Some Federal Funding could be coming to Wisconsin – to keep an old coal plant running. The 1970s-era Columbia Coal Plant was supposed to be shut back in 2022, but Alliant Energy never followed through. Now the plant is part of a $425 million dollar emergency order by the Trump Administration to keep coal burning. Coal plants release a long list of toxins into the air and water, including mercury and lead. According to the Midwest grid operator, there is no energy emergency in Wisconsin.

It’s invasive species month, a great time to think about how we can all help stop the spread of non-native organisms. Experts with the DNR say when you fish, clean all your gear, and drain and dry water from your boat before you head to the next lake or river. When you hike, stay on trails and remove dirt, mud and seeds from your shoes and gear. And follow Wisconsin’s firewood rules.

Right now on The Defender podcast, there’s something in our rain and snow.. and you’re not gonna like it. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Trump Administration’s new budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—or NOAA—could spell disaster for our Great Lakes. Funding for research programs that work on everything from water quality to maritime safety and weather observations are zeroed out in the budget. The $1.3 billion in cuts to NOAA still must be approved by Congress.

June is pollinator month! A time to recognize and protect Wisconsin’s critical creatures that are key to more than $55 million a year in crop production in our state. What can you do to celebrate? Plant a pollinator garden, and make sure the plants haven’t been treated with pesticides, especially types called neonics, which have devastated bee populations in areas near corn and soybean fields.

Right now on The Defender podcast, a look at what’s standing in the way of a new oil pipeline in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Happy 75th birthday to Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas Program created in 1951—the first program of its kind in the country and the largest. There are nearly 700 natural sites cared for and protected through the program. Our very first state natural area was Parfrey’s Glen in the Baraboo Hills.

How often do you think about the Mississippi River? Unless you live near the river, maybe not as much as you should, considering more than half of Wisconsin is in the River’s watershed. But now, it’s getting its very own day. June 2nd is National Mississippi River Day, a moment to pause and celebrate, protect, and connect with our nation’s most iconic waterway! The Mighty Mississippi and its wetlands provide critical habitat for countless species, and the Upper Mississippi brings $24 billion in tourism to our region.

For a deep dive into Wisconsin’s most pressing environmental issues, check out the Defender podcast at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The EPA says it wants to toss out a rule that keeps coal power plants from releasing hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic metals into nearby waterways. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said the rule is so hard to comply with that it could cause coal plants to shut down, and that would deprive AI data centers of the electricity they need. Zeldin called the rule “burdensome” in the face of the coming “AI data center revolution.”

Work can continue on the controversial Line 5 oil pipeline under construction across pristine areas of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, but not everywhere. A circuit court judge has ruled that right now, Canadian oil giant Enbridge cannot build some sections of the pipeline that cross waterways –because its permits may not be legally valid. The judge will make a decision about those permits at a later date.

For a deep dive into Wisconsin’s most pressing environmental issues, check out my Defender podcast at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The US House has voted to remove controversial provisions from the Farm Bill that would have weakened pesticide protections and given chemical companies legal immunity. The provisions sought to strip states of their authority to pass stronger protections against pesticides, allow pesticide applications near schools and playgrounds, and block people harmed by exposure from suing chemical companies.

May is Clean Air month, but after decades of progress, the air we breathe in Wisconsin could be getting more polluted, according to the DNR. That’s because a long list of federal protections have been rolled back or dismantled over the past year, including vehicle emissions standards, safeguards against toxic mercury in the air, and rules aimed at cracking down on ozone pollution drifting here from other states.

Right now on the Defender Podcast – should you be worried about AI data centers and our water? A deep dive into the research at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

New research from Clean Wisconsin shows it’s not great to live next to an AI data center. Turns out air pollution from diesel generators on the sites can harm your health. The research shows the hyperscale Vantage data center in Port Washington could cause $960,000 to $1.29 million in annual public health costs statewide. Most of the harms come from increased ozone pollution, which is linked to serious respiratory illness and heart disease.

Underfunding from state lawmakers means there’s going to be fewer muskies, walleyes, and other game fish in our lakes. The Department of Natural Resources is making severe budget cuts because of a deficit in the state’s fish and wildlife account, which has been underfunded by the legislature in recent years. The agency is also cutting wildlife surveys and habitat work.

Right now on the Defender Podcast – what tech companies don’t want you to know about data centers and water. Listen cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Just when you thought there might be a lull in the push to build AI data centers in Wisconsin, another project has been announced – this time along the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin Rapids. Few details have been made public, but there will be a hearing at the city’s Planning Commission on May 4th. Residents are extremely concerned about possible harms to the river and health and noise impacts.

Wisconsin Senator and Minnesota native Ron Johnson is helping a foreign mining company set up shop near the Boundary Waters. He joined Senate Republicans as they voted to lift a 20-year ban on toxic mining near the famous pristine and wild landscape. A Chilean-owned company called Twin Metals is pushing to build a sulfide-ore copper mine in the area.

Knowledge is power. For a deep dive into Wisconsin’s most pressing environmental issues, checking out The Defender Podcast. Listen cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More details about a possible AI data center in Wisconsin’s Driftless Region. The small Mississippi River town of Cassville is reportedly being eyed for what could be the biggest construction project ever in Grant County. County officials have refused to name the tech company behind the project, but say it’s a famous one. Some residents are concerned about harms to freshwater resources and wildlife habitat.

For the first time in more than 100 years, a sturgeon has made the 20-mile upstream journey from Lake Michigan to Ozaukee County in the Milwaukee River. Wildlife experts are calling it a monumental conservation milestone. Sturgeon once thrived in the River but disappeared because of pollution, dams, and overfishing. This historic milestone is the culmination of a massive, multi-agency effort to remove barriers to fish passage and clean up pollution in the Milwaukee River.

Right now on the Defender podcast, I talk with Madison’s chef of the year about what chefs are doing to protect the planet. Listen cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

A coalition of public health and environmental groups – including Clean Wisconsin – has filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA’s repeal of tighter standards that protect people from toxic air pollution. The standards limit the amount of mercury, lead, arsenic, and other toxic metals emitted from coal-fired power plants. Since EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards took effect in 2015, they’ve driven down dangerous mercury pollution from power plants by more than 90%.

Some good news for our Great Lakes. Legislation reauthorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has passed the US House—with support from every Wisconsin representative. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, extends critical funding to protect our waters, public health, and coastal communities through 2031.

For a deep dive into Wisconsin’s most pressing environmental issues, check out my Defender podcast. Listen cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The State of Wisconsin is joining health and environmental advocates across the country, including Clean Wisconsin, that are suing the EPA over its repeal of climate protections. The cases center on the EPA’s repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, which found that climate pollution is a threat to public health and welfare. Since that finding, Wisconsin has experienced increases in harms related to climate change including damaging storms, toxic wildfire smoke and a boom in reported cases of tickborne diseases.

Exploratory drilling happening in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Taylor County – by a Canadian company hoping to build a sulfide mine in the area. The company wants to see if it would be economically viable to extract metals like gold and copper from the environment. Any actual mine project could still be years away.

Right now on the Defender Podcast, a look at what Data Center Tariffs are – and why should care. Listen cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.