Ethanol - not the sustainable, environmentally friendly fuel it's promised to be

Freedom fuel?
January 30, 2005 

From GarveyBlog at FightingBob.com

Archer Daniels Midland and big agribusiness's message carriers in Congress and the Wisconsin Legislature have treated us to a steady campaign of misinformation about ethanol for a long time now. They call it the "green fuel" even though it isn't, and they say it will help Wisconsin farmers even though it doesn't, and so on.

Now that the United States is at war with the entire Arab world, ADM's shameless flacks have come up with one more reason: it's patriotic! They have even taken a page from the book the geniuses behind "freedom fries" have written, and are calling ethanol "freedom fuel." Nice touch.

As FightingBob.com contributing editor Christa Westerberg has explained on the site, several Wisconsin residents have come together and formed the Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Local Environments (WISLE) to educate people about the problems with ethanol and to assist communities throughout the state in fights against ethanol plants. WISLE has helped run ethanol out of Menomonie, Arlington, Elba, Algoma, Nekimi and Cambria.

Ethanol plants are environmental disasters, emitting toxic pollutants and strong odors. It takes so much water, natural gas and other resources to produce ethanol that the "green fuel" consumes more energy than it saves. And forcing farmers to grow so much unnecessary corn invites even more environmental damage.

But nevermind all of that, freedom is at stake!

Position Available: Community Organizer with Clean Water Action

Deadline for application: February 4

Clean Water Action seeks a motivated individual to work as a full-time community organizer to work out of our new LaCrosse Wisconsin office. The organizer will work with local residents and CWA members in southwest Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota to build power and win victories on key environmental issues in the region, focusing on water quality, clean energy and sustainable agriculture practices.

For more information contact:

Wisconsin Association of Lakes Seeks Development and Communication Director

From Lola Dvorak
<ledvorak@tds.net> 

Resume due by February 11

The Wisconsin Association of Lakes is seeking a creative professional to coordinate communications, fundraising, and membership recruitment for the organization.  This is a full-time, regular position with a cafeteria benefit plan and salary in the low 30s.  The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in natural resources or a related field and 3-5 years of experience in writing press materials, developing publications, and implementing a fundraising plan.  Good writing skills, Microsoft Access proficiency, and an ability to handle multiple projects a must.  Publication and web design experience preferred.

See complete description of position at
http://www.wsn.org/wal_position.html

Job Announcement: Outreach Associate
Lake Michigan Federation

Deadline for Application: February 21, 2005, or until position is filled.

The Lake Michigan Federation is seeking a part-time Outreach Associate to support the work of the oldest  Great Lakes citizens’ organization in North America as a voice for clean water, land and water conservation, and fish and wildlife habitat restoration, and education and outreach.

This is a part-time, contractual position through September 1, 2005, with the probability of extension.

Position location: Milwaukee metropolitan area requiring work out of home or offsite.

Deadline for Applications: February 21, 2005, or until position is filled.

Download the Job Announcement (PDF)
Go to Lake Michigan Federation website

The Senior Regional Great Lakes Restoration Campaign Manager is responsible for directing a multi-million dollar, multi-organization campaign to obtain policies and funding to restore the Great Lakes. The senior manager’s responsibilities include designing campaign strategy; building and maintaining a broad coalition; managing and following the directives of a multi-organization steering committee; coordinating media, grassroots, and policy activities by dozens of organizations; and fostering relationships with key funders. This campaign is expected to last 5 years or more. Funding for the position and many of the campaign activities is already in hand.

Click link to Apply for the Position at
www.nwf.org/careergateway

Enlisting new members of the People's Legislature

From: Wisconsin Democracy Campaign <wisdc@wisdc.org>

The first statewide People's Legislature drew over 1,100 people on January 4 and a follow-up event last week in La Crosse attracted close to 300. Now we're launching a petition drive aimed at expanding this new grassroots network of reform-minded citizens to 50,000 statewide.

We need the help of people across the state to make this happen. To sign the petition online, go here. For a printable version of the petition you can circulate in your community, go here.

To take part in other actions in support of the reform agenda adopted by the People's Legislature, go to www.peopleslegislature.org and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Bush kicks off second term with gift to factory farms

From Defender's Rural UPdates
sjohnson@defenders.org 

The EPA's proposal is open for comment; you can read the proposal and submit comments at:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/agreements/caa/cafo-agr-0501.html

For more information, see GRIST article at:
http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2005/01/24/factory_farms/index.html 

You can subscribe to Defenders Rural UPdates at
www.familyfarmer.org/sections/ruralsubscribe.html  

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Wisconsin

The report documents the conservation ethic and effort that Wisconsin landowners have shown this past year.

• Conservation Technical Assistance
• Conservation Security Program
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
• Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative
• Grassland Reserve Program
• Wetlands Reserve Program
• Technical Service Providers
• Conservation Partners
• Soil Survey
• Water Resources Program
• Resource Conservation and Development

If you have any difficulty with this file, you can request a hard copy from:. 

Renae Anderson, PAS
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
8030 Excelsior Drive
Madison, WI 53717
608-662-4422 x 227

Center for Food Safety report alleges that Monsanto manipulates U.S. patent law to dominate geneticially engineered seed supply

From Defender's Rural UPdates
sjohnson@defenders.org 

The Center for Food Safety has just released a new report alleging the Monsanto Corporation has been manipulating U.S. patent law in an attempt to dominate the genetically engineered (GE) seed supply. The report, entitled "Monsanto vs. U.S. Farmers," shows how the multi-national corporation is using patent law to successfully sue farmers even in situations where farmers' fields were contaminated by genetically modified pollen or seeds. "Monsanto is polluting American farms with its genetically engineered crops, not properly informing farmers about these altered seeds, and then profiting from its own irresponsibility and negligence by suing innocent farmers," said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of The Center. To date, Monsanto has filed 90 lawsuits involving 147 farmers in 25 states, and has collected over $15 million from judgments in their favor. In related news, anti GE movements are sprouting nation wide. Last week, for example, advocates for a ten year moratorium on GE-crops in Sonoma County, California turned in 45,000 petitions to qualify the initiative for a ballot measure.

To view The Centers' report, see: www.centerforfoodsafety.org/Monsantovsusfarmersreport.cfm

You can subscribe to Defenders Rural UPdates at
www.familyfarmer.org/sections/ruralsubscribe.html

Letter from Citizens Energy Cooperative of Wisconsin (CEC)

From: Chamomile Nusz" <ChamomileN@cecofwi.com> 

To anyone concerned about our environment,

Citizens Energy Cooperative of Wisconsin (CEC) is a new renewable energy cooperative. Our mission is to foster the development and sale of renewable energies within Wisconsin via a member owned cooperative.  By joining together our members are empowered with the economic leverage to reshape the energy landscape within our state.  The cooperative will help deliver renewable energy to consumers that will directly reduce the consumption of fossil fuels within the state.  CEC contracts to have renewable energy systems (solar hot water, photovoltaic, solar heating, wind energy, biomass, and hydro systems) installed on various community and private facilities within the state.  Member contracts pay for these system installations, and when systems are profitable members receive a dividend at the end of each year based on the size of their contracts.

For more information visit the Citizens Energy Cooperative website at
http://www.cecofwi.com/ 

Action Alert: Call your Representative today to keep Arctic Drilling our of the Budget Proposal!

For over 20 years, oil companies and their allies in Congress have been salivating over the prospect of being allowed to drill for oil in the fragile coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Currently, the law does not allow for oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge. Drilling proponents now think they have found the perfect backdoor scheme to pass their legislation to allow drilling.

Pro-drilling advocates in Congress will once again attempt to put Arctic drilling in the federal budget as their best hope for getting the legislation passed. Using the budget process to achieve a major policy change is a highly sneaky approach for any legislation, especially one as controversial as drilling in the Arctic Refuge. Despite the fact that there is bipartisan support in Congress for protecting the Arctic Refuge, and even though polls have consistently shown that the majority of Americans are opposed to drilling the Refuge, drilling advocates are pushing forward with their plans to use devious tactics to get their oil rigs in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Conservation leaders in the House of Representatives are working hard to stop this ill-conceived drilling plan, but to win we need your help. Please call your Representatives TODAY and ask them to do everything they can to keep Arctic Drilling out of the federal budget proposal. You can be connected toll-free by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 1-800-839-5276.

If you’re not sure who your representative is, please visit www.house.gov

For more information see Alaska Coalition at
www.alaskacoalition.org 

From "Ambs, Todd L" <Todd.Ambs@dnr.state.wi.us>

Table of Contents

• 2005 Rebecca Wallace Award
• NPS Coordinator's meeting
• Governor Outlines Details of his Biofuels Initiative
• NRCS Seeks Comments on EQIP
• Administration Moves Controversial Clean Air Waiver For Livestock
• EPA Faces Major Budget Cut in FY06 budget
• Educating Young Consumers
• Urban Stream Repair Practices
• DNR Water Program's Future
• Building the Connection between Trees and Stormwater Management
• The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider 

Click link to read Basin Briefs for Jan 19, 2005

Read the article in eMagazine at
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2192 

Pipeline comments due Feb. 4

Anyone wishing to comment on environmental aspects of the Central Brown County Water Authority’s planned pipeline route to Manitowoc has until Feb. 4 for the comments to be considered in an environmental assessment by the state Public Service Commission.

The assessment will evaluate potential effects on natural resources, land use, historic and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species. People should write to Michael John Jaeger, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, P.O. Box 7854, Madison WI 53707-7854; call (608) 267-2546 or e-mail
michael .jaeger@psc.state.wi.us

For more information Read the article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette

Conservation Partnership Initiative Grants Available

Application deadline is February 17, 2005

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced that applications for Conservation Partnership Initiative (CPI) grants are now being accepted.  This voluntary program was established to focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities.  Nationally, $1 million is available for grants in 2005.

Through CPI, any State or local government agency, Indian tribe, or non-governmental organization that has a history of working with farmers may apply for funding for their conservation initiatives.

"These grants encourage partnerships to devise watershed-wide solutions to pressing natural resource priorities associated with agriculture and rural settings," said Pat Leavenworth, NRCS State Conservationist for Wisconsin.

CPI is carried out through two phases. This year, applications will be selected for project planning.  In the second phase, projects will be implemented through funds secured from a range of sources, including other agencies, NGOs and NRCS.

For more information, including the Request for Proposals, fact sheet, and 2005 application materials, see http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cpi/ 

Application deadline is February 17, 2005,  at the Wisconsin NRCS State Office, 8030 Excelsior Drive, Madison WI 53717, or fax to 608-662-4430.  Contact:  Don Baloun, Asst. State Conservationist - Programs for more information.

FishAmerica Announces: $600,000 Available for Marine and Anadromous Fish Habitat Restoration

Grant Application Deadline February 25, 2005

Visit FishAmerica's web site at http://www.fishamerica.org for the complete announcement, funding guidelines and application.

Also See article in GLED

U.S. Wetland Grants Program instructions available

Proposal due dates - March 4 and July 29

From: Tim Grunewald <Tim.Grunewald@dnr.state.wi.us> 

The 2005 U.S. Standard grant instructions are now available on the NAWCA web site at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov

Click on Wetlands Grants Program and then click on U.S. Standard Grants. The 2005 proposal due dates are March 4 and July 29.

Technical Assessment Question #3 is still being revised and will be posted soon.

NRCS Seeks Comments on
Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Deadline for written comments, March 21

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking comments from Wisconsin landowners and organizations on its flagship conservation costshare program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist for NRCS in Wisconsin, is launching a comment period to allow public input on EQIP through March 21, 2005.

Public listening sessions will be held in each State in cooperation with the State Technical Committee. NRCS is looking for a wide array of public and stakeholder input from these sessions. Feedback from agricultural organizations, environmental groups, commodity organizations, agencies, individuals and others is encouraged. NRCS is also conducting special outreach efforts to ensure that traditionally underserved groups are informed and represented.

Comments can be made on the web at: http://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/eqipcomments.html

For more information See the NRCS announcement