Protect our families, our water, our future!
Support Wisconsin's adoption of the Great Lakes
Initiative
Make sure that Wisconsin's waters are the best in
the region for hunting and fishing, and that the fish and waterfowl are
safe to eat.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is
revising its standards to protect Wisconsin's waters according to the terms
of the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative (GLI). The WDNR should be applauded
for making this effort. However, its proposal lacks four crucial provisions
that are needed to protect our families from toxic pollutants. We need
your help to ensure that they are included. Ask the WDNR to strengthen
the rules:
| Apply these standards statewide. | Give Lake Superior the highest protection from toxics available under the Clean Water Act (an Outstanding National Resource Water). | |||||||
| Reduce the largest source of dangerous toxics to the Great Lakes: runoff from farms and urban areas, acid/toxic rain, and the polluted muds that line the bottom of many rivers and harbors in Wisconsin, such as the Fox River. | Stop the dumping of the most toxic pollutants (eliminate the use of mixing zones for these chemicals) -- dilution is NOT the solution for pollution! | |||||||
You are the key! If you want to protect your family's health, if you enjoy fishing, or if you just believe that leaving a legacy of clean water to future generations is important, tell your officials. Thank you for taking the time to protect the people, wildlife, and unique character of the Great Lakes.
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Attend one of the five meetings (listed below) that the WDNR is holding to hear comments on the proposed changes to the water quality standards. |
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Send in the postcard below by October 31 to register your support of the GLI and the protections that the Wisconsin DNR should implement. |
| October 22, 3:30 pm October 16, 6:30 pm
Havenwoods State Forest Wisc. Indianhead Tech. College 6141 N. Hopkins St. Conference Ctr., 600 N. 21st St. Milwaukee Superior |
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October 17, 12:30 pm October 15th, 1:00 pm Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary WDNR, GEF III, Rm. 041 Nature Ctr. Auditorium, 1660 E. Shore Dr. 125 S. Webster Green Bay Madison October 16, 12:30 pm WDNR, W. Central Headquarters 1300 Clairemont Ave. Eau Claire |
Dear Ms. Goodman,
I support Wisconsin's implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative. However, it is essential that the WDNR adopt rules that: Apply these standards statewide. Give Lake Superior the highest level of protection under the Clean Water Act, an Outstanding National Resource Water. Reduce polluted runoff from farms, air deposition of toxic pollutants, and polluted sediments. Require the phaseout of mixing zones for the most toxic pollutants -- dilution is no solution to pollution. Together we can protect families, wildlife, and waters
throughout the Great Lakes for generations to come. Thank you for strengthening these rules. |
Beth Goodman, WT/2 WI Dept. of Natural Resources PO Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 |
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| What is the GLI? | Sierra Club
222 S. Hamilton Madison, WI 53703 |
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| The Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative (GLI) is a huge
step forward in protecting our families and the entire Great Lakes ecosystem
from toxic pollutants- it requires all Great Lakes states to cut toxic
pollution to their waters and to the Great Lakes. The GLI addresses all sources of toxics, everything from factories to
farm fields to the polluted muds at the bottom of many rivers and harbors.
It targets the most dangerous chemicals, those that cause cancer or reproductive
and developmental problems. It is critical that we get these toxics out of our environment. Did you know that: Many of these chemicals are "gender benders," responsible for decreased sperm counts and other reproductive effects. PCBs, which are commonly found in polluted muds, cause lower IQs and
poor reading comprehension and math skills in children whose mothers regularly
eat Great Lakes fish. Wisconsin is currently deciding how it will implement this initiative and how strong its protection of our families and our waters will be. We need your help to ensure that our families and environment get the protection they deserve. |
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Our Wildlife Needs Your Protection! Cormorant suffering from cross-bill syndrome. Photo: Melanie Griffin |
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