Monthly archive

Milwaukee's Central Park Becoming a Reality

March 31, 2010

Milwaukee Riverkeeper and our partners on the Milwaukee River Work Group have been continuing to work hard on passing the Milwaukee River Greenway Overlay District legislation, which will protect over 8 miles of river, floodplain, and riverfront habitat from the former North Avenue Dam to Silver Spring Road.

After years of community outreach and negotiations with property owners and the Department of City Development, the Common Council is now poised this summer to convert the temporary study overlay into permanent zoning and design guidelines.

City government and the Milwaukee River Work Group are asking for your input and/or attendance at hearings to help guide the final steps in the zoning process.

Central Park Meetings at City Hall

March 29, 2010

This legislation will create a special zoning overlay district, which will protect the primary environmental corridor or sensitive lands along the river from future development and vegetation removal activities.

We need friends and members to come to several City meetings coming up in the next few months to support creation of this Overlay District. They are at the following times/days:

2 River Re-Development Project Meetings - Thursday, April 1st

March 26, 2010

Kinnickinnic River Redevelopment

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) will be holding an open house to present the final design of the Kinnickinnic (KK) River Flood Management Project: S. 6th St to Interstate 94 (I-94) Bridge.

This project is being performed in accordance with a watershed-based management plan developed by MMSD to provide stream restoration, stabilize failing side slopes, and convey flood waters for the 1% probability (100-year) flood event.

Vote No and Bring Down the Bridge St. Dam

March 26, 2010

The fate of the Grafton Bridge Street Dam is going to a referendum on April 6th for the public to decide whether it should stay or go. We urge our members to vote for removal of the Bridge Street Dam or vote “no” on Referendum Question 2.

The referendum does not explain that removing the Dam will cost local taxpayers nothing (due to a federal grant), while keeping the Dam will incur significant costs for local taxpayers that will have to replace the dam within ten years, given DNR safety orders.

Protect the Water Beneath Your Feet

March 19, 2010

Groundwater is what keeps most of our rivers flowing, our lakes and wetlands brimming and alive, but there are warning signs around the state that indiscriminate pumping of groundwater is harming the above-ground waters we so value.

Senator Mark Miller, Representative Spencer Black and twenty co-sponsors have introduced the Groundwater Protection Act to protect our groundwater supplies and groundwater-dependent rivers, lakes and wetlands.

We need your help to get this bill passed!

Background

This legislation, called SB 620, reflects the priorities we have been fighting for.

The Bill:

1. Creates “groundwater management areas” so local governments and the Department of Natural Resources can ensure that groundwater is used more carefully to keep drinking water supplies, lakes, streams and wetlands from drying up;

2. Lays out a process for the scientific review of new wells to prevent damage to sensitive natural resources; and,

3. Says that if you want to use a lot of groundwater, you have to consider water conservation.

Protecting Groundwater from Contamination

This bill, SB 632, sponsored by Sen. Dave Hansen, is aimed at protecting drinking water in northeastern Wisconsin and other parts of the state where thin soils and cracks and holes in the bedrock make it too easy for land-spread wastes like manure to leak to the groundwater, contaminating people’s wells. The bill sets up a regional committee to develop farming methods to reduce or eliminate contamination.

The Senate Committee on the Environment will hold the first hearing for both bills next Tuesday, March 23 at 10:00 a.m., and we need to pack the room! The legislative session is quickly drawing to close, but a strong show of support will help get both bills passed in time. If you’re not comfortable speaking, just register in favor: that sends the same message. You can also send a short email or letter to the Committee on the Environment. Be sure to talk about how you value your river, your lake, your wetland, and everyone’s drinking water, and why you want to make sure they’re protected.

There are three ways you can help:

Come to speak or register in favor

Tuesday, March 23, 10:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 300 SE

Send a letter to the Senate Committee on the Environment

Send your letter to the Wisconsin River, and they’ll deliver it for you:

Lori Grant
lgrant@wisconsinrivers.org

Please help get these crucial bills passed!

For contact information for your legislators, click here.

Waukesha's Quest for Water Continues

March 19, 2010

Current Situation

Waukesha has been a hot topic in the press for the past week. The city's Water Commission on Thursday unanimously embraced a bid for Great Lakes drinking water as a less costly option than groundwater wells, and recommended Common Council approval of an application to the state Department of Natural Resources.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper has been working with a coalition to ensure the application process is respected. To read our recent position, from our comments presented to the public last week, please see the attachment below.

The next public meeting will be held on Monday, March 22nd from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Firefly Room at the Wauwatosa Public Library (7635 W. North Ave). Waukesha officials will discuss a pending application to buy Lake Michigan water and discharge treated wastewater to Underwood Creek.

Meetings on UWM’s Proposed Engineering Campus on the Milwaukee County Grounds

March 5, 2010

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is proposing to construct an Engineering Campus (known as Innovation Park) on 89 acres of the Milwaukee County Grounds. Milwaukee Riverkeeper is concerned that this development is much larger than the 70 acre Economic Development Zone delineated on the Master Plan for the County Grounds.

A public meeting will be held at the Common Council on April 20th to discuss the issue. We are encouraging everyone available to come out and fight for the following issues:

Waukesha Public Hearing on Proposed Great Lakes Diversion

March 5, 2010

On Monday, March 8th at 7 PM, the Waukesha Common Council will hold a public hearing on its draft application for Great Lakes water in the Council Chambers at Waukesha City Hall.

Waukesha is under a state order to provide safe water by June 2018. Wisconsin, and each of the other seven Great Lakes states must approve the city's diversion application before the city could buy water from Milwaukee, its preferred supplier, or Oak Creek or Racine.

We are encouraging our members to come learn about Waukesha’s proposed diversion and offer comments, especially if you live along Underwood Creek or the Menomonee River!

For more information and talking points see below.

Pressure Mounts to Keep Asian Carp out of Great Lakes

March 4, 2010

Milwaukee Riverkeeper continues to demand immediate closure of navigational locks that separate Chicago rivers from Lake Michigan. We have been working with environmental groups from across the nation to stop the invasive Asian Carp, which can grow to over 100 pounds and wreak havoc on our Great Lakes' ecosystem and area rivers.

Pressure Mounts to Keep Asian Carp out of Great Lakes

March 4, 2010

Milwaukee Riverkeeper is demanding immediate closure of navigational locks that separate Chicago rivers from Lake Michigan. We have been working with environmental groups from across the nation to stop the invasive Asian Carp, which can grow to over 100 pounds and wreak havoc on our Great Lakes' ecosystem.

The Obama Administration has recently pledged $78.5 million to address the problem. As the article below indicates however, other measures are being pursued first.