Members of the Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality met in Menomonie on September 4, 2019. 70 individuals attended the hearing along with the 13 Assembly members on the task force and local legislators Sentar Patty Schachtner, D-Somerset, Senator Jeff Smith, D- Eau Claire, Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau CLaire, and Rep Warren Petryk, R-Eleva.
The state legislature has been holding meetings across the state on issues of water quality. On Sept. 4 the committee held a meeting in Menomonie. We have video of the entire session, but have only edited this section so far, which is the public testimony. Earlier in the day there were multiple testimonies from invited guests including local government agencies and agricultural groups. Those videos will be available later in the week.
As I am sure has been clear, WisCommunity has been very slowly updated for the last few months. Those of you who know me personally have been aware that my wife has had serious health issues over the last nine months. I am sad to have to report that my darling Lorelei died on August 25th at home with me and our daughters.
On the morning of July 12, 2016, Joan Elias awoke to discover she was stranded in her home. Elias, who lives on 21 mostly-wooded acres in rural Iron County, was cut off from the outside world by an unexpected — and unprecedented — deluge.
Today Governor Evers signed an executive order on Clean Energy. The order creates an Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy in the Department of Administration. It also declares a goal of reaching 100% clean energy in the state by 2050, as well as bringing the state in line with the Paris Climate Accord, and requires clean energy workforce training in the state.
At yesterday's Wisconsin Farmers Union Summer Conference Governor Evers spoke about different clean water initiatives in the state, and the need to improve and protect water quality. One irony of the day was that while we were all talking about clean water at the conference, we had to keep the kids at the camp event out of the water at the lovely beach at Kamp Kenwood because the lake was suffering from the same blue-green algae bloom being seen at multiple sites across the state.
One main focus of the 2019 Wisconsin Farmers Union Summer Conference was clean water. The conference this year featured a demonstration of water runoff from different kinds of farming practices. The demonstration was done by Pheasants Forever and showed how modern farming practices can limit water runoff and loss of nutrients while ensuring more of the rainfall actually infiltrates the soil.
On July 23 Big Boy, engine 4014 stopped in Altoona as part of its tour of the country commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad completion. The Big Boy engines were the largest steam engines ever built and were designed to haul large loads over the Wasatch Mountain range. The 25 Big Boy engines were built by Union Pacific between 1941 and 1944 and were used until 1959. They are the largest steam engines built, at 132 feet long and 7000 horsepower.
Board President Amy Swanson apologizes for a statement she made at the last board meeting which could have been construed as insensitive to homeless people.
