Even though a global pandemic wasn’t in our strategic plan, we adapted quickly and remained a strong voice for our rivers. We are proud of all the work we did this year to advocate for our waterways — the list is long. We also want to thank our friends and partners who advocated for clean, fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters this year.
At Milwaukee Riverkeeper, we work to identify sources of pollution, respond to community concerns, and work with partners to find solutions to problems affecting our rivers. This year, the pandemic forced us all outside, seeking comfort in nature and our local waterways. This increased presence on and along our rivers translated to an uptick in pollution reports: from construction site runoff, to water main breaks, to illicit discharges, to sinking boats – it’s been quite a year!
When we’re not responding to community concerns, we review permits for wastewater discharges, and development plans that could adversely affect our rivers. We also monitor local, regional, state, and federal policies, which impact water quality or wildlife habitat in the Milwaukee River Basin, and provide official comments to help make them better. By offering this input, we are providing a critical voice for our waters. In 2020, we submitted over 50 formal comments, both organizationally as well as in partnership with other environmental groups.
At Milwaukee Riverkeeper we do our best to speak in the best interest of our rivers, but we can’t do it alone. We rely on our friends and fellow community members to also advocate for change. By lending your voice, you play an important role in the future health of our waterways and our communities.
Thanks to the many of you that have taken action in 2020.
Federal Policy
While we as a country slowed down during the pandemic, detrimental rollbacks to several seminal environmental laws that protect our rivers and environment were fast-tracked, including rollbacks to the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act. Milwaukee Riverkeeper was vocal in our opposition to many of these rollbacks both organizationally and in conjunction with regional and federal partners. We opposed:
- Rollbacks to a new Waters of the United States rulemaking from the Trump Administration, which would remove protection for 30% of the nation’s ephemeral waters and 50% of wetlands.
- Rollbacks to the National Environmental Policy Act, which would exempt many projects from having to go through the Environmental Analysis/Environmental Impact Statement process, which informs sound decision making.
- The proposed federal “power grab”that proposes to remove the authority of states under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act to protect waterways and wetlands from damage and destruction caused by projects such as dams and pipelines.
- Exemptions from new ballast water rules for Great Lakes ships, removing requirements for many controls to minimize spread of aquatic invasive species.
- Significant weakening of coal ash regulations that regulate management of coal ash in landfills and wet ponds, as well as require liners to protect groundwater and surface water.
We pushed FOR increased budget for water infrastructure, improvements to the National Flood Insurance Program, designation of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and funding for coastal resiliency efforts as part of federal budget appropriations and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
Given the state of our economy, and the impact the pandemic has had on our communities, we urged the federal and state government to enact moratoriums on utility shut offs during this time, which has been largely successful.
There is hope that much of the damage enacted via Executive Orders can be undone by the new administration fairly quickly, with longer-term action needed to work on more complicated issues such as defining, yet AGAIN, exactly which waters will be protected by the Clean Water Act.
Regional Policy
As a proud member of the Healing Our Waters Coalition and Policy Committee, we continue to advocate for strong policy and funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and clean-up efforts, as well as for continued progress in controlling the spread of Invasive carp. We were involved in several lobby meetings this year with our federal Representatives and Senators, and signed onto multiple letters in partnership with our colleagues.
Here are some other highlights:
- As part of a coalition, we have successfully lobbied for continued funding for feasibility studies and design efforts toward constructing a new Invasive carp barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam.
- We also expect full funding for GLRI and our state revolving loan funds for drinking water and sewage treatment as part of ongoing budget appropriations.
- Efforts to “green” the Army Corps of Engineers have also been bearing fruit, with positive changes in WRDA that would allow the Corps to employ more green solutions in their flood management work.
- We partnered with other Great Lakes Waterkeepers in a new effort to protect the source waters of the Great Lakes, which form the drinking water supply for over 40 million American and Canadians. More to come on this!
After decades of work with many stakeholders, work on cleaning up the Milwaukee River Estuary Area of Concern is well underway! Recently, the U.S. EPA granted $12 million in funds for design and engineering work. Our ultimate goal is to clean up contaminated sediment in the lower portions of our 3 rivers and the Milwaukee River Estuary/Inner Harbor in record time. This “legacy” contamination is leftover from years of industrial dumping, and it keeps us from safely using our waters for activities like fishing and swimming. This work could reach well over $200 million dollars over the next 5+ years, and 65% would be funded by the Federal government. In addition to extensive dredging, important work will happen to improve the quality and safety of our beaches, as well as to enhance habitat as well as populations of fish and other wildlife.
State Policy
In 2020, the Wisconsin Legislature largely failed to pass any meaningful legislation that was tied to the State Task Force on Water Quality, nor any other bills that protect our waters or communities from pollution. We will continue to push for good legislation and state support to improve our waterways. The one bright spot this year has been that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Department of Health Services have made good headway in dealing with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. PFAS are a group of man-made, “forever” chemicals that have been used since the 1950’s in many products including Teflon, safety coatings for clothing and furniture, and firefighting foam. These chemicals are highly toxic for humans and wildlife. Recent studies in the Milwaukee River Estuary found extensive PFAS contamination in our water, sediments, and fish, with the worst contamination found in the Kinnickinnic River downstream of Mitchell Airport and the National Guard facilities, which historically used PFAS-containing firefighting foam in the past.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper testified at several meetings and submitted written comments regarding the State’s Draft Action Plan to address this pollution source as well as advocated for emergency rules that ban PFAS-containing firefighting foams except in certain emergencies. This emergency rule is now in effect. We will continue to track the State’s rulemaking efforts that regulate these chemicals in drinking water, groundwater, and surface waters.
We are also advocating:
- FOR stricter state regulations on coal ash management as part of new rulemaking effort, which would shift much enforcement of old coal ash landfills and ponds from the federal government to the state.
- AGAINST expansion of I-94 between the Zoo and Marquette Interchanges. We support safety improvements and new road construction in the existing highway footprint, with other funds diverted to transit and local road improvements. Large expansions like this impact our waterways through excessive pollutant loading from stormwater runoff.
- AGAINST the expansion of I-43. We submitted comments on the supplemental Environmental Impact Report supporting safety measures and needed bridge repairs/replacement, but urging for better stormwater management, as this project would dramatically increase impervious surfaces and increase pollution and flooding of the Milwaukee River and several small streams.
- FOR the reauthorization of and increased funding for the State Stewardship Fund.
- FOR robust state funding for WDNR to implement a variety of efforts to support non-point pollution reduction, PFAS rulemaking, better coal ash management, confined animal feeding operation oversight, state cost-share funding for our AOC cleanups, and implementation of the Climate Action Plan as part of the State Budget starting in mid 2021.
Local Policy
Late last year, the County Grounds Coalition won a key victory in protecting the 35-acre Sanctuary Woods in the Milwaukee County Grounds, adding to the adjacent 55-acre County Grounds Park and 90-acre detention basin area. The joy from this win was short-lived due to additional efforts to develop in and around the County Grounds. This year, we learned that UWM was planning on selling an additional 25 acres for a business park, including the 12-acre Monarch Trail area. County Grounds Coalition partners met with County Supervisors to ensure that the original Habitat Protection Plan for the Monarch Trail and development standards that the County approved as a condition of their sale of public property to UWM, would still be honored as part of the UWM “flip” of this land. These efforts were partially successful, but we will have to continue to advocate for protection of this critical habitat for migrating monarch butterflies as projects move forward for approval by Wauwatosa.
Waste Management plans to significantly expand the Orchard Ridge landfill in Menomonee Falls, which was already expanded in the last several years. Their plans would include adding up to 8 feet of trash in several areas, as well as physically filling in and moving one stream, and filling in several acres of wetlands. Of most concern, it would include excavating and relocating waste from 56 acres of a closed Superfund site at Boundary Road to the residential waste part of the landfill with no apparent controls. We have requested an Environmental Impact Statement for this project along with the Waukesha Environmental Action League and several other stakeholders.
We continue to work with our partners to advocate for dam removal and fish passage, as well as for improved stormwater management throughout our watersheds. We also provided comments and recommendations on:
- MMSD’s 2050 Facilities Plan, which assesses the condition of its sewage treatment facilities and conveyance systems, establishes areas of improvement, evaluates options, and identifies the needed projects and other actions to meet its permit requirements and vision and goals for clean water. This plan also prioritizes watercourse management activities and projects, including concrete removal from river channels and stream restoration activities.
- WDNR’s 2nd watershed-based stormwater permit for the Menomonee River Watershed municipalities, which advances the collaborative work that was started in the first permit, which was the first watershed-based stormwater permit in the US.
- WDNR’s Remedial Action Plan for the Milwaukee AOC, which outlines the progress made and future plans for addressing our beneficial use impairments that keep the public from being able to fully use and enjoy the Milwaukee River Estuary due to legacy contamination.
- WisDOT’s plans to re-route trains through the Muskego Yards area of the Menomonee Valley, including reconstruction of two river bridges over the Menomonee River and Burnham Canal.
While it felt like the world stopped in 2020, it was actually an incredibly busy year. We expect the momentum to continue, as we grapple with new fiscal realities from addressing the pandemic and a changed political landscape.
Raise your water glasses high! We cannot do this work without the incredible support of our friends, followers and partners. If you’re ready to lend your voice to our rivers, please read a selection of our letters and position papers, sign up for Action Alerts, and donate if you are able. Cheers to you!