Gov. Jim Doyle today vetoed AB 138, which would have removed the Governor’s authority to appoint the DNR Secretary and handed the authority to the Natural Resources Board. In his veto message, Gov. Doyle noted that the DNR Secretary is “an integral part of a Governor’s Cabinet, playing a regular and key role in interagency […]
Study: Wisconsin Climate Change Proposals Will Be Costly
Date Thu, Nov. 12, 2009 - 12:04pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI) this week issued a study titled, “The Economics of Climate Change Proposals in Wisconsin,” which analyzes the costs associated with complying with the various policy recommendations contained in Wisconsin’s Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming Final Report. The study predicts Wisconsin will lose 49,000 jobs over the next […]
EPA Moves One Step Closer to Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Date Tue, Nov. 10, 2009 - 12:02pm By Hamilton
The EPA yesterday announced that it sent to the White House its final endangerment finding. An endangerment finding paves the way for the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. In April, the EPA announced its findings (and technical support document) that greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare. EPA’s […]
Senate Passes DNR Secretary Bill, Governor Likely to Veto
Date Fri, Nov. 6, 2009 - 9:46am By Hamilton
The Senate yesterday passed a measure that removes the Governor’s authority to appoint the Department of Natural Resources Secretary, handing the authority to those appointed to the Natural Resources Board. The Senate amended AB 138 to allow the Senate to confirm the Secretary after he or she is appointed by the Natural Resources Board. Opponents […]
Global Warming Litigation Heats Up in Federal Courts
Date Tue, Oct. 20, 2009 - 8:51pm By Hamilton
Last month we reported that a federal appeals court ruled that environmental groups had standing to sue energy companies under tort and public nuisance claims for their alleged contribution to global warming. This month a federal district court came to opposite conclusion. Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District […]
Wisconsin Biofuels Bill Debated in Public Hearing
Date Thu, Oct. 8, 2009 - 2:16pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Committee on Renewable Energy and Rural Affairs and Senate Committee on Rural Issues, Biofuels, and Information Technology this week held a joint hearing on companion bills – SB 279, introduced by Senator Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls) and AB 408, introduced by Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) – dealing with domestic biofuels. The bills […]
EPA Announces Plans to Regulate Greenhouse Gases Under Clean Air Act
Date Thu, Oct. 1, 2009 - 9:19am By Hamilton
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson yesterday announced that the agency will not wait for Congress to act on regulating greenhouse gas emissions. In her announcement, Jackson stated that the EPA will take “significant steps” under the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions. Under the plan, industrial facilities, refiners, and […]
U.S. Senators Unveil Climate Change Legislation
Date Wed, Sep. 30, 2009 - 11:50am By Hamilton
Two U.S. Senators that head the Committee on Environment and Public Works today are introducing climate change legislation. Based on early reports, the bill authored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-California) and John Kerry (D-Mass.), will call for greater reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the House version, which narrowly passed in June. The […]
Alberta-Wisconsin Oil Pipeline Suit Transferred to Minnesota Court
Date Wed, Sep. 30, 2009 - 6:28am By Hamilton
We recently reported that the U.S. State Department granted a permit to construct a 326-mile oil pipeline from the Canadian border to Superior, Wisconsin. The Sierra Club opposes construction of the pipeline and is attempting to halt the project. The Sierra Club filed a lawsuit in California, ostensibly to seek what the environmental group […]
Polls Show People Are for Reducing CO2, If It Doesn’t Cost Money or Jobs
Date Mon, Sep. 28, 2009 - 2:38pm By Hamilton
Two polls released last week show that Wisconsinites have seemingly diverging views on whether to address climate change. However, when the two polls are closely analyzed, it appears that there isn’t any discrepancy – people support actions that reduce climate change as long as it doesn’t cost a lot of money or jobs. The first poll, […]