State Assembly Passes Devastating
Open Pit Iron Mining Bill

Midwest Environmental Advocates is working with the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to protect the Bad River watershed from a proposed open pit iron mine in the Penokee Hills. On January 26th, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed AB 426, a piece of legislation that was directly influenced by the mining company that seeks to mine iron in the Penokee Hills, immediately upstream of the Bad River Reservation. Midwest Environmental Advocates strongly opposes this legislation and will continue to work with the Bad River Band to fight any mine that threatens the water, air and land of Wisconsin.  Learn more here.

Success! EPA Demands that Wisconsin DNR Correct Pattern of Deficiencies on Its Water Pollution Permitting Program

Several months after the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 5-2 decision against them, citizens from the Fox River Valley are celebrating. Why? Because their demand that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources protect Wisconsin water quality by following the Clean Water Act has been reinforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Read more here!

Wisconsin Supreme Court Reaches Unanimous Decision in Lake Beulah Case:
A Victory for Wisconsin Water Resources

In resolving a long-standing dispute between the Village of East Troy and Lake Beulah conservancies relating to the permitting of a high-capacity municipal well, the Wisconsin Supreme Court delivered a resounding message this week in support of Wisconsin water resources and the Wisconsin families, businesses, homeowners, and sportsmen who rely on them for their livelihood and quality of life. 

Read the press release here.

If you are interested in hosting a house party featuring a viewing of MEA's documentary film, "Crossing the Line", please email Kelly Forman.

Save Copper Creek Submits Legal and Scientific Response to DNR on High-Capacity Well                                                                                                 MEA on behalf of the members of Save Copper Creek, wrote a letter to the DNR stating that the proposed high-capacity well in Crawford Creek would be unlawful. Backed by the recent Supreme Court case regarding another high capacity well near Lake Beulah, MEA is once again reaffirming the importance of the Public Trust doctrine and waters of the state. In this instance, MEA, along with other water experts, noticed a large gap in the DNR’s data collection that led to assumptions that are “erroneous, unsupported and contrary to readily available data.” Pending this permit approval, MEA urges the DNR to perform additional analysis and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.      

Read the full press release here.

MEA Comments on Proposed Green Bay Waste Incinerator
MEA submitted comments on behalf of the Door County Environmental Council to the federal Department of Energy on the scope of the Environmental Assessment to be prepared for a municipal waste incinerator/waste to energy project proposed to be located in Green Bay.

MEA Finds Waukesha's Supplement to it's Water to be Incomplete
MEA and its Compact Implementation Coalition partners again have urged Wisconsin DNR to find Waukesha's water diversion application to be incomplete. In a letter in December 2010, the DNR had informed Waukesha that its initial application was incomplete and inadequate in numerous respects, raising many of the same concerns which MEA and other members of the Compact Implementation Coalition had previously pointed out. In April, Waukesha submitted additional materials, but even after being supplemented, many of the same deficiencies remain.

Notice of Intent to Sue Filed Against City of Glendale to Protect the Milwaukee River                                                                                           At the end of June, the city of Glendale received notice of intent to sue as the city attempted to modernize their streets by replacing grassy swales with concrete gutters and curbs directly violating the Clean Water Act and putting the already impaired Milwaukee River at risk. 

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