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SPEAK OUT FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES IN WISCONSIN
Attend the upcoming public informational hearing on the proposed expansion (WPDES permit modification) for the Rosendale Dairy, December 3, 2009, at 5:00 pm at the Royal Ridges, 1 Westgate Drive (just off W. Fond du Lac St. which is also known as Hwy 23/49), Ripon, WI 54971, for the purpose of giving all interested parties an opportunity to make a statement with respect to the permit action.
If permitted, Rosendale Dairy will become the largest Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), or factory farm ever sited in Wisconsin. It will house 8,000 milking cows and 300 beef cattle on a very small area of land.
Please attend the public hearing, and voice your concerns about this operation.
Expanding the Rosendale CAFO:
- Threatens drinking water and wetland habitats by the volume of untreated manure- 75 million gallons per year- that will be spread on vulnerable land.
- Impacts air quality by emitting toxic hydrogen sulfide and ammonia
- Threatens water supplies with contamination by antibiotics and hormones.
- Puts area family farms in jeopardy by flooding the market with milk. When supply outpaces demand, the price per gallon drops precipitously.
If you are unable to attend the hearing, please send comments to elizabeth.spaethwerner@wisconsin.gov by December 10, 2009.
WISCONSIN NEEDS THE CLEAN ENERGY JOBS BILL THIS YEAR
On September 15 Sierra Club, Clean Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Blue Green Alliance hosted an event at UW-Rock County in Janesville called Capturing Wisconsin's Clean Energy Economy. This event, attended by over 80 people, featured a solar tour and panelists who described resources available to students, homeowners, and jobseekers who invest in smart energy solutions. One of the key points that presenters made is that market forces alone aren’t enough to sustain investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Smarter energy policies are needed in Wisconsin to make sure that people in our state will have access to the careers and technologies of the future.
A Clean Energy Jobs Act will be introduced soon that will protect Wisconsin’s economy and our environment from climate change by increasing investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and cleaner transportation options. This critically important legislation will decrease the $21 billion dollars we spend every year to fuel our state's appetite for fossil fuels.
The Clean Energy Jobs Act must include key recommendations from the Global Warming Task Force report like:
1. Increasing Wisconsin's investment in renewable energy like solar, wind, geothermal and biomass to 25% by 2025
2. Creating an energy efficiency standard that will reduce the amount of energy we waste and save ratepayers money
3. Investing in smarter transportation policies that increase efficiency and connect people with jobs, businesses, and recreational opportunities
4. Allowing Wisconsin to participate in a national or regional cap and trade program that will create incentives for industries to move toward cleaner, safer and more affordable forms of energy
Let’s not wait for other states and countries to adopt these policies before we jump on board. Wisconsin needs to be a producer, not just a consumer of innovative energy technologies. We can reduce the threat of global warming and rebuild Wisconsin's economy- but legislators need to hear from people like YOU who know that we can't risk waiting yet another year to take action! Please click here to take action today!
TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM PLASTIC ADDITIVE BISPHENOL-A (BPA)
BPA is an estrogen-mimicking chemical commonly found in polycarbonate (clear) plastics. BPA has been shown to leach out of these plastics and into food. BPA is an endocrine disrupter that can disrupt human development. BPA has been linked to breast cancer, testicular cancer, low sperm count, miscarriage and other serious health conditions. Click here to urge your legislators to support SB 271 / AB 405 to ban BPA from baby bottles and children's cups today.
Background:
* Despite numerous published, peer-reviewed studies that have found that BPA leaches into the bodies of people who use products that contain it and that links BPA to health problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled in September of 2008 that BPA is safe. The FDA based the decision on studies sponsored by the American Plastics Council, while ignoring other scientific studies. The finding is currently being re-examined, with results expected by 11/30/09.
* Canada, Minnesota, California, Connecticut, the City of Chicago and Long Island have all passed laws banning the use of BPA in children’s products.
* Enacting a BPA ban on children’s bottles in cups in Wisconsin will ensure that our children are protected from this toxic chemical and send the message to manufacturers about the use of potentially hazardous chemicals in other products.
State legislators should supporta billthat would ensure that children's bottles or cups made or sold in Wisconsin are BPA-free, and that products are clearly labeled as such. If passed, this legislation would provide the same penalties for these manufacturers and retailers as those in Wisconsin’s current Hazardous Substances Act and allow a 50% surcharge from the fines that DATCP would collect from negligent manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to be used to administer the program.
Please let lawmakers know why you support safer bottles and cups for infants and children.
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Sign up for our free Energy Forum List that conservation leaders will use to keep you updated on actions you can take to reduce global warming and advocate for a cleaner energy future in Wisconsin.
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Visit the JMC Legislative Tracker
Learn about the John Muir Chapter's positions on current Wisconsin legislation that affects YOU, right here in Wisconsin. Find out more by visiting Legislative Tracker, then Take Action by contacting your elected officials today!
Take Action on National Conservation Issues
Click Here to take action on federal legislation related to clean energy and global warming, protecting forests and other wild lands, protecting threatened and endangered species, and more through the Sierra Club action page.