Eco-Minute

A proposal in Congress to allow 15% ethanol-or E15-in auto fuels year-round could increase water contamination in our state. More than a million acres of Wisconsin land is used to grow corn for ethanol, and increasing E15 use could mean even more land devoted to ethanol. Corn causes more nitrate contamination in Wisconsin waterways than any other crop. More than 80,000 private drinking water wells are polluted with unsafe levels of the chemicals.

Wisconsin and Minnesota partnering on a project to reintroduce endangered mussel species into the Mississippi River basin. Spectacle-case and Higgens eye mussels used to thrive in western Wisconsin rivers and streams, but both became endangered because of pollution and man-made dams. Wildlife officials are breeding and releasing the mussels into cleaner waterways like the Chippewa River.

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

Environmental groups across the state – including Clean Wisconsin—are calling for a pause in AI data center projects. The groups issued a joint statement calling on lawmakers to develop a strategic framework that will ensure Wisconsin communities are not harmed by the massive power-and-water-hungry facilities. That call includes: no burning of fossil fuels to power AI data centers, and no increases in energy bills to pay for all the infrastructure need to support them.

Wisconsin’s landfills are filling up with food. That’s according to a new study from the DNR. Wasted food and food scraps account for 20% of the trash sent to Wisconsin landfills — the largest single category. And most of that, coming from residents, not grocery stores and restaurants. The agency is working reduce per-capita food waste disposal in landfills by 50% in the next four years.

Right now on The Defender podcast, new hope that a bipartisan solution for state PFAS funding is at hand — and the industry group that could kill it. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The developer behind an AI data center approved in Port Washington is backing away from plans to buy up land near Green Bay. Residents in the Village of Greenleaf caught wind of the project when some landowners started getting offers from an undisclosed buyer. Once it became clear the buyout was for a massive data center, concerns about water use and other environmental harms quickly followed. After strong local pushback, Cloverleaf has announced it would no longer pursue that location.

Commercial fishing companies working in the Great Lakes have stopped putting fish waste into area landfills. Every year, about 60% of the fish harvested has been thrown away -heads, guts, skin, scales. Now 90% of fishing companies in the region have pledged to use every part of every fish for products like fish oil and fish meal. The move will cut 8-million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions generated by landfilling.

Right now on the Defender Podcast: The EPA moves to weaken one of our most successful environmental protections – the Clean Air Act. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Neighbors in Kewaunee County upset after large amounts of manure washed off of nearby farm fields and contaminated a local stream that feeds drinking water wells. The DNR says it happened during recent heavy rains and the agency is monitoring the situation. It is not considered a best-practice to spread animal waste on farm fields during the winter when there are no plants to absorb it, although some farms are permitted by the state to do it anyway.

The EPA is going to stop considering public health benefits when evaluating air pollution limits. For decades the agency has calculated the cost savings of avoided hospital visits and premature deaths that come with stronger air pollution rules. But now the agency will no longer consider those calculations that have long been used to justify air pollution protections.

Right now on the Defender Podcast: How one small Wisconsin community defeated a data center.. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Families and businesses across Wisconsin will likely help pick up the tab once again to keep coal burning in another state. The Trump Administration is ordering two aging coal plants in Indiana to stay open, even though energy regulators there say they are not needed. The cost to bring the plants back online is expected to reach tens of millions of dollars and will likely be paid through price increases on customers across the Midwest grid, including here In Wisconsin. Wisconsinites are already paying higher bills to help pay for a plant in Michigan that the Administration ordered to restart last May.

Residents in the northeastern Wisconsin town of Greenleaf say they’re getting offers from an AI data center developer to buy their land. According to local TV reports, the land parcels targeted are between Highway 57 and the East River. It’s unclear what company is behind the offers.

Knowledge is power. 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.

Wisconsin soybean farmers are pushing the EPA to finalize rules allowing a controversial herbicide back on the market. Dicamba is used on soybeans and cotton that has been genetically modified to resist the weedkiller. But it has a tendency to get into water supplies and drift in the air, hurting other plants like orchards, gardens and trees. The EPA will now require the Dicamba to be mixed other chemicals to help stop drifting.

If you’re still searching for a Christmas tree and are wondering which is better for the environment — real or plastic. Turns out, it’s real. Experts say plastic trees are usually shipped thousands of miles from China and eventually wind up in landfills. And for every real tree that gets taken home, farmers replant 1 to 3 trees in its place.

Right now on the Defender Podcast – meet the Wisconsin native who is foraging 100% of his food for an entire year. Listen at cleanwisconsin.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Wisconsin’s new rule is a game-changer for solar energy access in apartments, eliminating the costly requirement for separate electric meters for each unit. This comes on the heels of a pivotal Supreme Court ruling affirming the constitutionality of administrative rule delays. Plus, get ready for the 2026 State Parks Admission Pass featuring a charming design by a local High School student. Her art showcases a black dog fetching a stick, capturing the spirit of Wisconsin’s great outdoors. Stay informed on these and other environmental issues with the Defender podcast from Clean Wisconsin.

The new federal budget spells disaster for Wisconsin’s environmental research, with the Upper Midwest Environmental Services Center in La Crosse facing closure alongside similar centers nationwide. Meanwhile, the EPA controversially approves two PFAS-laden pesticides for crops like tomatoes and almonds, while considering relaxing chemical reporting rules. Adding to the turmoil, AI technology is sparking a fossil fuel boom in Wisconsin, prompting legal action to halt its progress.

Clean Wisconsin is challenging new energy grid rules that prioritize gas-burning plants over renewable sources, claiming they unfairly benefit fossil fuels. A proposed 1.2 gigawatt gas plant exemplifies the issue, potentially sidelining cheaper, cleaner energy like wind and solar. Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s Pettit Ice Arena is embracing sustainability by installing a massive solar rooftop array to cut its energy consumption by 20%. As data centers loom, the question arises: will Wisconsinites shoulder the financial burden of these new power plants? Listen to the Defender Podcast for more on this brewing energy conflict.

A proposed AI data center in Dane County threatens to consume over twice the county’s current electricity usage. Tech developer QTS plans to build the data center on 600 acres in Viana, prompting county officials to consider amending their comprehensive plan. In response, Senator Jody Sineken and Representative Angela Stroud have introduced a bill mandating transparency in water use and an annual fee to bolster renewable energy and sustainability efforts in Wisconsin. This legislation aims to ensure that AI data centers operate with eco-friendly practices, balancing technological advancement with environmental responsibility.