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  LWV Upper Mississippi River Region

UMRR blog

Does it take an act of Congress to protect the Mississippi?

3/23/2022

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The answer is that Congress is one piece – an important one – of the solution to the Mississippi’s woes.  In the UMRR Annual Meeting, we will have an exciting panel of speakers to talk about bills currently in the US Congress that have the potential to greatly affect our river.  We will also explore the idea of a “compact” between river states to protect the river from water diversions.  This session will set the stage for the work that LWV UMRR will tackle in the years to come.  

Join LWV UMRR for this session on May 21 at 10:30.  This meeting will be held in Webinar format on Zoom - pre-registration is required.  
Click this link to pre-register!  You will receive the link to the meeting by return email; we will send reminders in May, including on the 21st.   Registration is open until the meeting starts on May 21 at 10:30.  

​We have a great slate of panelists for this session - representatives from other organizations working for the river and leading work on federal bills and big ideas.    We will cover the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience initiative (MRRRI), the Safeguarding the Mississippi River Together initiative (SMRT), the Farm Bill reauthorization and a big idea - the notion of an Upper Midwest Compact to protect the waters of the Mississippi from diversion.  Our speakers represent organizations that are working to protect the Mississippi.  ​
MRRRI Update
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Alicia Vasto, Water Program Associate Director,  Iowa Environmental Council

​Alicia joined the Council in 2019. She grew up in Adel, Iowa. She previously worked as the director of the Iowa
Conservation Education Coalition, where she supported environmental educators and advanced environmental literacy. Alicia holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from Duke University with a focus on land conservation and management, and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, travel, and yoga.

SMRT Update
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Brandt Thorington,
Policy Director,  Mississippi River Cities and Town Initiative

Brandt serves as the Policy Director for the MRCTI, specializing  in analyzing legislation affects, building coalitions and advancing legislation. His primary areas of expertise are  appropriations,
tax policy, budget, energy, health care, immigration reform, homeland security, public safety, transportation, water infrastructure, and community development. Brandt has extensive experience working with various levels of government including Congress, federal officials, state legislators, mayors, and other local officials.
Farm Bill Update
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Lara Bryant, Deputy Director, Water and Agriculture, Natural Resources Defence Council

Lara Bryant promotes soil health practices and policies that protect water quality, use water more efficiently, and help farms to be more resilient to climate change. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked on sustainable agricultural policy at the National Wildlife Federation and World Resources Institute and was a chemist at a private environmental laboratory. Bryant holds a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in public administration in environmental science and policy from Columbia University. She works out of NRDC’s Washington, D.C., office.
Upper Midwest Charter
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 Kirsten Wallace, Executive Director, Upper Mississippi River Basin Association

Kirsten Wallace was appointed executive director of UMRBA in 2017, following over 10 years focusing on the Association's ecosystem, navigation, and flood initiatives.  Kirsten works with UMRBA's member states to develop  regional positions, advocate the states' collective interests before Congress and the federal agencies, and facilitate and foster interagency coordination, cooperation, and communication.
Kirsten serves on the Board of the Interstate Council on Water Policy, America's Watershed Initiative, and the National Waterways Foundation.
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LWVWI—ASCE WI “Invest in Wisconsin’s Infrastructure"

9/22/2021

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The Wisconsin Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and LWV Wisconsin co-sponsored a series of meetings on Wisconsin's infrastructure in the past year.  The videos from these 11 meetings are now posted.  Here's the information on the meetings that  Carol Diggelman (Emerita Professor, Civil & Architectural Engineering & Construction Management Department, MSOE; Co-Chair, LWV of Milwaukee County Natural Resources Committee and Member, LWVWI and ASCE WI Section) shared recently.  
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ASCE WI-LWVWI “Invest in Wisconsin’s Infrastructure” Overview and Category Series are now complete. You will find the links to video recordings of all programs below. Overview meeting links can also be found on the ASCE WI YouTube channel. Category meeting links can be found on the LWVWI website at this link. 

We encourage everyone to forward these program links to others, particularly your elected officials.

 
Recordings:


Overview Series
  • SE Quadrant Meeting  - March 4  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZRhDpjBmEA
  • SW Quadrant Meeting - March 1  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL8uvolJZzM
  • NW Quadrant Meeting -April 1  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfNIJ7Wjwk8
  • NE Quadrant Meeting - April 15  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgIfFcRbBUI

Category Series
  • Energy - May 6  https://youtu.be/THzNDryfUf4
  • Bridges & Roads - May 27  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1tQt12AOpg
  • Aviation & Transit - June 17  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX4lWEtdm0Y
  • Inland Waterways & Ports - July 8  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stjEaZ4OEUc
  • Stormwater & Dams - July 29  https://youtu.be/ICb03c2orl0 
  • Water & Wastewater - August 5  https://youtu.be/NRUCBKreJ3I
  • Hazardous & Solid Waste - August 19  https://youtu.be/DZMCVMVuAA0
 


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LWV UMRR plans meetings and events for 2021

2/11/2021

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​LWV Upper Mississippi River Region, or UMRR (pronounced “Ummer”), is an interleague organization focused on water quality.  UMRR is made up of 60 local Leagues in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  Our geographic area is the Upper Mississippi River basin – that part of the Upper Mississippi basin upstream of the river’s confluence with the Ohio at the south edge of Illinois.  Here’s a link to an UMRR blog post  to learn more about what an ILO is and how it fits into the LWV national structure, and to learn more about how our structure strengthens our work, allowing the amplification of the voice of League throughout the watershed.  

Established in 2015, UMRR’s Board has strong representation from each of our four member states
.  Our Board members are listed on our Contact Us page– you may know some of us!   The Board meets six times a year on the first Monday of even numbered months.  In the pre-Covid days, we traveled around the basin for these meetings, which was a great way to get to know our members and the water issues in their communities.  Now, everything is on the same schedule, but virtual.  For each Board meeting, we also hold an educational session that focuses on a specific topic of concern.   These educational sessions are open to the public and recorded videos are shared and posted.

​Upcoming educational sessions are planned on
  • the impacts of highways on water resources (April 5),
  • efforts a city can undertake to protect and improve water quality (August 2),
  • PFAS (fire-suppression chemicals found contaminating water (October 4), and
  • the impact of electric cars can have in combating climate warming (December 6).
UMRR’s annual meetings are larger events, built around topics of current concern.  Our May 22, 2021, Annual Meeting will focus on using carbon capture to combat climate change, highlighting the role of agricultural lands in this effort.  All these meetings will be described on our Blog and advertised through the UMRR newsletter, direct emails to member Leagues and through state communications like this All Member News.  We look forward to working with you!
PictureLWV UMRR Board members Mary and Steve Ploesser at the Headwaters, June 2019
How to connect with LWV UMRR:
 
LWV UMRR’s website has lots of information.  Our Blog features 2-3 posts per month on topics that UMRR is working on.  One recent post includes a link to video from our Feb 1 meeting, where we learned about watershed-scale work to reach people and promote soil health and water quality.  Our “Upcoming Events” page includes posts for our upcoming meetings and maintains Board meeting information from past events.  Here, those who are interested can see our Board agendas, meeting minutes, Treasurer reports, and Action Committee reports as well as see the topics that were included in the educational sessions. 
 
Almost every month, LWV UMRR puts out a newsletter that includes links to our Blog posts and other items of interest.  You can sign up to receive the newsletter by submitting the info through our Contact Us page, or by emailing us at lwvumrr@lwvmn.org.   Leagues that are not already members can join UMRR through our Membership page, and anyone interested in making a donation can do so on our Donate page.


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Time for Leagues to talk about the Climate Crisis

9/3/2019

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Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything…
 
Well, we now know that we have to do something about the climate, and that  we can start by talking about climate change and what it means to our lives, our environment and our children’s future.  (Did you notice that we said “climate change”?  Yes, climate is different from weather, and we need to both talk about it and do something!)
 
LWV Upper Mississippi River Region (LWV UMRR) has added a focus on climate change to our action portfolio.  We are urging our member Leagues to plan programs on the topic – and have an option to offer with prepared material to do it! 
 
LWV Dane County (Madison, WI) has made climate change their topic for action this year.  They are sponsoring four forums (link) that will be available for local Leagues to stream.  Materials packets are prepared for each forum so viewers will be able to learn about the topic in advance and have good discussion after the program.  These packets are rich with information and geared to help build understanding, not detailed scientific tomes.  LWV DC does an excellent job with both the packets and with finding a good range of speakers who bring broad expertise to the subject; this would be a great way for a local League to begin the conversation on climate change.  As a bonus, their website features a weekly column titled “Climate Corner”, featuring a medley of resources and information that highlight personal actions, diversity and equity perspectives, and additional learning opportunities, all related to climate change.
 
The first of the four forums took place on September 4 - you can watch the video here.  Titled “Why Climate Change is a Public Health Emergency”, the featured speakers were Ralph Petersen , Ph.D. (UW–Madison Space, Science and Engineering Center), Andrea Kaminski (Board Director and former Executive Director of LWVWI) and Dr. Claire Gervais , M.D., (UW Health Clinics).  Looking ahead, LWV DC is planning these additional forums:
•            November 6, 2019, focusing on government's role in combatting climate change,
•            February 5, 2020, focusing on agriculture as a solution and
•            April 1, 2020 focusing on water impacts.
 
LWV UMRR’s Co-Presidents, Mary and Steve Ploeser, are members of the LWV Dane County committee working on the forum.  We are proud to share their work with our member Leagues, and thank them for the commitment to LWV and the environment.  – Gretchen Sabel, Communications Director, LWV UMRR


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LWV Jo Daviess County Wins Award!

8/31/2019

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LWV Upper Mississippi River Region owes a lot to LWV Jo Daviees County – it was this League in Galena, Illinois, that had the idea to start an Inter League Organization* focused on protecting and improving water quality in the Upper Mississippi.  It was from that idea that LWV UMRR was born in 2015, and we thank them for it.
 
LWV JDC has moved the ball along considerably in their local water quality work now.  You can read about how they got started in this blog post from August of 2017.  In this post from December of 2017, we shared the good news that LWV Jo Daviess County received a $10,000 prize for their proposal in the US EPA's Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge. 

They implemented the proposal, and this month learned that they won big - they were one of three projects across the US receiving a $50,000 prize for their work!

​ Following is the press release from US EPA.  Congratulations to LWV Jo Daviess County!  

CHICAGO (Aug. 21, 2019) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and four federal partners announced the winners of its technology-accelerating water quality challenge. The League of Women Voters of Illinois in Jo Daviess County is one of three national teams selected for the Challenge’s prize of $50,000 each. The winning teams demonstrated how data from low-cost water quality monitoring sensors can be used to inform local decision-making on nutrient management.

“EPA is proud to support League of Women Voters of Illinois in their efforts to better manage our water resources and reduce nutrient runoff pollution,” said Region 5 Administrator Cathy Stepp. “Jo Daviess County and Northwest Illinois will benefit from the League’s work to help combat one of the nation’s most challenging water quality problems.”

The League of Women Voters of Illinois demonstrated how an edge-of-field sensor system could support farmers in reducing nitrogen loss from their fields. The installed sensors provide real-time data to inform farm-scale management decisions.

"The League's work on water resource management issues will benefit greatly from this award,” said League of Women Voters of Illinois Project Coordinator Beth Baranski. “Participation in the Challenge has already strengthened the connections between scientists, advocates and farmers and the prize will be used to continue to build a model of cooperative problem-solving and improve water quality in the Driftless Area of Northwest Illinois.”

The Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge is one of a series of challenges focused on nutrient management conducted as part of multi-year collaboration between the EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).

“To address the challenges of today and the future, we need innovative thinkers at the global- and local-level,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science and EPA Science Advisor Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta. “We commend the ‘challenge’ winners for identifying creative ways to use low-cost tools to understand our resources and better inform nutrient management decisions.”

For this challenge, six teams deployed and collected data from two or more nutrient sensors for at least three months and sought to demonstrate how local communities can use the collected data to inform nutrient management. In addition to the League of Women Voters of Illinois, South Platte Water Renewal Partner in Colorado and the University of New Hampshire were prize winners.

Through prize competitions and other innovative mechanisms, EPA, USGS, USDA, NIST, and NOAA’s IOOS collectively pursue opportunities to facilitate technological breakthroughs, engage stakeholders, and build a community working together to solve nutrient pollution. The Nutrient Sensor Action Challenge will be used as a springboard for further innovation to reduce excess nutrients in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters.
Press release:
  
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-and-federal-partners-announce-winners-water-quality-challenge
* So what's an Inter League Organization?  Read about it at this link.  
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LWV Action on Climate Change: A Call to Arms, with lots of guidance, from Caryl Terrell (LWV Dane Co, WI) at the LWV UMRR Annual Meeting on June 1

6/4/2019

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Caryl Terrell, LWV Dane County
League of Women Voters works because we blend education with advocacy, helping people participate in our democracy with objective information for fact-based action.  LWV is also a learning organization; we listen to those who know effective ways to advocate for our positions.  We were honored to have Caryl Terrell as our round-up speaker on June 1.  She took the facts that John Linc Stine presented, and the opportunties that exist for action like the work that Matt Gladue presented, and showed us how we can use the LWV US Tool Kit for Climate Action to take effective action to reduce climate change in our local communities and more broadly.  Caryl is a member of LWV Dane County (Madison, Wisconsin), and was a founding member of the LWV US Climate Change Task Force.  
The LWV US Tool Kit for Climate Action is an excellent resource for getting started.   Take some time to explore this website - the menu on the right has links to a wide array of information, advice and examples.  
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LWV US, in January 2019, approved a new position on Climate Change that elevates this topic to the level of our positions on water and air.  This is found in the Natural Resources section of the2018-20 Impact on Issues, and is in the column to the right.  

LWV US also was a recent signatory to letter sent to Congress, urging action on climate change. The letter can be found at this link.

Caryl's talk was inspiring and very specific as to things that LWV's can do on this topic.  At our August 5 2019 meeting in Madison, WI, LWV UMRR's Board will discuss formally adopting a position on Climate Change and developing a list of actions we will undertake to move ahead.  Watch Caryl's talk below.
 LWVUS CLIMATE CHANGE POSITION 

At its January 2019 meeting, the LWVUS Board approved a position statement on climate change, to be included in an updated edition of Impact on Issues, due to be published in Spring 2019. Since the LWVUS Natural Resources positions pre-date the public's general awareness of climate change, we did not have a position explicitly mentioning climate change. Now, in recognition of Leagues' increasing engagement in climate action, the LWVUS board has added the following position language supporting climate action.
​

The League believes that climate change is a serious threat facing our nation and planet. The League believes that an international approach to combating climate change — including through energy conservation, air pollution controls, building resilience, and promotion of renewable resources — is necessary to protect public health and defend the overall integrity of the global ecosystem. The League supports climate goals and policies that are consistent with the best available climate science and that will ensure a stable climate system for future generations. Individuals, communities, and governments must continue to address this issue, while considering the ramifications of their decisions, at all levels — local, state, regional, national, and global.
"We have the strength of League of Women Voters in this work.  We have Leagues in every state... and can reach out to all our members of Congress to build support for strong action on climate change at the state and national level.  This should include advocating for our country to fulfill the requirements of the 2015 Paris Accord"...
    - Caryl Terrell at the LWV Upper Mississippi River
​             Region Annual Meeting on June 1, 2019
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LWV Upper Mississippi River Region - Who we are, what we do...

12/15/2018

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LWV Upper Mississippi River Region ... in these blog posts we talk about what we do, where we go, our events, our beliefs.  But what is the LWV Upper Mississippi River Region, anyhow?  
Comprised of about 50 local Leagues across the Upper Mississippi watershed, we have a broad network and many interrelated issues to address.  Our program of action - the things we work on - is set every year at our Annual Meeting with approval from our membership.  Since our incorporation on October 25, 2015, we have been focused on working to reduce the amount of nutrients - fertilizers and wastes - that are discharged to the Mississippi.  

In our four states, this work takes different forms.  In Minnesota, our members advocate for stronger groundwater protections, help plan a major water-related lobbying day at the Capitol, and are working with other organizations to hold workshops for absentee owners of farmland.  We learn about and take positions on water issues, such as when we joined with LWV Wisconsin to speak out against the diversion of water from Lake Michigan.   And we work to shine a light on issues of groundwater depletion and pollution in parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota.  

In Illinois, LWV Jo Daviess County (Galena) has been leading efforts to develop local water plans and protections, and organize monitoring efforts to document water quality in the Galena River as well as local groundwater.  They have worked with the Rotary Clubs in the Midwest to educate and activate people on issues of nutrient pollution, and have received awards for their work.  

Our Board meets on the first Monday of even-numbered months.  We travel around the watershed, putting on events with local Leagues as part of our Board meetings.  Here are some examples from December and October of 2018.  When possible, we video our educational events and share the videos on our blog.  Our Annual Meetings are big events, with speakers and more.  In 2018, we were in Chicago for a joint meeting on LWV water work nationwide with LWV Lake Michigan; our 2017 Annual Meeting was in La Crosse and focused on water issues in Wisconsin.   


Who we are, what we do, is built upon our strong foundation from LWV at all levels.  The following statement was written by one of the founders of LWV UMRR, Bonnie Cox of LWV Jo Daviess County (Illinois).  Bonnie's statement is inspirational, and provides a guiding light as we work our issues.   We thank Bonnie for her work with UMRR!

Our blog posts document our work - here's a list of the posts as of December, 2018.  
  Date                    Title
12/11/2018  LWV UMRR Advocacy Update
12/9/2018  Frustrations... lack of progress... environmental groups are maddened but EPA is pleased...
12/5/2018  LWV seeks to support non-operating owners of farmland
11/8/2018  Impact of the Midterm Elections on the Farm Bill
11/3/2018  Come to Coralville on Monday, December 3
11/3/2018  Foxconn update - the scale of the plant is shrinking, and with it the number of jobs...
10/11/2018  FARM BILL MYTH-BUSTING: THE CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
10/11/2018  Give the Gift of Water Quality
9/11/2018  Watershed Action - We're all in it Together!
9/3/2018  Wisconsin’s Water Needs Your Voice
8/31/2018  LWV UMRR River Events in Minneiska, Winona,  and Onalaska - September 26, 30 and October 1
8/27/2018  Update on the Racine Diversion
8/9/2018  Wastewater Reuse – Saving Freshwater while Providing for Economic Growth
7/24/2018  Minnesota's ongoing battle over nitrate in groundwater
7/24/2018  Down to the Wire on the Farm Bill
7/15/2018  Foxconn takes Wisconsin by Storm
6/21/2018  LWV's Water Work - Deep AND Wide
4/9/2018  Minnesota Water Action Day 2018
4/7/2018  LWV UMRR Annual Meeting - June 27 in Chicago
4/7/2018  Wisconsin Groundwater – the Policy and Science of Depletion and Nitrate Contamination
3/18/2018  Balancing Act to Protect the Upper Upper Mississippi
3/8/2018  EPA announces action plan to combat harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie
3/7/2018  The Science and Policy Debate ... come to Stevens Point for this April 2 discussion
3/6/2018  Water: Advocating for Protection - Put your League on the Map!  June 27, 2018 in Chicago - Join us!
3/6/2018  Wisconsin takes aim at algae - public comment open
2/25/2018  Industrial Ag in the Driftless Area
1/4/2018  Farmland Ownership and Rental: Managing for Stewardship
1/3/2018  Industrial Agriculture in the Driftless Area - upcoming conference on Jan 20 in Boscobel, Wisconsin
1/3/2018  Improving the Farm Bill's Conservation Programs
12/6/2017  LWV Jo Daviess recognized in a big way for their water quality work!
11/29/2017  Groundwater Depletion – Balancing Use to Reduce Conflicts in Minnesota
11/28/2017  Protecting Wisconsin Well Owners and Providing Safe Water
11/27/2017  Field Day at Fox Demo Farms near Green Bay
11/1/2017  LWV UMRR at the Headwaters...
11/1/2017  Pipelines and Water
9/8/2017  Cover Crop and Soil Health Learning Tour - Report from the Field
9/1/2017  “Water has to be a non-partisan life issue.”
8/28/2017  Doing Things "The League Way" in Jo Daviess County
8/27/2017  EPA’s Clean Water Rule – Act Now to Share your Comments with EPA
8/26/2017  LWV UMRR Headwaters Event – October 1-2, 2017
6/23/2017  Watershed Game Leader Training - Rockford, Illinois  - September 22 or 23
6/20/2017  When it hits the fan...  groundwater quality and public health
6/20/2017  Citizen Voices Matter - Especially Now!
6/20/2017  Fishers and Farmers Partnership
6/18/2017  Make a Difference - Fight to Win!
6/17/2018  Mayor Kabat - Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative
4/18/2017  Pipelines - Impact on Environment, Tribal Rights and Action
3/31/2017  Des Moines Water Works lawsuit summarily dismissed, closing this chapter but not solving the problem
3/31/2017  Dead Zone season is coming again to a major water body affected by you
3/10/2017  Galena Rotary Roundtable - Videos Now Available
3/6/2017  Smithsonian's WaterWays winds up Minnesota and Illinois tour 
2/11/2017  Wisconsin Water Lobby Day builds a network that will be impossible to ignore
2/11/2017  Environmental Issues Generate Buzz at Iowa Capitol - March 29
2/4/2017  Water Lobby Days set in Wisconsin and Minnesota
1/29/2017  Iowa Supreme Court issues response in Des Moines Water Works lawsuit
1/29/2017  Retired Cargill CEO – Nutrient pollution is a ‘wicked problem’
1/29/2017  Minnesota Governor vows no further compromise on riparian buffers
1/5/2017  University of Iowa's Dr Peter Weyer on cancer and birth defects due to elevated nitrate in drinking water
1/1/2017  Nutrient Pollution and Your Health
12/7/2016  Water - We're all in the Same Boat!
11/20/2016  Cedar River and Linn County – partnerships for watershed improvement
11/15/2016  Becoming a Player in the Watershed Game
11/13/2016  Des Moines Water Works Lawsuit Update
11/7/2016  Jump In!  to Watershed Protection
11/23/2016  Positive Values of Water
8/31/2016  Linn County Iowa moves ahead to protect and improve water quality
8/29/2016  Galena in the autumn, great place for Watershed Game training!
8/29/2016  From Brown to Green 
8/23/2016  Valuing the river and its ecosystem in La Crosse
8/23/2016  Cover crops and soil health are vital to water quality improvement
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Come to Coralville on Monday, December 3

11/3/2018

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Monday, December 3
​Coralville Public Library - Room A
1401 5th St, Coralville, IA 52241

Speakers:
  Mike Delaney, Izaak Walton League Upper Mississippi River Initiative Field Organizer
  Lonni McCauley, League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Region Action Chair
 
Agenda
    1:00 - Gather at the Library for light refreshments
    1:25 – Introductions
    1:30 – Speakers
    2:15 – Audience questions and discussion
    2:30 – Adjourn
Throughout the Midwest, absentee landownership of farm land is common.  In some places, more than half the farmland is rented.  The management of this land is critical - land owners must work with their renters to develop contracts that reward good stewardship and build soil health.    How should these discussions be framed?  How can the renter protect both the rented land and his bottom line?  What will be the farming legacy of these rented lands?

The Izaak Walton League (aka "the Ikes") received a grant from the McKnight Foundation and is developing workshops to provide landowners with this information.  The LWV UMRR is working with the Ikes in our four-state area, with a goal of finding member Leagues to work with local Ike chapters put on these workshops throughout the watershed.  Both organizations extend the invitation to this meeting in Coralville so we can meet each other and set up the groundwork for local workshop planning.  

The Coralville Public Library is close to I-80 just northeast of Iowa City.  It offers free parking and a large, comfortable room for our use.  Click Upcoming Events for a printable flyer you can use to share the information with others.  We also have made this an event on Facebook - like us and help spread the word!  Here's a map - see you in Coralville!  
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Update on the Racine Diversion

8/27/2018

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LWV Upper Mississippi River Region is working with LWV Wisconsin and LWV Lake Michigan to question the proposed use of Lake Michigan water for an industrial development outside the Lake Michigan watershed.   A recent post on this blog provides more background - click here.  

Here is the most recent update on that project, from LWV Wisconsin:
Racine Diversion Challenge AdvancesLast week, the legal challenge to the City of Racine’s plan to divert Great Lakes water to the Foxconn industrial complex advanced. A pre-hearing conference is set for September 12 before an Administrative Law Judge.

The petitioners contend that the Wisconsin DNR’s approval of Racine’s request for a Great Lakes water diversion for the Foxconn development violates the Great Lakes Compact, an interstate agreement enacted to protect this economic and cultural resource. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is one of six organizations appealing the diversion permit issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The Compact strictly requires diversions of Great Lakes water be limited to public, largely residential, uses. Racine’s attempt to divert 7 million gallons per day of Lake Michigan water west of the Great Lakes Basin divide to serve the solely private industrial uses of Foxconn violates this rule.

The League believes that the Great Lakes Compact, signed into law in by President G.W. Bush on October 3, 2008, significantly supports the long standing League positions of an "environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest," and that policies must consider the "environmental, ... and economi
c impacts of proposed plans and actions." Read more at the LWVWI website.
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In Minnesota, LWV UMRR Action Chair Lonni McCauley has reached out to the Governor's office and the Minnesota DNR to urge Minnesota to engage on this issue through the Great Lakes Compact.  We will provide updates here as things progress.

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Foxconn takes Wisconsin by Storm

7/15/2018

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Foxconn Technology Group, a Taiwanese manufacturer of LED-screens, is coming to Wisconsin, with jobs, economic development and lots of questions.  ​
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​Foxconn is building its major manufacturing facility near Racine, in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin.  The company’s North American headquarters will be in Milwaukee and a research facility will be built in Eau Claire.  The state of Wisconsin, under the leadership of Governor Scott Walker, has given significant incentives to land this development.  Unfortunately, many of these incentives have been reduction of environmental permitting requirements, which is another story; click here for an interview with Dr. Peter Adriaens from the University of Michigan.   

The facility in Mount Pleasant will need lots of water.  For this, the City of Racine has requested permission from Wisconsin DNR to take 7 million gallons a day from Lake Michigan.  Since Mount Pleasant is a ‘straddling community’ – part in the Lake Michigan watershed and part in the Upper Mississippi watershed – their request must conform to the standards set out in the Great Lakes Compact – see more information here. WI DNR decided that the standards were met and granted the withdrawal.  An appeal to this permit was filed and an additional process of public comment and review gone through.  On April 25, 2018, the WI DNR again approved the withdrawal.
 
Is this a bad thing?  Inter-basin transfer of water (taking water from one major water basin, in this case the Lake Michigan basin, and sending it to another, in this case the Upper Mississippi) is troubling.  Water shortages abound across the world, and many look longingly at the vast freshwater resources of the Great Lakes.  The purpose of the Compact is to ensure that the water in the Great Lakes is not mined and that Great Lakes ecosystems are protected.  Learn more about the Great Lakes Compact
here.  
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WI DNR’s approval of the City of Racine’s application violates the Compact requirement that any water diverted out of the Basin must be used solely for “Public Water Supply Purposes.” The purpose of the City of Racine’s diversion, as identified in the City’s application, is exclusively to supply water to industrial and commercial customers in a newly-designated “electronics and information technology manufacturing zone” in the Village of Mt. Pleasant. The in the out-of-basin portion of Mt. Pleasant subject to the diversion request.

​LWV has a position
(here) that inter-basin transfer should not be allowed unless:
  • Ample and effective opportunities for informed public participation in the formulation and analysis of proposed projects
  • Evaluation of economic, social and environmental impacts in the basin of origin, the receiving area and any area through which the diversion must pass, so that decision makers and the public have adequate information on which to base a decision
  • Examination of all short- and long-term economic costs including, but not limited to, construction, delivery, operation, maintenance and market interest rate
  • Examination of alternative supply options, such as water conservation, water pricing and reclamation
  • Participation and review by all affected governments
  • Procedures for resolution of inter-governmental conflicts
  • Accord with international treaties
  • Provisions to ensure that responsibility for funding is borne primarily by the user with no federal subsidy, loan guarantees or use of the borrowing authority of the federal government, unless the proposal is determined by all affected levels of the League to be in the national interest.
 
LWV Wisconsin has lead efforts to oppose the withdrawal.  LWV Lake Michigan is party to the Petition seeking reconsideration by WI DNR.  LWV Upper Mississippi has made a resolution in opposition, and will continue to find ways to work against this transfer.  You can read the resolution
here. 
 
According to the Great Lakes Compact, the 8 states and 2 provinces that border the Great Lakes have a right to question decisions. LWV UMRR so far has undertaken these actions:
  • Drew up and passed a resolution with the UMRR board opposing water diversion by Foxconn
  • Received approval from the four states’ Leagues of Women Voters for this action
  • Received approval from LWVUSA for this action and a letter writing campaign to the four states’ congressional delegations.
  • Letters were written on July 18 to Minnesota’s congressional delegation and also to Governor Dayton
More action will take through joining a lawsuit or by petition.

Addition:  Minnesota Public Radio looked at who comes out ahead in the Foxconn deal on July 31 - you can read more about it and listen to the conversation here.   - LWV UMRR Blogger, Gretchen Sabel
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