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Tax credits for home solar projects have been around for a while and local leaders in Wisconsin noted new federal policies have been more aggressive in helping governments, businesses and homeowners offset costs of installing panels. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

A snapshot of federal investments being put to use in WI

City and county governments are feeling the pinch of rising operating costs but in Wisconsin, federal incentives are driving a range of local …

For renewable energy, Wisconsin has traditionally lagged behind other Midwestern states in such areas as solar development but federal policies are now giving the Badger State a boost to carry out more projects. (Adobe Stock)

WI utilities make union jobs a priority for green projects

With the help of federal aid, Wisconsin is catching up to neighboring states in accelerating clean energy construction projects and the Badger State …

Enbridge Energy's longstanding Line 5 oil pipeline has resulted in heavy opposition, including legal challenges, from environmental and tribal organizations in states such as Wisconsin and Michigan. (Photo courtesy Earthjustice)

Tribal interests remain at heart of opposition to Great Lakes oil pipeline

Later this month, Indigenous leaders will speak before a United Nations panel about their ongoing concerns with a controversial oil pipeline in the …

In addition to not having as many EV charging stations as some neighboring states, analysts said Wisconsin lacks fast-charging stations for the public to access. (Adobe Stock)

WI poised to hit fast track in adding EV charging stations

Wisconsin has lagged behind neighboring states in adding electric vehicle charging stations, but the Badger State is about to take a big leap forward …

The U.S. Department of Energy is revoking $37 million previously awarded to Ohio's six-turbine Icebreaker wind project, which has been in the works since 2009. (Adobe Stock)

Can offshore Great Lakes projects get a second wind?

Offshore wind development in the Great Lakes region has had a turbulent history. Once considered a promising location for such projects, Wisconsin …

A group of U.S. researchers says particulate matter from coal plants was often put on the same par with other sources of air pollution. However, their review of premature deaths shows coal emissions pose a deadlier health risk. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Air pollution linked to coal plants more deadly than previously thought

Researchers are out with new findings they say show that death rates linked to air pollution from coal plants are underestimated. A Wisconsin …

The Inflation Reduction Act, along with other federal legislation, is putting hundreds of billions of dollars toward programs to spur clean-energy usage, but many energy companies aren't using the money. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Mixed grades for WI utilities in shifting away from fossil fuels

Some Wisconsin utilities are slow to reduce fossil-fuel dependence, according to new data from the Sierra Club, while others are improving their …

This summer's stretches of smoky air, brought on by Canadian wildfires, have prompted more concern in the Midwest about the arrival of climate-change threats and how cities can respond. (Adobe Stock)

WI Mayor Offers Glimpse into Cities Phasing in Clean-Energy Projects

New polling suggests most Americans support nationwide efforts to boost renewable energy capacity under the threat of climate change, and a local …

One of the tax credits offered under the Inflation Reduction Act is a home energy audit, where property owners can find out if their home is wasting energy. (Adobe Stock)

With Emerging Incentives, Clean Energy No Longer a VIP Club

Clean-energy products, such as electric vehicles or home heat pump systems, might seem out of reach for a lot of people. But with federal incentives …

Canada-based Enbridge Inc. operates Line 5, an oil pipeline that stretches 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario. (Adobe Stock)

New Court Fight Emerges Over WI Oil Pipeline

A court hearing is scheduled for this week as environmental and tribal advocates continue to voice concerns about an oil and gas pipeline that runs ac…

Utilities behind the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center in Wisconsin hope to be in operation by 2027. (Rendering courtesy of Minnesota Power)

Following Energy Trends, WI Regulators Urged to Reconsider Gas Plant

Wisconsin regulators are being asked to take another look at previously approved plans for a proposed natural gas plant. An environmental group …

In its first five years, Wisconsin's Solar for Good program has paved the way for installation of 7.6 megawatts of solar power, enough to power 1,500 households. (Adobe Stock)

Solar for Good: Arrays Keep Rolling Out in WI

By Kari Lydersenfor Energy News Network.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

In a 2022 national survey of teachers, 74% said climate change will have an enormous impact on students' futures, and it would be irresponsible not to address the matter in schools. (Adobe Stock)

Closing the Generational Gap on Climate-Change Education

A new report warns that the window is quickly closing to prevent the most harmful effects of climate change. As global leaders face pressure to act…

Highways are hot spots for soot, fine particulate matter that has major effects on people's health. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Faces Mixed Response Over Tighter Standards for Soot

The federal government is gathering public feedback on proposed revisions to air-quality standards for soot, and environmental voices in Wisconsin …

WI Households Have Ways to Block Heating Bill Sticker Shock

With winter almost here, Wisconsinites are being warned they will not be getting a break on their heating bills this season, and experts pointed out …

Leading scientists have warned that if utility companies do not quickly ramp up clean energy and retire coal and gas power plants, people across the planet will face an increasingly dangerous future from the effects of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Report Grades WI Utilities on Clean-Energy Pledges

Utilities across the country are making climate pledges - but they're not always backing them up. That's according to a report that includes grades …

Latino workers are getting training in green-energy job skills through a pilot program, but some face roadblocks trying to balance a new career path with maintaining two or three other jobs to support themselves. (Adobe Stock)

Program Works to Bring 'Green' Construction Jobs to Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Latino community has been inundated with job opportunities in the "green" economy thanks to a new pilot program. Elevate, a climate-…

The planned reroute of Line 5 around the Bad River reservation will cost Enbridge, Inc. about $450 million, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (Adobe Stock)

WI Tribal Advocates: Pipeline Threatens Agricultural Traditions

Enbridge is seeking to reroute a portion of its Line 5 around the Bad River Band's territory in northern Wisconsin. The rerouting falls within the …

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line is a nearly $500 million project. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental Groups Raise Concerns Over Cardinal-Hickory Creek Line

Earlier this year, a federal court struck down plans to drive the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line through the Upper Mississippi River National …

The Office of Environmental Justice was one of dozens of recommendations made by the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, a group Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers established in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Evers Touts New WI Office of Environmental Justice

Wisconsin has a new Office of Environmental Justice, which is tasked with centering equity and fairness as the state proceeds with a new clean-energy …

The Biden administration has set a goal of achieving a fifty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Elected Officials to Feds: Accelerate Clean Energy Transition

As folks across America celebrate Earth Day, nearly 500 lawmakers have signed a petition calling on the President and Congress to develop a Climate …

Enbridge says its Line 5 pipeline currently transports more than a half-million barrels of oil daily. (Adobe Stock)

Line 5 Drilling Method Raises Environmental Concerns

Enbridge's plan to relocate a portion of its Line 5 pipeline in northern Wisconsin could involve a drilling method even the company admits will like…

Wisconsin has 11 federally recognized tribes, which are collectively represented by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council. (Adobe Stock)

WI "State of the Tribes" Address Covers Environmental, Voting Issues

From environmental issues to voting rights, Wisconsin's 2022 State of the Tribes address tackled a number of issues the state faces this year…

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Line 5 rerouting was issued in December. (Adobe Stock)

Public Weighs In on Reroute of Controversial Line 5 Project

On Wednesday night, Wisconsinites had a chance to weigh in on Enbridge's controversial Line 5 project, which skirts around tribal territories in the …

An industry group says solar and clean-energy projects have invested $2 billion into Wisconsin's economy. (Adobe Stock)

WI Takes Big Leap in Clean-Energy Pursuit

MILWAUKEE - The clean-energy industry has welcomed its newest member to the "Gigawatt Club." Wisconsin's recognition for advancing such projects comes…

Companies behind a proposed natural-gas plant for Wisconsin hope to break ground by 2025. (Adobe Stock)

Economics of WI Gas Plant Proposal Questioned

SUPERIOR, Wis. -- Legal proceedings continue involving a proposed natural-gas plant for northwestern Wisconsin. The plans have been approved by state …

If approved, WEC Energy Group says its proposed gas storage facilities for southeastern Wisconsin could be operational by late 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Opponents Say 'No Tanks' to WI Gas Storage Facilities

IXONIA, Wis. -- The public comment period has ended, but opponents of proposed natural gas storage facilities in southeastern Wisconsin still hope to …

According to the White House and various trade groups, Wisconsin had roughly 75,000 clean-energy jobs before the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

WI Lawmaker: Biden Climate Plans Help Ag, Clean-Job Training

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- A number of elected leaders in Wisconsin have publicly supported the latest climate plans from the Biden administration…

In recent years, Wisconsin has established a goal, through executive action by Gov. Tony Evers, to be carbon free by 2050. (Adobe Stock)

WI Officials See Opportunities Under Biden Climate Plans

WESTON, Wis. -- On the heels of last week's global climate summit, elected officials in Wisconsin are looking to see how a changing federal tone can …

Demands for action on climate change are no longer being led only by environmental groups. Medical associations are speaking out on factors like worsening air quality and its effects on human health. (Adobe Stock)

WI Doctors Encouraged by Biden's Environmental Moves

MADISON, Wis. -- President Joe Biden is taking more action this week to reverse the environmental rollbacks of the Trump administration. Some in the …

State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, is part of Elected Officials to Protect America, a national group calling for an urgent, nonpartisan approach to addressing climate change. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Neubauer)

WI Lawmaker Joins Nonpartisan Push for Climate-Change Action

RACINE, Wis. -- A Wisconsin lawmaker is part of a network of state and local elected officials calling for serious action on climate change, right …

You may think of solar panels for homes or businesses, but a study says about 5,500 U.S. schools use them, too. Schools currently have enough solar capacity to power 190,000 homes. (MariaGodfrida/Pixabay)

New WI Program Aims to Boost Solar Power in Schools

MADISON, Wis. -- Solar installations aren't just for homes and businesses. Thousands of K-through-12 schools across the country have them, and the …

The Renewable Fuel Standard requires the blending of increasing quantities of biofuels into the U.S. surface-vehicle transportation fuel supply. (IADE-Michoko/Pixabay)

Report: Environment Hurt by Renewable-Fuel Standards

MADISON, Wis. — A new report says the Renewable Fuel Standard, designed in part to reduce air pollution through the use of biofuels, has …

Treasured places in Wisconsin, such as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, benefit from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. (National Park Service)

Congress Poised to Protect Land and Water Conservation Fund

MADISON, Wis. - Congress is poised to pass landmark legislation that could ensure the future protection of some of Wisconsin's most precious outdoor …

The 2015 Clean Power Plan, calling for the first ever national standards, was projected to cut carbon emissions to 19 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.(Pixabay)

Critics Say Trump Coal Rules Step Backward for Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – The public can now comment on the Trump administration's proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era rule aimed at …

Many of the EPA regulations that Scott Pruitt scrapped or delayed as EPA administrator had not yet taken effect before his resignation. (Wikimedia Commons)

Government Watchdog Groups: Pruitt's EPA Exit "Long Overdue"

WASHINGTON – After allegedly overspending on everything from pens to lavish trips and accepting questionable deals from lobbyists, government …

Veterans rallied this week in support of a bill to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has 220 bipartisan cosponsors in the U.S. House. (Pixabay)

Veterans Rally Behind Land & Water Conservation Fund

MADISON, Wis. – As Americans observe Memorial Day, more than eight thousand veterans from across the nation have signed a letter urging …

Since 2008, grasslands, pasture and forest in Wisconsin have been cleared for corn and other feedstock production related to the ethanol mandate. (Michael Mooney/Flickr)

Wisconsin Research: Fuel Mandate Fueling Climate Change

MADISON, Wis. -- A new report examines how the expansion of cropland in Wisconsin and other states as the result of the ethanol mandate has …

Conservationists in Wisconsin say a bill being considered now is a real danger to the state's heritage of protecting natural resources, such as clean water. (Clean Wisconsin)

Wisconsin Democrats Oppose Mining Bill

MADISON, Wis. – Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate and a number of Wisconsin environmental organizations have come out in strong opposition to a …

A Wisconsin businesswoman says the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is a step backward in developing clean energy. (Bloomberg/Getty Images)

WI Businesswoman: Withdrawal From Paris Agreement Was Wrong

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Solar jobs are growing at 17 times the rate of the overall U.S. economy, and the job of wind service technician is one of the …

A University of Wisconsin study says old power plants that kick in to meet peak power demands are also huge polluters of the air. (Wikimedia Commons)

Chilling News: UW Confirms Air Conditioning-Air Pollution Link

MADISON, Wis. - Although the hottest days of summer are still many weeks away, a new University of Wisconsin-Madison study is the first to shed light …

High-capacity wells already have caused some Wisconsin lakes and streams to dry up. A bill to grant permanent licenses for such wells is meeting opposition. (edolzan/iStockPhoto.com)

Wisconsin Democrats Fight High-Capacity Well Bill

MADISON, Wis. - A bill that would loosen regulations on high-capacity wells in Wisconsin again has passed the state Senate and now advances to the …

Wisconsin is in the middle of the pack of states when it comes to solar and renewable energy. (Airubon/iStockPhoto.com)

Renewable Energy: Wisconsin Urged to Follow Illinois' Lead

MADISON, Wis. - Strides are being made in the Midwest when it comes to renewable energy, but there's still lots of room for improvement. Illinois is …

$Wisconsin environmentalists don't trust a draft report that says fine sand generated by the frac sand industry isn't harmful to health. (Sierra Club)$

Environmental Group: Bad Data in DNR Frac Sand Dust Report

MADISON, Wis. - A new draft report from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources suggests that frac sand mining by the petroleum industry does …

More and more solar panels, like these installed at the Governor's Mansion in Madison, appeared in Wisconsin in 2015. (wisconsin.gov)

Bright Outlook for Solar Power in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – There were three times more solar-power installations in Wisconsin in 2015 than any previous year, and the outlook for this …

Conservation organizations are supporting bipartisan legislation to permanently reinstate the lapsed federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has been used in counties all across Wisconsin to preserve scenic beauty and natural resources. Credit: CleanWisconsin

Conservationists: Wisconsin Needs Land-Water Conservation Fund

MADISON, Wis. - For decades, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has helped the state preserve the scenic beauty for which Wisconsin …

It's been a mild start to November in Wisconsin, but winter's chill soon will arrive, bringing with it problems for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites who won't be able to afford their heating bill. Credit: Clean Wisconsin

Too Many Wisconsinites Can’t Afford Both Heating and Eating

MADISON, Wis. - Much of Wisconsin has yet to feel the bite of November's cold wind, but before long winter's brutal chill will descend on the Badger …

Wisconsin schools may soon display colored flags to represent the air quality on that day. Credit: American Lung Association in Wisconsin.

School Flag Program Raises Air Quality Awareness

BROOKFIELD, Wis. – The American Lung Association in Wisconsin is providing air quality flags to school districts around the state free of …

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WI: Energy Policy