Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade has released its annual State of the State Environment Report.  The report, released in conjunction with Earth Day, describes the state’s environment as vulnerable. 

“Earth Day should be celebrated by everyone; but it should also give people a better understanding of how vulnerable our natural resources and public health are and make them want to do something about it,” said Keith Reopelle, Program Director for Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade.   “Wisconsin’s wetlands, northwoods and public health are more vulnerable to environmental threats today than they were just a year ago,” 

The report listed four environmental low points and three environmental high points that have occurred since the group issued last year’s Earth Day report:

Environmental Policy Low Points

Supreme Court Decision Leaves Wetlands Unprotected

Death, Disease and Dirty Power Report Pegs Coal Plant Mortality in Wisconsin at 448 a Year

Judge Rules to Uphold Town of Nashville -- Nicolet Minerals Local Agreement

Environmental Policies AmBushed by the New President

Environmental Policy High Points:

Natural Resources Board Decides to Regulate Mercury from Power Plants

Development of the Interfaith Climate Change Campaign

Cleaning the Streams: DNR Improves Polluted runoff controls for Wisconsin  (A Cautious Environmental High Point)

“Some of the environmental high points of the past year give us hope that mercury contamination in our fish will be reduced and that we may finally turn the corner on stemming polluted runoff into our lakes and streams,” said Reopelle. 

“The report shows that our wetlands are more vulnerable to development, our northwoods are more vulnerable to mining impacts, our children and seniors are vulnerable to coal plant pollution and our chances of reducing the earth’s vulnerability to global warming has suffered a terrible blow,” said Reopelle.

“The big challenge for the next year will be convincing the Assembly Republican leadership to stop pandering to the developers and the Farm Bureau and work in a bipartisan way, as the Senate has, to restore wetland protection and give family farmers the resources to control polluted runoff,” said Reopelle.  “Republicans and Democrats alike in the Senate deserve a great deal of credit for moving swiftly to restore wetlands protection,” Reopelle added. 

“The most important Earth Day message I can give is that citizens can make a difference if they take the time to contact their elected representatives and tell them how they feel about one or more of these critical environmental issues,” said Reopelle.  “Then follow how they vote and remember it on election day.”