News

Jet Fuel Leaks Into Area Rivers

February 3, 2012

Milwaukee Riverkeeper has been monitoring the estimated 9,000 gallon jet fuel leak from a Shell Oil Company pipeline along the eastern border of Mitchell International Airport, which discharged jet fuel into Wilson Park Creek and the Kinnickinnic River for OVER A WEEK in late January before the pipeline was shut down.

Teams of responders have been working around the clock to contain the spill, placing floating booms along the creek and river to contain the spread of the fuel and using vacuum trucks to skim fuel from the surface of the waterways. They report the fuel has not reached Lake Michigan.

Last Section of the Riverwalk to be Linked

February 1, 2012

Plans are underway to finally construct & link the last sections of Miwaukee's downtown Riverwalk near MIAD on Erie St. More information below.

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]

by Tom Daykin

The City of Milwaukee would spend $420,000 to complete one of the last remaining gaps in the RiverWalk under a proposal pending before the Common Council.

The city would finance the RiverWalk segment along two parking lots in the 200 block of E. Erie St., between River Renaissance condos and Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

If approved by the council, construction would begin in April, and likely be completed by August.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper on Remarkable Milwaukee

January 31, 2012

Missed the fireside chat Remarkable Milwaukee, about the potential future of our fair city? Have no fear! It was covered in depth by Mary Louise Schumacher of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn and Milwaukee Riverkeeper board member Eric Vogel made the cut, detailing their dreams for this fine town.

To read the full article click here.

Crew Begins Deep Tunnel Inspection

January 30, 2012

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]

by Don Behm

An eight-wheeled vehicle began slowly cruising the cross-town segment of the deep tunnel Friday at a top speed of 30 feet per minute as its three-person crew videotaped the inside of the underground wastewater storage cavern for a once-a-decade inspection.

The speed of this tunnel crawl is governed by national standards for videotaping sewers, said Scott Royer, general manager for Veolia Water Milwaukee. The company operates two sewage treatment plants, regional sewers, deep tunnels and the Milorganite sewage sludge fertilizer factory under contract with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Your Voice Helped Save our Parkway! Now the next steps....

January 17, 2012

Milwaukee Riverkeeper would like to personally thank everyone who voiced their opposition to the proposed "Route B" high-voltage transmission lines slated to cut right through the Underwood Creek Parkway.

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee County Board’s Committee on Parks, Energy and Environment not only formally opposed "Route B," but passed a resolution opposing any current or future plans involving placement of high voltage electric transmission lines along "Milwaukee County Parkways, the Oak Leaf Trail, or wetlands and natural areas owned and managed by the County."

Success! But there's still more work to be done.

Contact your Legislators: Protect our Wetlands!

January 13, 2012

The Wisconsin legislature released a bill (Assembly Bill 463/Senate Bill 368) last week that would negatively impact our state's wetlands regulations and weaken important protections.

Please contact your legislators and tell them, "Protect our Wetlands and our Environment!"

WUWM - Lake Effect Features Milwaukee River Report Card

January 13, 2012

Environmental Reporter Susan Bence recently ran a feature w/ Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn. They discuss our inaugural Milwaukee River Report Card, which lays out Water Quality parameters and discusses the results of our volunteers data.

Click here to listen to the story at WUWM.com.

Haven't seen the 2010 Milwaukee River Report Card yet? Check out it today by clicking here.

2012 Draft Watershed Plans & Impaired Waters List Now Available

January 5, 2012

Every two years, the WDNR publishes a statewide water quality report, develops an "Impaired Waters List" of lakes and rivers that do not meet state water quality standards, and submits plans for maintaining and improving water quality in a certain number of watersheds every cycle.

They are now available and the WDNR is accepting comments.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Features River Report Card

January 3, 2012

[excerpted from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

by Meg Jones

An environmental group has given the Milwaukee River Basin a passing grade in water quality while warning that many streams and river segments are not meeting water quality goals.

Milwaukee Riverkeeper issued its first Milwaukee River Report Card, giving a grade of B-minus because most water quality categories met the desired target 80% to 89% of the time. The report card was based on information about a variety of indicators such as dissolved oxygen, water temperature and clarity, bacteria and chlorides.

The report card was based on information collected at 50 sites by about 40 Milwaukee Riverkeeper volunteers between May and October 2010 as well as data from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and the Department of Natural Resources. Another report card will be issued next summer based on data collected this year.

EPA Will Listen to Milwaukeeans' Health Concerns

December 9, 2011

Check out the great article in Shepherd Express below, regarding the EPA Community Meeting taking place on Monday, Dec. 12 from 6pm-9pm. For more information or to RSVP to the meeting click here.

The meeting is being organized by the Clean Valley Coalition in relation to WE Energies coal power plant in the Menomnee Valley The plant is one of the dirtiest plants in the state, yet sits in Wisconsin's most populated city. The community has grown deeply concerned over the increase in cases of asthma and respiratory illnesses in children in Milwaukee, particularly within the African-American, Latino and lower-income communities.