November 2007

Protecting the Environment Using the Law 

• Protecting the Milwaukee River:  On November 8^th, MEA sent, on behalf of Friends of Milwaukee's Rivers, a notice of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act to Greater Milwaukee area companies Heartland Development Group, Ltd. and ACT Planning and Development, LLC, for their recent clear-cut of approximately five acres of vegetation adjacent to the Milwaukee River in Glendale.  Read more.
• Reducing Livestock Facility Odors and Air Pollution:  Midwest Environmental Advocates and the community group Centerville CARES successfully pushed the DNR to regulate factory farm air pollution in Wisconsin.  New state regulations requiring factory farms to control emissions of toxic air pollutants are scheduled to take effect in July of 2007.   However, the DNR has proposed to extend the deadline until 2011.  Read more. 
• MS4 decision: MEA's efforts to enforce the Clean Water Act through strong stormwater permit requirements hit a snag in early November, when the Judge overseeing the matter affirmed the DNR's decision to deny our clients petition for review. Read more. 
• Charter Street Coal Plant:  Our clients, the Sierra Club, and our co-counsel in this matter, Attorney Dave Bender, experienced recent success in a separate Clean Air Act suit against the Coal Plant.  Read more.
  

Advocating for an Improved Mississippi River

• In late October 2007, Karen Schapiro, MEA Executive Director, and other representatives of the Mississippi River Water Quality Collaborative met with Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind to thank him for championing Mississippi River protection. 
   
• The National Academy of Sciences released a report in October 2007 entitled Mississippi River Water Quality and the Clean Water Act: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities.  The report supports our work on improving Mississippi River water quality and encourages restoration commensurate with the River's immense value to our nation.

Appearing in National Print

Midwest Environmental Advocates recently appeared in two national publications:

Melissa Scanlan, MEA Senior Counsel, appeared in the November/December 2007 Sierra Club Magazine.       

Hot off the presses, Karen Schapiro, MEA Executive Director, contributed the section on Wisconsin in Brownfields Law and Practice: The Cleanup and Redevelopment of Contaminated Land, Lexis Nexis, Publication 00438, Release 19, November 2007.  

Save the Date: Conservation Lobby Day, January 30th

Conservation Lobby Day is your day to tell your state Assembly Representative and your state Senator why you care about clean energy, the Great Lakes, and sporting opportunities.  Your participation is needed, so please RSVP by January 22nd.

Save the Date: Conservation Lobby Day, January 30th

Conservation Lobby Day is your day to tell your state Assembly Representative and your state Senator why you care about clean energy, the Great Lakes, and sporting opportunities. Your participation is needed, so please RSVP by January 22nd.

Fostering the Next Generation of Environmental Advocates      

Through our clinical program with the UW Law School, MEA offers unique experience for law students to get an in- depth look at all aspects of environmental law practice and nonprofit legal work.  MEA also hosts students from around the country during our summer internship program.  This fall MEA has been pleased to work with:  Sheri Walz , Michael Jaccard, and Renee Christensen.  For more information, or to apply to our summer or semester programs visit our website.

Give a Gift of Environmental Justice That Will Last for Decades to Come

As Wisconsin's first and only non- profit environmental law firm, Midwest Environmental Advocates fills a vital gap in our environmental protections.  Our work to protect and preserve clean water, promote clean and sustainable farming and provide environmental justice would be impossible without the generous support of our many donors.  This year, there are even more ways you can support MEA.   Through direct donations, workplace giving or a planned bequest you can ensure that we will remain powerful voice advocating for the environment for years to come.  Learn more about our donation programs here.

Join our advocacy community by donating today.  Your donation will be a powerful statement of your commitment to public interest environmental law.  Your act of giving will help make environmental justice a reality.  You can donate by mail here or you can donate online with Community Shares.

551 W. Main Street, Suite 200 , Madison, WI  53703 , Telephone: 608.251.5047,  Fax: 608.268.0205
Email: advocate@midwestadvocates.org  Web: www.midwestadvocates.org

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