WSNetwork News

The state budget currently being drafted could have dire consequences for the lakes, forests, rivers, and prairies that bring much economic revenue to our distinctive state.

Problem:

Wisconsin once more faces a major budget shortfall that is being addressed by making drastic cuts to government agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR absorbed a disproportionate amount of the budget cuts in the last budget cycle, which makes the upcoming cuts all the more worrisome.

As is always the case during budget deliberations, decision-makers have their eye on the bottom line. Now is the time to remind them of the important role healthy natural resources play in the economy of Wisconsin.

Cuts to the programs that support Wisconsin�s natural resources have a long term impact on Wisconsin�s economy. Natural resources are an economic engine that bring revenue to the state, local communities, and the private sector. When they are diminished, degraded or inaccessible, industries like tourism, forestry, and sporting feel the impact on the bottom line. Moreover, clean water and protected open spaces are part of what makes Wisconsin�s quality of life appealing to companies and their workers.

By failing to protect the natural resources our economy depends upon, Wisconsin is setting itself up for similar or worse financial trouble in the future.

Solution:

While budget cuts are inevitable, there are ways to minimize their impact.

Urge the Governor to increase fees associated with using natural resources and stress the importance of having those that harm natural resources pay their fair share for clean up and monitoring.

There is still time to impact the state budget. Join the thousands, of others who are encouraging the Governor to support our natural resources by funding protective and preventative policies and urge him to explore fair ways of generating revenue.

Action Needed:

Send a letter to Governor Doyle telling him that you fully support looking for fair ways of funding natural resource protection and ask that natural resource programs receive as minimal of cuts as possible.

Deadline for responding:

Please take action by Thursday, December 30, 2004 at
http://win.e-actionmax.com/showalert.asp?aaid=974

People's Legislature: Building Blocks of Democracy
A message from Editor and Publisher Ed Garvey

The task of the People�s Legislature on January 4 will be remarkably similar to the challenge Fighting Bob La Follette faced when he was a U.S. senator and a Progressive Party candidate for president: taking back our government from the big corporations and the elected officials they have hand chosen to do their bidding. FightingBob.com is one of the sponsors of the January 4 People�s Legislature event in Madison, and we now have a resource page that can be reached through a link on our homepage.

Take action to stop sewage dumping!

From American Rivers <action@action.amrivers.org>

In the fall of 2003, the EPA proposed a "sewage blending" policy. It is more accurately called a "sewage dumping" policy, because it allows sewage treatment plants to bypass an important treatment phase after rainfalls. They would be allowed to mix partially treated waste with fully treated waste and dump that mixture into our rivers and drinking water sources. This policy not only poses a serious threat to human health and the environment but also violates the Clean Water Act, which requires sewage to be treated.

There are you two things you can do today to protect waters in our communities from the dangers of sewage dumping:

1) Call your Senators and urge them to sign Senator Jeffords� (I-VT) letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing the EPA�s sewage dumping/blending guidance!

Call Senator Herb Kohl
Call Senator Russ Feingold

2) Send a letter to the EPA Administrator urging him to end consideration of this policy.

Visit American Rivers Action Center to take action Today

Endangered Species Act on the Chopping Block?

For the last decade Republican legislators have been crying foul regarding the sweeping powers of the Endangered Species Act, especially in regard to what landowners can and cannot do on their own private property. But now that Republicans have an increased majority in Congress, they are poised to make major changes weakening the ability of the federal government to protect endangered species through restrictions on development and resource extraction on privately owned wildlife habitat.

Read the complete article at eMagazine:
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2156

Down on the Filthy Farm

An investigative report in Cleveland�s Plain Dealer November 27 makes it plain why large corporate animal farms are terrible neighbors�and why communities that welcomed them in often regret their decision.

Read the complete article at eMagazine:
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2152

2005 Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program
Application deadline: January 14, 2005

Anheuser-Busch and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation are seeking applications for the 2005 Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program. This competitive scholarship program supports and promotes innovative research or study that seeks to respond to today�s most pressing conservation issues. The Conservation Scholarship Program is designed to respond to many of the most significant challenges in fish, wildlife and plant conservation in the United States, whether it is the sustainable use of natural resources, including sportfish and game, recovery of an endangered species or control of invasive exotic species, by providing scholarships to eligible graduate and undergraduate students who are poised to make a significant contribution to the field of conservation. Under the 2005 Budweiser Conservation Scholarship Program, a minimum of 10 scholarships of up to $10,000 each will be awarded to cover students� expenses for tuition, fees, books, room and board and other direct expenses related to their studies.

The complete application package must be submitted to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and be postmarked no later than Jan. 14, 2005.

For more information, please visit www.nfwf.org/budscholarship/index.htm.

From Know Your Watershed <taylor@ctic.purdue.edu>

Top Scientists Launch RealClimate.org

Team of Renowned Climate Experts from Europe and the US Create First-of-a-Kind Climate Weblog

Top climate scientists have launched a unique website to provide commentary on the emerging new results from climate science. The site is designed as a tool for journalists and members of the public, and will
provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. The discussion is restricted solely to scientific topics and will not address political
issues.

See the site at www.realclimate.org

Position Opening for a Development Director / Advocacy Coordinator

Application deadline is December 18, 2004

From Melissa Scanlan, Executive Director
Midwest Environmental Advocates

Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) is Wisconsin�s first and only non-profit environmental law center. Our unique approach to advocacy combines educating people about their legal rights and training grassroots leaders to speak up on environmental issues, with going to court when necessary to defend our air and water. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, we are a small, dynamic office of two attorneys, a legal assistant, up to two law student clerks, and 38 volunteer attorneys and experts.

We seek a Development Director to manage and implement MEA�s grant writing, reporting to funders, and major donor development. The Development Director will have the opportunity to help take an effective small public interest law firm and scale-up its reach and impact by strengthening existing relationships with donors and identifying and developing new relationships.

For more information see
http://www.wsn.org/mea_job_111804.doc

Participants needed for the 2005
Wisconsin Groundwater Festival

From: "Lisa Goodman"
<goodman@wisconsinrivers.org>

The festival will be a one-day event on Friday,
April 15, 2005 from 9am-3:30pm at the Eau Claire
County Expo Center.

Jean Schomisch, Land Conservationist with Eau Claire
County, has agreed to be the local coordinator and
Rory Olson, Chippewa Falls Water Utility,
has agreed to be Jean's "3rd & 4th hands".

Planning committee members and other volunteers
are needed. For more information see
http://www.wsn.org/groundwater_festival_05.html

Wisconsin Department of Justice