, the local governments that had pledged carbon neutrality-type goals or carbon reduction, renewable energy goals, and had developed sustainability or climate action plans,” he said, adding they “work together to make sure that the local government voice is more heard at the state level.”
He emphasized that the coalition represents communities from across the state, including Green Bay, Stevens Point, Wauwatosa, Racine, La Crosse, Wausau, Madison, Sun Prairie, Middleton and others.
The coalition has secured funding from the national Energy Foundation to bring on an outside consultant to help facilitate its efforts. Shambarger noted local governments typically have limited staff, technology and other resources, adding the sheer number of potential funding opportunities can be overwhelming.
“Many communities that don’t have staff focused on sustainability, clean energy policy may not even be paying close attention to what the federal opportunity is going to create for Wisconsin,” he said. “We’re just trying to stay ahead of the game here.”
See more on the coalition: https://wlgcc.org/
Register for Thursday’s event here: https://www.wispolitics.com/event/wispolitics-com-wisbusiness-com-the-clean-energy-shift-is-underway-how-will-the-inflation-reduction-act-accelerate-the-transition-2
— Gov. Tony Evers is backing bipartisan federal legislation that would bar non-dairy products from being labeled with terms like milk, yogurt and cheese.
U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, joined other lawmakers to introduce the House version of the DAIRY PRIDE Act, while U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, introduced the bill’s Senate companion.
The FDA recently proposed guidance to allow plant-based dairy alternatives to be labeled as milk. The bill would prohibit products derived from seeds, plants, algae and nuts to be labeled as dairy products. Along with voicing his support for the bill, Evers sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf urging the agency to reconsider its position on the subject.
The Dem guv touted Wisconsin’s reputation as “America’s Dairyland,” noting generations of farmers in the state have developed a reputation for high-quality dairy products.
“Consumers choose Wisconsin milk products because they know that our farmers take pride in producing quality products backed by rigorous industry standards,” he wrote. “Inaccurate labeling of imitation products as ‘milk’ not only creates confusion in the marketplace but threatens one of the core industries within Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agricultural economy.”
He argued the bill would protect dairy producers in the state from “unfair competition.”
Green Bay-based Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, one of the country’s largest dairy co-ops, applauded the bill’s introduction last week.
In a release, Edge President Brody Stapel pointed to studies showing consumers don’t understand the “substantial nutritional differences between true dairy products and nutritionally inferior” non-dairy alternatives.
“Dairy farmers deserve fairness in the marketplace,” he said.
See Evers’ letter here: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WIGOV/2023/03/08/file_attachments/2431152/03082023_TE%20letter%20to%20FDA%20re%20dairy%20guidance.pdf
See the release from Evers’ office: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/34d31ff
See the co-op’s release: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/edge-dairy-farmer-cooperative-further-action-needed-to-support-accurate-dairy-labeling/
— The operators of a Brown County CAFO called Ledgeview Farms will be paying a $320,000 settlement after violating state wastewater management laws, according to the state Department of Justice.
Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Friday the settlement with Ledgeview Farms LLC, Ledgeview Facility LLC, Roy Pansier, Glen Pansier and Jason Pansier was recently approved by the Brown County Circuit Court.
Defendants operated a concentrated animal feeding operation without a legally required Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, and manure and wastewater from the farm polluted nearby waterways, according to the DOJ release.
And though the farm obtained the WPDES permit for the facilities, it then “violated numerous requirements” by continuing to allow discharge into nearby waterways, the release shows. The farm also didn’t have enough manure storage and failed to upgrade inadequate facilities, DOJ says.
Along with the financial penalty, the CAFO operators must also stop using a feed storage area that doesn’t “adequately capture” wastewater runoff.
“Those who break our laws and pollute Wisconsin water should be held to account,” Kaul said in the release.
See more details, including the complaint and judgment documents: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/attorney-general-kaul-announces-320000-settlement-ledgeview-farms-resolve-violations
<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report …</b></i>
— The Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules has voted 6-4 along party lines to suspend a Department of Health Services requirement that Wisconsinites get a meningitis vaccine in seventh grade and a booster in 12th grade.
And U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, has reintroduced legislation to prohibit government restrictions on abortion.
<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i>
Sign up here: http://forms.gle/o8FtqTLviGJPja8C9
#TOP STORIES#
# A ferry line is a vital link to the mainland for a Lake Superior island. Now, its assets may be sold.
# I-43, Port Washington Road reconstruction projects advance, business owner says opportunities for improvement with communication
# After report on boy’s death on dairy farm, officials move to address issues facing immigrant workers
#TOPICS#
# ADVERTISING
– Baird executive says convention center naming rights to help build global brand
– Baird to be naming rights sponsor for downtown Milwaukee’s convention center
# AGRIBUSINESS
– Wisconsin’s new roadside campaign promotes agricultural tourism
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=289&yr=2023
– The sweet success of Seaquist Orchards: Wisconsin’s leading tart cherry growers
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=290&yr=2023
# CONSTRUCTION
– Milwaukee Public Museum shares renderings of future gallery as moving plans continue
– Madison to review plan for 331-unit housing at Filene site
# ECONOMY
– Kathleen Gallagher: Why is Indianapolis growing and Milwaukee shrinking?
# ENVIRONMENT
– Chippewa Co. to enter bat protection program while continuing forest management
# FOOD AND BEVERAGE
– Glazed, with Korean corn dogs and poi mochi, is a global sister act
– Chain reaction: Food and beverage chains have a big appetite for Milwaukee and southeast Wisconsin
# HEALTH CARE
– Madison COVID testing clinic to be closed by health department
# LEGAL
– Wisconsin right-to-work in spotlight again
# MANUFACTURING
– West Allis manufacturer to spend $14.5M expanding operations at existing, new plants
# REAL ESTATE
– Rite-Hite completes new corporate HQ in Walker’s Point
# TOURISM
– Wisconsin Center District reaches agreement with Baird to rename convention center
# TRANSPORTATION
– Amtrak preparing to add second passenger train service between Chicago, Twin Cities with stops in La Crosse, Winona
# UTILITIES
– An enormous wind turbine collapsed in January in Dodge County. Here’s what we know nearly two months later.
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>
Rite-Hite: Employees move into North building this week; Campus will house 300+
