After A Delay, Waukesha To Rollout Diversion Application Draft Jan. 28

Mark your calendars; Waukesha now says its draft Lake Michigan diversion application will be made public at its City Hall Friday, Jan. 28th., at 7:00 p.m.

It's announcement today indicates that the draft will undergo revisions into the spring;. I will post a link to the release when I have it in a form I can work with.

A couple of observations:

The application is a draft for several reasons:

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will have to sign off on Waukesha's return flow plan that utilizes Underwood Creek rather than a pipe directly to Lake Michigan or to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

That review could take many months, or longer.

Secondly, no one has firmly established the costs of the diversion option as compared to other supply alternatives.

A final observation: the Waukesha announcement discusses the diversion's return flow as recycling - - a more environmentally-conscious phrase.

But Pr aside, it is not clear yet whether 'recycling' Lake Michigan water is actually the best use of the water in the first place, or can be done without harming Underwood Creek.

So let's be mindful about the language and terminology that accompanies what will be a long debate, aina?

Asian Carp Taking Another Route To Lake Michigan, Test Show

There is more evidence that the predatory Asian carp are approaching Lake Michigan, with the new report showing a different route than the Chicago shipping canal being targeted by several Great Lakes attorneys general with remedial legal action.

No doubt those with a vested interested in keeping the shipping canal open and in carp-enabling status quo mode will use the new carp movement finding as an excuse to keep the Great Lakes legal officials and their US Supreme Court motion at bay.

Actually, it re-affirms that any and all means need to be taken immediately to keep these voracious and dangerous fish out of the Great Lakes.

Should they make their way into what is the world's largest system of fresh water, the consequences to commercial fishing and recreation would be devastating.

So it behooves Illinois and federal officials in charge of both waterways to use whatever means are available to block or kill the carp.

Now.

As Carp Approach, Battle Plans Look Weak

You'd think Illinois officials and their counterparts in federal agencies would have by now been implementing phase two or three of a full-bore Asian carp battle plan, but as the big predators approach the Great Lakes, denial and inaction is the principal stance.

If the carp successfully breach the electric barrier and enter Lake Michigan, a lot of (ir)responsible public officials will have a lot to live down, as they will have allowed the Great Lakes fishing and recreation industries - - worth untold billions across eight states and two Canadian provinces - - to suffer irreparable harm.

You'd think that fear of having that sort of mark on one's permanent record would have been motivation enough to marshall the resources and will to stop the carp's northern migration, but apparently not, as officials are still holding the kind of planning meetings that are years late.

Wisconsin Making Progress Towards Alternative Energy Goals

A major wind farm moves closer to ground-breaking north of Madison, and its large potential moves the state closer to meeting the modest alternative/renewable energy goals established by the legislature and Gov. Doyle.

And also makes clear that the state can, as some legislators are suggesting, increase the percentage targets for the alternatives, thus making a real reduction in the state's burning of fossil fuels to generate power.

Wind power has its detractors - - ranging from naysayers who scoff at the entire notion to concerned neighbors with legitimate fears about negative effects.

So it's important for the state and the power companies to proceed with caution, but to to proceed, as coal-burning plants produce severe health and environmental consequences.

Furthermore, wind power provides green jobs in manufacturing and servicing, so the spinoff benefits abound.

I think within five years, wind turbine production and wind farm siting will be far less controversial and much more routine, so meeting more ambitious generation targets will simpler.

Great Scott! Walker's The Biggest Spender

Looks like Scott Walker will have a hard time running as anything but The Biggest Spender.

Hat tip, One Wisconsin Now (I sit on one of its boards, fyi).

Milwaukee to Study Water Supply Costs Facing Waukesha

I am hearing that the City of Milwaukee - - having decided not to study the value of water it could sell to communities like Waukesha - - has decided at least at the committee level to study what it thinks it will cost a city like Waukesha to purchase water from the potential sellers Waukesha has said it might select as the ultimate supplier - - Milwaukee (preferred), and also Oak Creek and Racine.

Here is a link to the council file on the matter.

Both Racine and Oak Creek present Waukesha with problems not faced by Milwaukee, namely infrastructure, capacity, piping distance and water quality.

Which means the Racine and Oak Creek options, while perhaps real on paper, or in a bargaining ploy, are in fact not true or likely options.

I suppose the thinking behind the study is to be able to professionally second-guess Waukesha should it claim that Racine and Oak Creek are offering bargain-basement supply costs to Waukesha, necessitating a low-ball purchase agreement with Milwaukee.

It's not a bad idea, and helps establish a politically-acceptable deal with Waukesha fromf Milwaukee officiais, but fails to answer what value the water will add to Waukesha's tax base, employment rolls and overall growth.

And, no doubt, Waukesha is free to challenge the study's outcome.

About That SEWRPC Annual Tax-Paid Dinner: Which Elected Official Will Criticize It?

Will one Alderman, County Board supervisor or legislator openly criticize the annual, $1,000 taxpayer-paid dinner thrown for its commissioners, staff and consultants at The University Club?

Anyone?

If the silence continues, here's another idea.

Move the dinner down Wells St. a few miles to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, where $1,000 would feed far more people - - 540 meals by one estimate.

If SEWRPC really wants to connect with portions of the low-income community it has long ignored, maybe that's how to continue the dinners without the embarrassment and waste?

Wind Turbine Industry Could Presage Milwaukee Green Cluster

Milwaukee is at the center of important business development opportunities that have a green basis - - Spanish high-speed train works, water innovation and now a wind-turbine complex.

The city needs to remain focused on these new energy opportunities because it has all the basics to take full advantage of a greener economy.

You Knew This Was Coming In the Antarctic Whaling Wars

An anti-whaling protest ship gets its bow sheared off by a whaler.

EPA Will Further Regulate Air Pollutants

The Obama administration is fast acquiring a real record of environmental achievement.

Louis Butler Jr. Renominated For District Court Post

Butler will make it this time.

It Could Get Expensive To Live In Waukesha

Consider that the Waukesha School District stands to lose tens of millions of dollars in a failed investment scheme, which means one or more of these things will happen, all with costs to taxpayers:

A damaged credit rating.

Legal costs.

Unknown added expenses for the system because of a revenue shortfall.

Then consider that the water utility estimates the cost of its preferred Lake Michigan diversion plan at $164 million - - but there is years of planning, changes and possible litigation down the road, not to mention studies that could lead to a different water plan.

Add all that up for ratepayers and taxpayers, and there will be real costs to everyone living in Waukesha and using its water.

Global Warming, 50 Years And Counting

Check out this documentary find.

Great Lakes Water Adviser Cam Davis Interviewed

Cameron Davis, known in these here parts as the former executive director at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, talks about water issues and his appointment as President Barack Obama's senior adviser on the Great Lakes, here.

Canadians Join The Asian Carp Legal Fight

"Close the locks" is now an official position being brought from the North to the US Supreme Court.

Preferred Water User Rate Moving Forward

Water for Milwaukee jobs - - a Mayor Barrett initiative moves forward.

Minnesota Joins Asian Carp Litigation Aimed At Illinois

Now it's all the Great Lakes states, except Pennsylvania and the target state, Illinois.

Key SEWRPC Meeting Postponed - - But Read On...

Weather forces the postponement of the joint meeting of two SEWRPC bodies: the advisory committee on housing and the Environmental Justice Task Force.

Details below.

This will give people more time to read the early chapters of the housing plan being drafted - - ending a 34-year drought in housing planning for the region.

Note that the new plan references the 1975 plan as it were relevant - - pages 47-51 are illuminating - - but does anyone even remember it, and that it fell through the cracks or gathered dust on shelves, or wherever ignored plans go to die?

Here is the meeting cancellation notice:

Parties interested in SEWRPC’s Environmental Justice Task Force:

In light of the weather forecast, Chair Adelene Greene and Commission staff have conferred, and decided to postpone tomorrow’s Task Force meeting which was scheduled for 4:00 PM at IndependenceFirst in Milwaukee. The National Weather Service for Milwaukee/Sullivan predicts a winter storm with heaviest snow Thursday into Thursday evening, and 7-10” accumulating over much of the Region. Our meeting location and travel routes for most attendees are centered in problem area due to predicted Lake-effect intensification.

Though no one can know the snowfall outcome at this time, we would not want to expose our many valued volunteers in the Task Force’s efforts to undue inconvenience or hazard.

We would like to reschedule the meeting for Thursday, February 4, 2010, 4-6 PM, hoping that the lead time will find calendars clear.

Thank you,

Gary

Gary Korb

Regional Planning Educator

UW-Extension working with SEWRPC

262-547-6721

gkorb@sewrpc.org

Illinois Has Obama In Its Corner; Something To Carp About?

Environmental politics?

Of course, though it's more about money than carp-free water.

Let's not be shocked that the federal government is weighing in on Illinois' side in the carp debate.

Via Blogger The Sconz, State Rep. Marlin Schneider On OWI Reform

Thanks to The Sconz.