The Defender Podcast

The truth about AI data centers and our water

Civic Media — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:58:09 +0000

Amy talks with a researcher who took a deep dive into the water impacts of AI data centers. What she found is something you’re not hearing many tech companies talking about.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Hannah Richersen, Water Policy Manager, Clean Wisconsin

Resources for You:

New Analysis: Data Center Water Consumption Will Be Far Higher Than Tech Companies Claim Clear As Mud: Hidden Thirst Of Data Centers AI Data Centers In Wisconsin Will Use More Energy Than All Homes In State Combined

How Chefs Can Protect the Planet

Civic Media — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:58:24 +0000

Wisconsin was one of the first places where the farm-to-table movement really took root. But now that movement is changing, becoming more urgent in the face of the flooding, droughts, and changing weather patterns that are taking a toll on our food systems.

In this episode, Amy welcome Madison’s 2025 Chef of the Year Evan Danells of Cadre to talk about why these days chefs are adding protecting the planet to the menu.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Chef Evan Danells, Cadre

Resources for You:

2026 Epicurean Evening Menu & Tickets

What’s a Data Center Tariff and Why Should You Care?

Civic Media — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:10:25 +0000

Right now there are three AI data centers under construction in Wisconsin. So how do you minimize the toll they will take on our environment and our energy bills?

On this episode, a deep dive into data center tariffs at the PSC and what they means for you.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Clean Wisconsin Attorney Brett Korte

Resources for You:

Petition: Stop Unchecked AI Data Center Devlopment

Related Episodes:

Episode 56: Data Center Secrets

Episode 59: Who’s Paying for Data Centers?

Episode 60: Hey tech companies, your gas is showing!

Episode 63: How Caledonia, WI Defeated a Date Center

Episode 67: The Nuclear Option

Meet The Teen Who Is Suing Wisconsin Over Climate Change

Civic Media — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:03:39 +0000

The science supporting climate change has long been settled, but progress remains painfully slow. Especially here in Wisconsin, where we have laws on the books that are actively helping to keep fossil fuels burning here.

But maybe not for long. In this episode meet one of 15 kids who is suing our state over climate change.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Madeleine Bohn, Wisconsin High School Student

Skylar Harris, Attorney, Midwest Environmental Advocates

Chaos Theory

Civic Media — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:55:16 +0000

On this episode, a look at the fallout from a rapid-fire dismantling of environmental protections, and what groups like Clean Wisconsin and so many others are doing to keep people safe.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Katie Nekola, Clean Wisconsin General Counsel

Resources For You:

Economic Impacts of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Energy Provisions on Wisconsin

Clean Wisconsin Sues EPA Over Repeal Of Climate Protections

The Truth About Grassfed Beef

Civic Media — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:46:24 +0000

What makes the food you eat healthy? Turns out it’s a pretty complicated question that goes way beyond the four food groups. In this episode, Amy visits Starry Nights Farm in Burlington to learn about some groundbreaking research—involving beef raised right here in Wisconsin—that’s changing the way we look at food and nutrition.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests: Paul Maggio and Marisa Wiewall, Starry Nights Farm

Resources for You:

Nutritional Comparisons Between Grass-Fed Beef and Conventional Grain-Fed Beef

Defining Nutrient Density in Beef

Starry Nights Farm

Defender Episode 57: Wisconsin’s Forbidden Fruit

Defender Episode 45: Cows, Tall Grass and Wind Turbines

How Superior, WI Defeated a Gas Plant

Civic Media — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:17:32 +0000

Communities across Wisconsin are starting to push back when energy utilities come to town with big plans for big gas plants. But how do you turn opposition into victory?

In this episode, Amy talks with the mayor of Superior about the city’s long journey to defeat the Nemadji Trail Energy Center—the ugly gas plant with the pretty name.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Mayor Jim Payne, Superior, Wis.

Resources for You:

Under the Lens: The Truth About Natural Gas

The Nuclear Option

Civic Media — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:10:47 +0000

There is a lot of new excitement around nuclear energy these days, and no coincidence, it comes as we face staggering energy demands from AI data centers. Now, the Trump Administration is relaxing environmental and safety regulations for new nuclear reactors. In this episode, a look at what would happen to our environment – and our energy bills – if utilities race to meet AI demand by building more nuclear reactors.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Katie Nekola, General Counsel, Clean Wisconsin

Why Wisconsin should be more like Texas

Civic Media — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:03:16 +0000

In the race to transition to clean, safe energy, there are lessons to be learned just about everywhere, including in Texas.

In this episode, what January’s major winter storm is teaching us about our power grid—and the painful lesson we are all going to learn this month about natural gas.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Ciaran Gallagher, PhD, Energy and Air Manager, Clean Wisconsin

Why Help on Forever Chemicals is Taking… Forever

Civic Media — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:55:42 +0000

On this episode, some real hope that a bipartisan solution for state PFAS funding is at hand — and the industry that is coming in at the last minute to try to kill it.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Erik Kanter, Government Relations Director, Clean Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Clean Wisconsin Action Network

What did the EPA just do?

Civic Media — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:09:32 +0000

In this episode, how new action from the EPA is undermining one of the most successful environmental laws in US history.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Resources for You:

Join Clean Wisconsin’s Action Network

Pollution and Our Health: The Environmental Health Initiative

How Caledonia WI Defeated a Data Center

Civic Media — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:48:59 +0000

In this episode, how a small Wisconsin community stood up to one of the most powerful companies in the world… and won. And what we can all learn from their fight.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Prescott Balch, Village of Caledonia resident

Resources for You:

Stop Unchecked Data Center Development (petition)

AI Data Center Energy Demand Analysis

AI Data Center Offsite Water Withdrawals

What to know about PFAS pesticides

Civic Media — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:45:16 +0000

On this episode a look what could be sprayed on food and farm fields all around us – plus a bit of Wisconsin history that offers some hope as we confront a new batch of toxic chemicals.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Sara Walling, Clean Wisconsin Water & Agency Program Director

Resources for You:

Under the Lens: What we know about PFAS in Wisconsin’s Water

Nitrate pollution’s impact on Wisconsn’s health and economy

Neonicotinoid pesticides and their impact

Episode 43: The pesticides that could be lurking in your pollinator garden

Episode 33: Wisconsin’s bees are acting weird. Here’s why.

Episode 29: Trump’s Threat to Safe Water (and how WI can fight back!)

Goodbye Grocery Store?

Civic Media — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:35:29 +0000

Meet the Wisconsin native who is foraging 100% of his food.

What was the last thing you foraged? Maybe some ramps, or morels? But what about your salt, oil, even toothpaste? On this episode, meet the Wisconsin native who is setting out to prove that he can not only survive for an entire year eating only food he has foraged, but he can also help show the true connection to nature most of us have been missing.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Robin Greenfield, Sustainability Advocate, Ashland Wis. native

Resources for You:

robingreenfield.org

Food Freedom: A Year of Growing and Foraging 100% of My Food

Robin Greenfield YouTube Channel

Defender Episode 57: Wisconsin’s Forbidden Fruit

Hey Tech Companies, Your Gas is Showing!

Civic Media — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 11:17:49 +0000

Don’t look at the gas plant behind the curtain! If you feel like tech companies and energy utilities are gaslighting you with their assurances that AI data centers won’t hurt our environment, you’re probably right.

In this episode, how AI is causing a fossil fuel boom in Wisconsin and the lawsuit just filed to try and stop it.

Who’s Paying for Data Centers?

Civic Media — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:14:44 +0000

You may have heard, Wisconsin needs more power and we need it fast. In the next few years, AI data centers will cause an unprecedented surge in energy demand across our state. There are already large expensive new powerplants being built to help meet that demand with more to come. But the big question is, will Wisconsinites be left shouldering the cost?

In this episode, the shocking energy needs of AI, why our power companies are rolling out the red carpet, and the lasting environmental and economic harms that could be left in the wake.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Tom Content, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)

Resources for You:

Citizens Utility Board Data Centers Page

Petition: Take A Stand Against Unchecked Data Center Development

New Analysis: Data Center Water Consumption Will Be Far Higher Than Tech Companies Claim

Analysis: Two approved AI data centers in Wisconsin will use more energy than all homes in state combined

PSC approves plan to power AI data center with gas plants

How to protect the planet by doing nothing

Civic Media — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:55:16 +0000

What if you could make a difference in the fight to protect our environment by doing nothing at all? In this episode, why fall is the perfect time to be lazy – for the planet.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Elizabeth Braat, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Resources for You:

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade

Episode 43: The hidden pesticides that could be lurking in your pollinator garden

Neonic Pesticides and their Impact

Wisconsin’s Forbidden Fruit

Civic Media — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:04:47 +0000

The amazing story of one Wisconsin food that was banned, burned, disappeared from our plates – and the comeback that’s being helped along by solar farms.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Lily Hislop, Savanna Institute

Resources for You:

Black Currants: A once-forbidden fruit

Farming for the Future: Charting a course for a new food system

Black Currant: Ribes Nigrum

Data Center Secrets

Civic Media — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:58:56 +0000

The Climate March is Coming!

Civic Media — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:49:17 +0000

There is no question we are living through a stressful, often overhwelming time. So if you’re feeling hopeless, especially in the face of the climate crisis, no one could blame you. But there is no better place to find hope – than in other people. How you can joing people from all walks of life in Sunday, Sept 28 to take a stand for our climate right here in Wisconsin.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Heather Allen, Policy Director, Elevate

Resources for You:

Wisconsin Climate March Sunday Sept. 28, Madison, Wisconsin

150 Million Reasons to Listen to This Episode

Civic Media — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:33:21 +0000

Yes, there are 150-million reasons to listen to the episode. Because Wisconsin has $150 million dollars in federal funding to help make our homes warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, healthier, more efficient. All the things.

A look at two little-known programs that survived the big Federal cuts and are ready to be used by you.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests: Dylan Crye, Home Energy Rebates Program Manager, Focus on Energy

Joe Pater, Dir. Office of Energy Innovation, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Focus on Energy

Watts Up Wisconsin – Focus on Energy podcast

Home Energy Rebates Help Wisconsinites Save Big

How much would you pay? Finding the value of a clean environment

Civic Media — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 11:05:39 +0000

How much would you pay to swim in a clean lake? How much to take a breath of fresh, clean air? To fish in a pristine stream? You may not ever think about that, but there is somebody who does — a lot.

On this episode, meet the professor who’s working to understand the economic value of a clean environment.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Dan Phaneuf, Professor, Agricultural and Applied Economics, Unversity of Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Clean Wisconsin: Fighting for Clean Water

Nothing to see here! Why the EPA says climate change won’t hurt you

Civic Media — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:58:19 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency is quickly getting out of the protection business. And no where is that more clear than its new plan to get rid of the Endangerment Finding, the landmark legal and science determination that climate change hurts people and that the EPA has the responsibility to do something about it.

On this episode a look at why the EPA is now insisting climate pollution won’t hurt you, and what walking back the endangerment finding could mean for Wisconsin.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Clean Wisconsin General Counsel Katie Nekola

Resources for You:

Take Action: Tell the EPA not to rescind the Endangerment Finding

Lambscaping! Why sheep are loving Wisconsin’s solar farms

Civic Media — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:51:53 +0000

Livestock farmers in Wisconsin are getting excited about solar! MG&E’s Tyto solar project is home to about 13,000 solar panels, 30 acres of thriving plants, and a flock of happy sheep.

Amy takes a behind-the-scenes look at the solar energy project where 145 hungry sheep are hard at work this summer.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests: John Armstrong, manager of renewable engineering, Madison Gas and Electric

Beau Stafford, Wiscovery Farms

Resources for You:

Supporting Solar in Wisconsin

Episode 40: Surprising Environmental Impacts of Solar in Wisconsin

Analysis: Solar produces 100 times more energy per acre than corn grown for ethanol

Move People, Not Oil

Civic Media — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 10:46:32 +0000

In the long, never-ending struggle to protect our environment, it can be easy to feel helpless, powerless. Maybe nothing underscores that feeling more than trying to stop a big foreign oil interest from building a pipeline across your state. But there is something you can do to speak out against the Line 5 oil pipeline. And it’s fun! Amy looks at the Move People Not Oil campaign.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Jacob Ahrens-Balwit, Strategic Communications Manager, Clean Wisconsin

More Resources for You:

Enbridge Line 5 Blasting Area Photos (Instagram)

Move People Not Oil – Take the pledge and more information

Latest on Line 5

WI Supreme Court delivers victory for science

Civic Media — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 10:34:32 +0000

If you are feeling afraid to click on news stories every time a decision gets handed down by the US Supreme Court, you’re not alone. But some recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions are bringing much-needed good news in the fight to protect our environment.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Evan Feinauer, Clean Wisconsin attorney

Resources for You:

Episode 29: Trump’s threat to safe water (and how WI can fight back)

Episode 24: What Trump 2.0 means for our environment

Episode 20: Supreme Court power grab

Latest on Line 5: The crude oil project that threatens northern Wisconsin

Civic Media — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:13:29 +0000

Northern Wisconsin is home to Lake Superior, to beautiful streams and wetlands, to thousands of acres os mesic forests–and to a 72-year-old oil pipeline called Line 5. Now the foreign oil company, Enbridge, that owns and operates the line is pushing to blast and trench its way across northern Wisconsin to build a reroute. Amy gets the latest on legal action to stop it.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests: Clean Wisconsin attorneys Brett Korte and Evan Feinauer

Resources for You:

Information on Line 5

What Line 5 means for me (video)

Where Art Meets Environmental Justice: Inspiring a Movement in Milwaukee

Civic Media — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 11:09:05 +0000

Milwaukee is at the center of what the federal government calls an “Area of Concern.” A place where so much toxic water pollution and environmental degradation have happened over the course of more than a century, that it needs special attention and funding to get cleaned up.

But how do you confront and begin to heal the collective harms of legacy pollution? Of decades of injustice that is still happening? Amy talks with Shalina S. Ali about how that process can start with art, with creativity, with channeling the mixture of emotions—the joy and pain—that comes with working toward change.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Shalina S. Ali, Co-Executive Director, TRUE Skool

Resources for You:

Area of Concern Community Advisory Commiteee

TRUE Skool Summer Park Jam

Peace Park & Garden Mural Unveiling

Ready for a REAL Energy Crisis?

Civic Media — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:06:15 +0000

The Big Beautiful Budget will have some ugly consequences. In this episode, why the fallout from Trump’s budget will include bigger bills, toxic emissions, and yep – more risk of blackouts.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Ciaran Gallagher, PhD, Energy & Air Manager, Clean Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Join Clean Wiscosin’s Action Network

Cows, Tall Grass & Wind Turbines

Civic Media — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:57:32 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stand next to a wind turbine? You’re about to find out. In this epsiode, Amy meets 2nd generation Wisconsin farmer Jerry Cigelske at his Columbia County farm to talk about about why cows, grass and windmills have been the key to keeping his family on the land.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Jerry Cigelske, Columbia County farmer

Resources for You:

Wisconsin-grown clean energy

Showing up for Wind in Wisconsin

Cows in the Woods: What it takes to create a silvopasture

Pesticides and Our Bodies

Civic Media — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:49:30 +0000

June is Pollinator Month, and it’s hard to talk about protecting pollinators without talking about a class of chemicals widely blamed for their decline. If you are a regular listener, you have heard of neonicotinoids, a class of neurotoxins used on food crops all over the state and country. And it turns out, neonics are hurting a lot more than pollinators – like fish, birds, small mammals and potentially people.

On this episode, what we know about the impacts of neonic pesticides on our bodies and how to limit exposure.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Kayla Rinderknecht, Population Health Fellow, Clean Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Episode 43: The hidden pesticides that could be lurking in your pollinator garden

Episode 33: Wisconsin’s bees are acting weird. Here’s why.

Neonicotinoids and their Impact

Episode 23 Neurotixins on Our Plates

Neonicotinoids and Human Health

The hidden pesticides that could be lurking in your pollinator garden

Civic Media — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0000

You never know when a life-changing moment is going to come. For Sarah Savage, owner of Tend Native Plants, it came when she picked up a book about pollinators. Amy meets Sarah at her small plant nursery in Blue Mounds, Wis., to talk about the hidden pesticides that could be lurking in our gardens and how to make sure the flowers we buy are truly pollinator-friendly.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Sarah Savage, Tend Native Plants

Resources for You:

Tend Native Plants

Episode 33: Wisconsin’s bees are acting weird. Here’s why.

Neonicotinoids and their Impact

Episode 23 Neurotixins on Our Plates

Neonicotinoids and Human Health

Expert Speakers Series: Wisconsin Neonic Forum

Wisconsin’s Class of 2025: The bright future of clean energy

Civic Media — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0000

What’s it going to take to make clean energy Wisconsin’s new normal? It helps to have a bunch of fresh-faced new college graduates ready to take on the world. UW Platteville has a 100% placement rate for graduates in Sustainability and Renewable Energy Systems. Hear from Renee Stram who just got her diploma–and a job–about her optimistic take on fighting climate change.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Renne Stram, UW Platteville graduate

Resources for You:

UW Platteville Sustainability & Clean Energy Systems program

Supporting Solar in Wisconsin

Stop Wasting our Wind

Local environmental impacts of solar in Wisconsin

Defender Episode 4: Solar vs Corn for Ethanol–which land use produces the most energy?

Meet Wisconsin’s Conservation Dogs!

Civic Media — Mon, 19 May 2025 18:08:00 +0000

Where to Listen:

It’s not easy to locate and document Wisconsin’s endangered species, but luckily Ernie and Betty White are on the case! They are two of Wisconsin’s specially-trained conservation dogs, and they could be the secret to finding some of our state’s most threated species.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Laura Holder, Owner, Conservation Dogs Collective

Betty White, Ernie, and Boxie

Resources for You:

Conservation Dogs Collective

Episode 33: Wisconsin’s bees are acting weird. Here’s why.

Episode 11: Wisconsin’s Vanishing Bee

Surprising environmental impacts of solar in Wisconsin

Civic Media — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Many farmers are choosing to integrate solar panels into their fields. Now a new analysis shows that decision can impact a lot more than energy costs and the climate. Putting solar panels on conventional farmland can actually change the environment where those panels are located–for the better.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Dr. Paul Mathewson, Clean WIsconsin

Resouces for You:

Integrating solar into conventional farmland can restore soil health, provide habitat for native pollinators and improve water quality by reducing sediment and fertilizer runoff into nearby waterways.

According to Clean Wisconsin’s Solar Farm Impact Analysis:

Solar farms that replace conventional row crops like corn and soybeans reduce sediment and phosphorus pollution runoff into nearby lakes, rivers and streams by 75-95%.
When deep-rooted, perennial vegetation is planted among the panels, solar farms can increase soil carbon sequestration by 65%, and improve overall soil health.
Planting perennial vegetation among the panels also improves wildlife habitat compared to existing cropland, including a 300% improvement in habitat quality for pollinators, which are in steep decline.
Solar farms produce 100 times more net energy per acre than corn grown for ethanol and are a far more efficient use of land. To meet net-zero carbon emissions, Wisconsin only needs about 200,000 acres of land for solar, or about 15% of the 1.5 million acres of land currently devoted to ethanol production in our state.

More to Explore:

Analysis: Solar farms produce 100 times more energy than corn grown for ethanol

The Truth about No Mow May

Civic Media — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

No Mow May is here, but is it the best way to protect pollinators in our yards? Amy walks through a typical Wisconsin yard with pollinator expert Elizabeth Braatz to learn if No Mow May really works.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Resources for You:

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade

Saving Wisconsin’s Native Pollinators

Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison

Solar’s Hype Girl: Meet the advocate convincing Wisconsinites to let the sunshine in

Civic Media — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

if you look around at houses, schools, churches–you’re probably seeing more and more solar panels on their rooftops. A lot of that is thanks to federal incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act that make solar more affordable. But those programs are now at risk of being cut, and tariffs could be pushing the low solar costs we’ve been seeing much higher. Fortunately, solar has a pretty determined advocate who’s spreading the word about how solar works for Wisconsin.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Elise Couillard, Couillard Solar Foundation

Resources for You:

Couillard Solar Foundation

Federal Funds for Wisconsin

The long list of Trump Administration attacks on our environment

Civic Media — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Clean Wisconsin has been keeping track of the many attacks on bedrock environmental safeguards being carried out by the Trump Administration. Dozens of rules and regulations that protect our air, water, land, endangered species and more are being targeted. With so much happening in such a short time, how do you know what’s important, what’s just a lot of bluster, and what’s even legal?

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Brett Korte, Clean Wisconsin attorney

Resources for You:

Running list of attacks on environmental safeguards

1/20 Freeze All In-Progress Standards

EO – Freezes in-progress climate, clean air, clean water (including proposed limits on PFAS in industrial wastewater) and consumer protections.

1/20 Energy Emergency Declaration

EO – Authorizes federal government to expedite permitting and approval of fossil fuel, infrastructure, and mining projects and circumvent Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act requirements.

1/20 Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement

EO – Reverses the US’ international commitment to tackling climate change and reducing pollution.

1/20 Revokes Biden Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Executive Actions

EO – Reverses U.S. commitment to fight climate change and its impacts, and protect overburdened communities.

1/20 Attacks on Clean Car Standards

EO – to stop clean car standards that required automakers to reduce tailpipe pollution from vehicles beginning in 2027.

1/20 Resumes LNG Permitting

EO – Expedites Liquid Natural Gas export terminal approval over analysis finding exports raise energy costs for consumers.

Attacks Climate and Clean Energy Investments from IRA and BIL

EO – Freezes unspent funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and directs agencies to reassess.

1/20 Attacks NEPA Protections

EO – Rescinds order requiring White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to assess environmental and community impacts and allow community input into federal infrastructure projects.

1/21 Expands Offshore Oil Drilling

EO – Reopens U.S. coastlines to offshore drilling.

1/21 Terminate American Climate Corps

EO – Ends all programs of the American Climate Corps, which created thousands of jobs combatting climate change and protecting and restoring public lands.

1/21 Freezes New Wind Energy Leases

EO – Withdraws wind energy leasing from U.S. waters and federal lands.

1/21 Open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other Alaska Lands for Drilling

EO – Reopens sensitive federal lands and waters in Alaska to drilling.

1/28 EPA’s Science Advisory Panel Members Fired

Memorandum – Acting EPA administrator James Payne dismisses members of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and Science Advisory Board, which provides independent expertise to the agency on air quality standards and sources of air pollution.

1/28 EPA Suspends Solar For All Grants

Memorandum – The EPA halted $7 billion in contractually obligated grants for Solar For All, an Inflation Reduction Act program that delivers clean energy and lower prices to vulnerable communities

1/31 Trump administration scrubs “climate change” from federal websites

Memorandum – Mentions of climate change have been removed from federal websites such the Department of Agriculture, which includes the Forest Service and climate-smart agriculture programs, and the EPA.

2/3 Trump requires removal 10 existing rules for every new rule

EO – The order requires that when an agency finalizes a new regulation or guidance they identify 10 existing rules to be cut.

2/3 Interior secretary weakens public lands protections in favor of fossil fuel development

Sec Order – After Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, Interior Secretary Burgum ordered the reinstatement of fossil fuel leases, opened more land for drilling, and issued orders weakening protections of public lands, national monuments and endangered species, and overturned advanced clean energy and climate mitigation strategies.

2/5 Energy secretary announces review of appliance efficiency standards

Sec Order – Energy Secretary Wright ordered a review of appliance standards following Trump’s Day One order attacking rules improving the efficiency of household appliances such as toilets, showerheads, and lightbulbs as part of a secretarial order intended to increase the extraction and use of fossil fuels.

2/5 Army Corps of Engineers halts approval of renewables

Guidance via DOD – The Army Corps of Engineers singled out 168 projects – those that focused on renewable energy projects – out of about 11,000 pending permits for projects on private land. Though the hold was lifted, it was not immediately clear if permitting had resumed.

2/6 Transportation Department orders freeze of EV charging infrastructure program

Memorandum – A Transportation Department memo ordered the suspension of $5 billion in federal funding, authorized by Congress under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, for states to build electric vehicle chargers.

2/11 SEC starts process to kill climate disclosure rule

Memorandum – The acting chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission paused the government’s legal defense of a rule requiring companies to identify the impact of their business on climate in regulatory findings. The rule was challenged in court by 19 Republican state attorneys general and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s Liberty Energy, among others.

2/14 EPA fires hundreds of staff

Memorandum – The Trump administration’s relentless assault on science and career expertise at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continued today with the firing of almost 400 staff who had ‘probationary’ status.

2/14 DOE issues the first LNG export authorization under new Trump administration

DOE Secretary Wright issued an export authorization for the Commonwealth LNG project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, despite a 2024 DOE report finding that unfettered LNG exports increase energy bills and climate pollution.

2/18 Trump issues order stripping independent agencies of independence

EO – Trump signed an executive order stripping independent regulatory agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of their independence, moving them to submit proposed rules and final regulations for review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and granting the attorney general exclusive authority over legal interpretations of rules. The order is likely to be challenged as Congress created these agencies specifically to be insulated from White House interference.

2/19 Zeldin recommends striking endangerment finding

Memorandum – After Trump’s “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has told the White House he would recommend rescinding the bedrock justification defining six climate pollutants – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride – as air pollution to be regulated by the Clean Air Act.

2/19 Trump administration moves to rescind all CEQ regulatory authority

Rulemaking – The Trump administration has moved to rescind the Council on Environmental Quality’s role in crafting and implementing environmental regulations, revoking all CEQ orders since 1977 that shape how federal agencies comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the government to consider and disclose environmental impacts of its actions.

2/19 Trump directs agencies to make deregulation recommendations to DOGE

EO – Trump issues executive order directing agencies to work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to make recommendations that will accelerate Trump’s efforts to dismantle regulations across the federal government as part of his 10 out, 1 in policy. Among the protections likely to be in DOGE’s crosshairs are those that keep polluters from ignoring environmental laws and protect clean air and water.

2/19 FEMA staff advised to scrub “changing climate” and other climate terms from documents

Memorandum – A Federal Emergency Management Agency memo listed 10 climate-related words and phrases, including “changing climate,” “climate resilience,” and “net zero,” to be removed from FEMA documents. The memo comes after USDA workers were ordered to scrub mentions of climate change from websites.

2/21 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Director Placed on Administrative Leave

Guidance – According to media reports, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has put the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) director on administrative leave. The GGRF is a $27 billion federal financing program that addresses the climate crisis and is injecting billions of dollars in local economic development projects to lower energy prices and reduce pollution especially in the rural, urban, and Indigenous communities most impacted by climate change and frequently left behind by mainstream finance.

2/27 Hundreds fired as layoffs begin at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Guidance – On Thursday, February 27, about 800 employees at NOAA, the agency responsible for the nation’s bedrock weather, climate, fisheries, and marine research, were fired in the latest round of Trump administration-led layoffs. The layoffs could jeopardize NOAA’s ability to provide life-saving severe weather forecasts, long-term climate monitoring, deep-sea research and fisheries management, and other essential research and policy.

3/10 Energy secretary says climate change a worthwhile tradeoff for growth

Announcement – Speaking at the CERAWeek conference, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration sees climate change as “a side effect of building the modern world,” and pledged to “end the Biden administration’s irrational, quasi-religious policies on climate change.”

3/10 Zeldin, Musk Cut $1.7B in Environmental Justice Grants

Guidance – EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the cancellation of 400 environmental justice-related grants, in violation of a court order barring the Trump administration from freezing “equity-based” grants and contracts.

3/11 EPA eliminates environmental justice offices, staff

Memorandum – EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin ordered the closure of environmental justice offices at the agency’s headquarters and at all 10 regional offices and eliminate all related staff positions “immediately.” The reversal comes just days after the EPA reinstated environmental justice and civil rights employees put on leave in early February.

3/12 EPA Announcement to Revise “Waters of the United States” Rule

Announcement – The EPA will redefine waters of the US, or WOTUS, to comply with the US Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Sackett v. EPA, which lifted Clean Water Act jurisdiction on many wetlands, Administrator Lee Zeldin said

3/14 Zeldin releases 31-rollback ‘hit list’

Memorandum (announced, not in effect as of 4/10) – EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to dismantle federal air quality and carbon pollution regulations, identifying 31 actions ranging from from soot standards and power plant pollution rules to the endangerment finding – the scientific and legal underpinning of the Clean Air Act.

3/14 EPA halts enforcement of pollution rules at energy facilities

Memorandum – According to a leaked memo, the EPA’s compliance office has halted enforcement of pollution regulations on energy facilities and barred consideration of environmental justice concerns. The memo states: “Enforcement and compliance assurance actions shall not shut down any stage of energy production (from exploration to distribution) or power generation absent an imminent and substantial threat to human health or an express statutory or regulatory requirement to the contrary.”

3/14 Trump revokes order encouraging renewables

EO – Trump signed an executive order rescinding a Biden-era proclamation encouraging the development of renewable energy. Biden’s order under the Defense Production Act permitted the Department of Energy to direct funds to scale up domestic production of solar and other renewable technologies.

3/17 EPA plans to eliminate science staff

Memorandum – Leaked documents describe plans to lay off as many as 1,155 scientists from labs across the country. These chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists are among the experts who monitor air and water quality, cleanup of toxic waste, and more.

3/16 EPA invites waivers on mercury pollution and other hazardous pollutants

Memorandum – The EPA invited coal- and oil-fired power plants to apply for exemptions to limits on mercury and other toxic pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Mercury is an extremely dangerous pollutant that causes brain damage to babies and fetuses; in addition to mercury, pollution from power plants includes hazardous chemicals that can lead to cancer, or damage to the lungs, kidneys, nervous system and cardiovascular system.

4/3 Trump administration adds “deregulation suggestion” website

A new page on regulations.gov allows members of the public to submit “deregulation” ideas. The move is the latest in the Trump administration’s efforts to slash public health, safety, and climate safeguards, and comes soon after the administration offered companies the opportunity to send the EPA an email if they wished to be exempted from Clean Air Act protections.

4/8 Series of four EOs to boost coal

EO – Under the four orders, Trump uses his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. Trump also directed federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining and prioritize coal leasing on U.S. lands.

In a related action, Trump also signed a proclamation offering coal-fired power plants a two-year exemption from federal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene.

4/9 Executive Order Attacking State Climate Laws

EO – Directs the U.S. Attorney General to sue or block state climate policies deemed “burdensome” to fossil fuel interests — including laws addressing climate change, ESG investing, carbon taxes, and environmental justice.

4/9 New expiration dates on existing energy rules

EO – The order directs ten agencies and subagencies to assign one-year expiration dates to existing energy regulations. If they are not extended, they will expire no later than September 30, 2026, according to a White House fact sheet on the order. The order also said any new regulations should include a five-year expiration, unless they are deregulatory. That means any future regulations would only last for five years unless they are extended.

4/17 Narrow Endangered Species Act to allow for habitat destruction

The Trump administration is proposing to significantly limit the Endangered Species Act’s power to preserve crucial habitats by changing the definition of one word: harm. The Endangered Species Act prohibits actions that “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect” endangered plants and animals. The word “harm” has long been interpreted to mean not just the direct killing of a species, but also severe harm to their environment

Feast or Famine: What’s ahead for Wisconsin’s weather?

Civic Media — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

There is no question the winters of our childhood are disappearing. In 2024, a rainy January gave way to tornadoes in February, flooding in June and drought in July and August.

So what is next for Wisconsin and how can we prepare? In this episode, Amy talks with Wisconsin’s state climatologist about what could be the new normal for our state.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Steve Vavrus, Wisconsin State Climatologist

Resources for You:

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts

Wisconsin 2024 Annual Climate Summary

Microplastics are in our bodies: How much do they hurt us?

Civic Media — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

We are breathing in and ingesting tiny plastic particles called microplastics and nanoplastics all the time. According to a recent study, tissues in a typical adult brain contains the equivalent of a plastic spoon’s worth of plastic particles. In this episode, find out what all that plastic accumulating in our brains, arteries and reproductive systems could mean for our health–and what we can do about it.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Kayla Rinderknecht, Population Health Fellow, Clean Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Microplastics in our Bodies: Exposures and Potential Health Harms

Under the Lens: Microplastics in our Environment and Our Bodies

Farmers for Solar

Civic Media — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret, Wisconsin has been rapidly losing its family farms, and with them, a way of life that’s defined much of our state for more than a century. But there’s a lifeline. In this episode, a southeastern Wisconsin farmer explains why he’s trading in some of his ethanol corn — for a chance to farm the sun.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Jay Wednt, farmer, Dean Kincaid, Inc.

Resources for you:

Analysis reveals solar farms produce 100 times more energy per acre than corn ethanol

Farmers for Solar

Wind and solar emerge as cheapest options for powering Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s bees are acting weird. Here’s why.

Civic Media — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Imagine feeling not quite yourself. You don’t feel like taking care of your kids. You can’t find your way to work anymore, don’t want to hang out with anybody. It would be awful.

But it’s happening to bees all around us.

Turns out a pesticide used on virtually all of our corn and soybeans, is harming our pollinators at very low levels of exposure in ways that are rarely studied.

On this episode, hear from a University of Wisconsin Madison researcher who’s been looking at the lives of bees and the impacts of a neurotoxin we put on our food.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Dr. Hames Crall, Assistant Professor of Entomology, University of Wisconsin

Resources for You:

Episode: Neurotoxins on our Plates

Episode: Wisconsin’s Vanishing Bee

Episode: No Mow May, Does it Work?

Understanding the Impact of Neonicotonoid Pesticides

Wisconsin Neonic Forum Video Series

From Grain to Glass: Why you should be drinking beer brewed with Kernza® grain

Civic Media — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:00:00 +0000

What if I told you there was a grain that doesn’t have to be replanted every spring, that has roots growing 10-feet deep, taking in carbon and holding it deep in the soil, that helps prevent soil erosion and excess fertilizer from washing into our lakes–AND it makes a tasty beer.

In this episode, a look at the work behind an experimental batch of Kernza® beer at Karben4 Brewing in Madison that has the farming research world taking notice.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Joe Walts, Karben4 Brewing

Resources for You:

Taste the Change: Wisconsin Kenrnza®

Natural Climate Solutions: A path forward for Wisconsin’s agricultural sector

Three cheers for climate beer!

Kernza® Crunch: The race to develop the world’s first perennial grain crop

How to defend climate progress in WI and beyond

Civic Media — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000

“Action is the antidote to despair.” On this episode we look at how to move forward on climate when it feels like our federal government is determined to push us backward. Learn about actions you can take right now, right here in Wisconsin to defend progress. And hear from climate advocate and Wisconsin farmer Chelsea Chandler on climate strategy in the age of “drill baby drill.”

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Chelsea Chandler

Resources for you:

Clean Wisconsin Take Action

Analysis: Solar farms produce 100 times more energy per acrea than corn ethanol

Threats to federal funding for pollution cleanup, clean energy initiatives spark anger in Wisconsin communities

PSC approves most powerful solar project in Wisconsin history

Our Salty Waters: Are you using too much road salt?

Civic Media — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:00:00 +0000

In the wintertime, Wisconsin is one salty place. It’s all over our cars – in our cars – tracked into buildings, all over our shoes and boots. It’s a mess. Thankfully salt season is almost over, but it’s never over for our lakes or even our drinking water wells.

Find out what happens to all that salt when winter is over, and hear from an advocate who’s working to teach all of us out to be salt wise.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Allison Madison, WI Salt Wise

More Resources for You: WI Salt Wise website

Trump’s Threat to Safe Water (and how WI can fight back)

Civic Media — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

We are about to say goodbye to some basic water protections as the Trump Administration looks to undo decades of science-based work focused on keeping toxic chemicals out of our water supplies.

Right now on the Defender, Amy talks with Clean Wisconsin attorney Evan Feinauer about how bedrock protections like the Clean Water Act could be at risk as the new administration targets regulations, research, and expert staff at the EPA. Find out what’s at stake and how Wisconsin can fight back.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Evan Feinauer

Resources for You:

Under the Lens: What we know about PFAS in Wisconsin’s Water

Nitrate pollution’s impact on Wisconsn’s health and economy

Neonicotinoid pesticides and their impact

More episodes with Evan:

When Judges Rule the Environment: How bad are the new Supreme Court rulings?

What Trump 2.0 means for our environment

Leaded Skies: A small town’s fight against leaded aviation fuel

Civic Media — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Lead is a neurotoxin, and when you breathe it in, it gets into your bloodstream and can cause all kinds of health problems, including brain damage. It’s no wonder leaded gasoline was banned in the US nearly 30 years ago. But that ban didn’t cover small aircraft fuel. Turns out, those small airplanes buzzing around recreational airports across the state and country still use leaded gas. The planes are spreading tiny lead particles over people’s backyards, water wells, playgrounds, soccer fields and waterways just about every time they fly.

It this episode, Amy talks with a small town Wisconsin lawmaker who is leading her community’s charge to get the lead out of our air. And she’s got an eye-opening study that shows how our drinking water could be at risk too.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Cynthia Richson, Town of Middleton, Wis., town board chair

Resources for you:

EPA Lead Endangerment Finding

Opening the door to joy: One woman’s journey to get fossil fuels out of her home

Civic Media — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

If you care about the environment, protecting this planet, our home, our livable climate, chances are you’re a little stressed out right now. But what if I told you that environmental action can open the door… to joy. Heat from a Wisconsin woman who started on a journey a few years ago to get fossil fuels out of her home. No furnace, no gas stove, no gas hot water heater. She takes us on a tour of her house and shares her perspective on activism and the joy she finds in taking personal responsibility for our impact in this world.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Susan Millar

Resources for You:

How to Defend the Inflation Reducation Act The biggest investment to fight climate change in U.S. history is under attack. Find out how you can protect incentives that are helping Wisconsinites save energy and money.

Introducing the Defender

Civic Media — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:30:00 +0000

True to its name, this podcast, State of Change is about to undergo some big changes. The first – a new name. Going forward, this will be the Defender podcast. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same name as Clean Wisconsin’s quarterly newspaper, the longest-running environmental advocacy publication in Wisconsin, the Defender.

And right now, that advocacy, that word “Defender” is so important. Environmentalism needs a voice, now more than ever.

We’re also going to be rolling out new episodes weekly. So every Monday check your favorite podcast streaming service or your inbox to listen to the latest Defender episode.

Every week, Amy will with scientists, advocates, farmers, experts, and just everyday people who are working right here in Wisconsin to make a difference to protect this place we call home. And learn how you can use your voice to be part of defending what we all care about.

How to Eat for the Environment

Civic Media — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:03:00 +0000

It’s food season, also known as the holidays! And what you choose to put on your plate actually has an impact on the world around you. Agriculture is not only big business across the Midwest, it is also a major source of water pollution in Wisconsin and a major and growing source greenhouse gas emissions.

But how do you make it better?

In this episode, Amy talks with Kathryn (Kata) Young, Natural Climate Solutions Manager with Clean Wisconsin, about the places where eating and our environment connect.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Kathryn (Kata) Young, Clean Wisconsin

What Trump 2.0 means for our environment

Civic Media — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:19:00 +0000

What does a new, better-prepared Trump Administration mean for the water we drink, the air we breathe, the safety of our food, our climate?

We know a long list of federal environmental protections and programs will be rolled back or dismantled during the next presidential administration. We’re talking about erasing new standards for toxic PFAS chemicals in our drinking water, pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, diminishing wetland protections, pulling funding to replace lead pipes, undermining the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon, axing programs that help people weatherize their homes, getting rid of support for manufacturing of batteries and solar panels, and of course, lots more drilling and fracking.

If you think it feels overwhelming, you’re not wrong. There are also plans to target the unbiased science and research that happens at our federal agencies, replacing civil servants with political appointees.

So now that I’ve got you thoroughly angry, sad, scared, name the emotion, we’re going to dig into some of these issues and look at the road ahead to fight back.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests: Clean Wisconsin Attorneys Evan Feinauer and Brett Korte

Neurotoxins On Our Plates

Civic Media — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 03:38:00 +0000

For the past 25 years, we’ve been putting neurotoxins on our food. Neonicotinoids are potent chemicals that attack the central nervous systems of insects. Not only are they widely used on our food and in our soil, they’re showing up in our drinking water in Wisconsin. And that leads to a big question — what do they do to us?

In this episode, Amy uncovers the truth about neonicotinoids with experts from Clean Wisconsin and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Sara Walling, Water & Agriculture Program Director, Clean Wisconsin

Carla Romano, Groundwater Specialist, Department od Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection

Background Reading:

Understanding the Impact of Neonicotinoid Insecticides

Agricultural Chemicals in Wisconsin Groundwater Report, Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection

Neonitcotinoids and their impacts

A Case for Optimism: The energy transition we need, and what’s standing in the way

Civic Media — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 01:11:00 +0000

What’s it going to take to get Wisconsin to 100% clean energy? If you listen to the state’s biggest power companies, it’s more methane gas. Wisconsin is on the verge of an expensive gas construction boom if utilities like We Energies in Alliant Energy have their way. But what about wind and solar? Is it possible for Wisconsin to finally trade in fossil fuels for clean energy right now? Amy talks with energy expert Dr. Ciaran Gallagher.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Dr. Ciaran Gallagher, Energy Manager, Clean Wisconsin

Background Reading:

Under the Lens, the Truth About Natural Gas

Stopping Gas Expansion in Wisconsn

Power Wisconsin Forward: An affordable, reliable, fossil-free future

All the Money in the World: The cost of removing PFAS from our environment

Civic Media — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 21:39:00 +0000

New research reveals how much it would cost to remove toxic PFAS ‘forever’ chemicals from the environment at the same rate we’re currently producing and using them. Spoiler alert: we don’t have enough money in the world. Hear from the researcher behind the study who says it should inspire optimism not hopelessness in the face of our growing PFAS problem.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Ali Ling, PhD

Background Reading:

The Future of Persistent ‘Forever” Chemicals

Under the Lens: What we know about PFAS in Wisconsin’s drinking water

Toxic PFAS pollution devastates two Wisconsin Communities (video)

Supreme Court Power Grab

Civic Media — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 21:40:00 +0000

What keeps you safe — when you drink water, take medicine, get on an airplane, or take out a loan? It’s often a government agency charged with implementing our health, safety and consumer protection laws. But recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court have cast a long shadow. Legal experts say the rulings point to a Court that is actively working to unravel longstanding protections and policies, not just for the environment but across the board, and the harm will be far reaching.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Evan Feinauer, Clean Wisconsin attorney

Background Reading:

Rulings from U.S. Supreme Court a disaster for the environment

Clean Wisconsin takes legal action to protect communities from toxic mercury pollution

New EPA power plant rules will save lives in Wisconsin

Clean Wisconsin Legal Work

Who Are the Science Moms?

Civic Media — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 18:20:00 +0000

How do you get people to start paying attention to the urgency of climate change? Just like the name says, Science Moms is a growing non-partisan group of scientists and mothers who are spreading the word about our climate and joining forces to demand change from our leaders. Amy talks with UW Madison professor Dr. Tracey Holloway, who is a member of Science Moms.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Tracey Holloway, Professor of Environmental Studies & Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; Science Mom

Background Reading:

Science Moms website

Wisconsin Agriculture’s Critical Role in Addressing Climate Change

New Energy Study Shows Net-Zero Emissions Possible for Wisconsin by 2050

Federal Funds for Wisconsin: Take advantage of sweeping federal investments in clean energy and efficiency

Three Cheers for Climate Beer!

Civic Media — Fri, 10 May 2024 17:29:00 +0000

What if there was a grain that didn’t have to be replanted every year? One with deep roots that stay in the soil, trap carbon, prevent erosion, filter water. Kernza – the world’s first perennial grain crop – could be a game changer when it comes to sustainable food production and using our land to help fight climate change. But the big question: does is make a good beer? In this episode, Amy heads to Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee to find out.

Kernza® is the trademark name for the grain of an intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) being developed at The Land Institute in Kansas.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Russ Klisch, Owner & Co-Founder of Lakefront Brewery

Background Reading:

Climate-Smart Crops: Kernza

Kerna Crunch: The Race to Develop the First Perennial Grain Crop (podcast)

Impacts of Conventional Agriculture in Wisconsin

The Land Institute: Kernza Grain

No Mow May: Does it work?

Civic Media — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 03:19:00 +0000

No Mow May is here, but does it really make a difference in the battle to save our bees and butterflies? Amy walks through a typical Wisconsin yard with pollinator expert Elizabeth Braatz.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Background Reading:

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade

Saving Wisconsin’s Native Pollinators

Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison

Truth About Natural Gas

Civic Media — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 03:19:00 +0000

When you think about the future of energy, do you picture you gas-fired power plants? In this episode, Amy looks at why power companies are racing to build new gas plants and what it means for the future of energy bills, our health and our climate.

We Energies, the largest power company in Wisconsin, recently announced plans to transition two major power plants from coal to natural gas, build two more new gas-fired facilities, and build another new facility to hold liquefied gas. If you think it sounds like a major shift toward more fossil fuel development, you’re right. We Energies’ parent company WEC Energy Group filed an application with the Public Service Commission to get special accounting treatment on the high-dollar projects before they’ve established a need for all that gas.

Are gas-fired power plants the bridge to clean energy that power companies claim?

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin

Katie Nekola, Attorney, Clean Wisconsin

Background reading:

Under the Lens: The Truth About Natural Gas
We Enegies Doubles Down on Gas

Last Line of Defense: Battle over Wisconsin Gas Plant intensifies

Civic Media — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 06:06:00 +0000

Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission approved a large methane gas plant four years ago. The site: a bluff overlooking the Nemadji River near the Minnesota border in Superior. At the time, Superior’s city council unanimously supported the project. But it didn’t take long for opinions to change.

In this episode, Amy talks with Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle who at first supported the plant and is now helping lead the charge to stop it. Find out what has changed — and what YOU can do to help fight the plant.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Jenny Van Sickle, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Background Reading:

Take Action Now: Call on federal officials to denty funding for the Nemadji Trail Energy Center

Fighting the Nemadji Trail Energy Center gas plant

Indigenous tribes urge federal officials to deny loan for Superior gas plant

A Toast to 1939

Civic Media — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 04:16:00 +0000

1939. It’s the year researchers at the University of Wisconsin developed a hearty red corn that could tolerate Wisconsin winters and feed the state’s dairy cows. Before long, farms all over the state were sending trainloads of their ruby red corn to feed livestock across the country. But it didn’t last. The 1970s ushered in genetically modified corn with enormous yields and out went Wisconsin’s home grown red variety. Until now…

In this episode, Amy heads to the home of J. Henry & Sons Bourbon in Dane County where Wisconsin’s old red feed corn is getting a brand new life – as the key ingredient in world class bourbon. A farm-to-glass experience that starts in the snowy fields of the Dairy State.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Joe Henry, J. Henry & Sons

Health Harms of ‘Forever Chemicals’

Civic Media — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:07:00 +0000

It’s no exaggeration to say PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are everywhere. Some states have found PFAS tainting milk supplies and contaminating crops. What are the consequences of population-wide exposure to these toxic chemicals? Amy talks with Clean Wisconsin Science Program Director Dr. Paul Mathewson about the latest research.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest :

Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin

Background reading:

Learn more about the latest PFAS health research in Clean Wisconsin’s recent comments to the Natural Resources Board on the impact of proposed groundwater standards
Find out more about PFAS contamination in Wisconsin
Read the latest PFAS Fish Consumption Advisories for Wisconsin
View an interactive map of PFAS contamination sites in Wisconsin

Like ‘State of Change?’

Subscribe! Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org

Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Uncovering Air Pollution

Civic Media — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 05:38:00 +0000

How do you know if the air you breathe is safe? It often depends on where you live–not just what town or city, but what neighborhood, what street. In this episode, Amy talks with Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, a community-led air quality monitoring project in Milwaukee. Hear what he’s been finding out about the air we breathe and what it could mean for our health.

One of the most dangerous kinds of pollution in terms of health outcomes is in the air. Fine particulate matter airpPollution is made up of tiny airborne particles that are 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. They can settle deep in the lungs, even make their way into the bloodstream, and are associated with asthma attacks and higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death.

According to an analysis from Clean Wisconsin – Wisconsin has the 3rd racial disparity in the country when it comes to exposure to these tiny particles. The particles come from burning fossil fuels, usually at coal and gas power plants, industrial facilities, or on busy roads with lots of cars, buses and heavy trucks.

With all of those sources around, how do we know when the air is safe and when it’s not? It’s vital information that Langston Verdin, founder of MKE Fresh Air Collective, wants everybody to have. The collective has been working to install neighborhood air monitors across the city. Amy meets Langston at the site of his very first air monitor, at his old duplex in Washington Heights.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest :

Langston Verdin, Founder, MKE Fresh Air Collective, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Background reading:

Like ‘State of Change?’

Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org

Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Wisconsin’s Vanishing Bee

Civic Media — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:09:00 +0000

Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee nest discovered in Milwaukee County

Before the 1990s, they were everywhere in Wisconsin and beyond. Native Rusty Patched Bumblebees nested and foraged across 28 states and parts of Canada. Then the population hit a sudden, rapid decline. By 2017, the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee had become so scarce it was the first bee listed as a federally endangered species. In this episode, a walk deep into the Wisconsin woods for the rarest of discoveries: a nest of Rusty Patched Bumblebee queens. Amy looks at what it’s going to take to bring our bees back and meet the dedicated experts and volunteers who are working hard to save our pollinators.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Elizabeth Braatz, Bumble Bee Brigade Coordinator and Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Jay Watson, Terrestrial Insect Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Halley Minser, Restoration Ecologist, Milwaukee County Parks

Background Reading:

Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade

Saving Wisconsin’s Native Pollinators

Corn Ethanol vs. Solar: A Land Use Comparison

Milwaukee County Parks: Conservation

Suppressing Solar? Alliant Energy, MG&E target home solar in rate plans

Civic Media — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 02:44:00 +0000

It feels like momentum is growing behind rooftop solar in Wisconsin. Federal tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, Focus on Energy rebates, and falling prices could finally push us out of the bottom half of states when it comes to home solar. Except some utilities in Wisconsin appear to be pushing back.

In this episode, a look plans from MG&E and Alliant Energy that could slow adoption of rooftop solar in Wisconsin. FInd out what you can do to protect solar in your community.

Net metering. It doesn’t sound that exciting, but it’s actually one of the biggest incentives for families and small businesses to go solar. When your rooftop panels produce more energy than you can use, that energy goes into the grid, and your utility credits you for it. Now, MG&E and Alliant Energy are taking aim at that net metering incentive. Both are seeking approval from the Public Service Commission to drastically change the way they treat customers who install solar panels.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Chelsea Chandler, Clean Wisconsin Climate, Energy & Air Program Director

Ciaran Gallagher, Clean Wisconsin Energy & Air Manager

Background Reading:

Take Action: Tell the PSC to Protect Rooftop Solar

Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050

Three big things: Transitioning to Clean Energy in Wisconsin

Tainted Water: Dairy lobby sues Wisconsin over water protections

Civic Media — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 17:15:00 +0000

Beach closures, fish kills, green lakes. They are unfortunate signs of summer in Wisconsin. A big reason: untreated animal waste. Large dairies can produce as much waste as a small city. It’s not only hard to deal with, it’s dangerous if it gets into our water. Animal manure is one of the biggest sources of water pollution in Wisconsin.

Now, some of Wisconsin’s largest dairies are suing the state, trying to limit oversight of the way they handle animal waste. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce quietly filed the lawsuit just before Memorial Day weekend on behalf of the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance, a lobbying group representing a number of large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

In this episode, Amy talks with Clean Wisconsin water and agriculture program director Sara Walling and attorney Evan Feinauer to find out what the lawsuit means for Wisconsin’s water resources and public health.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guests:

Sara Walling, Clean Wisconsin Water & Agriculture Program Director

Evan Feinauer, Clean Wisconsin Attorney

Background Reading:

Dangerous lawsuit puts water protections at risk

Clean Wisconsin wins pair of landmark state Supreme Court cases

Farming the Sun: WI Farmers Find a Lifeline in Solar

Civic Media — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 19:23:00 +0000

It’s no secret, Wisconsin has been rapidly losing its small family farms, and with them, a way of life that’s defined much of our state for more than a century. But there is a lifeline coming.

About 30 miles outside of Lake Geneva, Amy meets Jay Wendt to take a long walk on a farm that’s been in his wife’s family for decades. These days, the family is joining farmers across Wisconsin who are choosing to lease some of their land for solar.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Jay Wendt, farmer, Dean Kincaid, Inc.

Background Reading:

Analysis reveals solar farms produce 100 times more energy per acre than corn ethanol

Wind and solar emerge as cheapest options for powering Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050

The Disinformation Game

Civic Media — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 03:26:00 +0000

Don’t believe everything you read on Facebook. Everybody knows that, but somehow misinformation still spreads like wildfire on social media, especially when it comes to climate change and clean energy like wind and solar. A sea of misinformation is getting in the way of badly-needed clean energy projects.

Where are the false claims coming from, and why do people believe them? In this episode, what you can do to battle back – and recognize when disinformation is working on you.

Host:

Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Dr. Sedona Chinn, assistant professor of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Background Reading:

Politicization and Polarization in Climate Change News Content, 1985-2017

Wind and solar emerge as cheapest options for powering Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050

Confronting a Clean Energy Backlash

Civic Media — Thu, 18 May 2023 02:11:00 +0000

Some rural communities in Wisconsin are pushing back against wind & solar, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Find out how you can help stop a clean energy backlash.

To reach our climate goals, Wisconsin needs to build one major wind project and three to four large solar farms every year for the next few decades. But a wave of pushback could be coming. Some Wisconsin communities are working to pass ordinances making it harder to build those clean energy projects. It’s something happening across our region.

In this episode we talk with Dr. Sarah Mills from the University of Michigan who’s been working in rural communities as they respond to the clean energy projects that are cropping up in their backyards.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Dr. Sarah Mills, University of Michigan senior project manager and lecturer

Background Reading:

Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050

Analysis reveals solar farms produce 100 times more energy than ethanol

Modeling shows Koshkonong solar farm will improve the health for nearby waterways

I’ll drink to that! New Glarus Brewing Captures its Carbon

Civic Media — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:09:00 +0000

On a hilltop in southern Wisconsin, a small brewery, long famous for its beer, is making headlines for a very different reason. Since last fall, New Glarus Brewing has been capturing more than 330 pounds of carbon dioxide (a bi-product of beer making) every hour of operation and reusing it. Join co-founder and master brewer Dan Carey for a tour.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Dan Carey, co-founder and master brewer, New Glarus Brewing

Background Reading:

New Glarus Brewing: Our Story

Supporting Climate-Smart Agriculture

Wisconsin’s Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050

Solar vs Corn for Ethanol: Which land use produces the most energy?

Civic Media — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 03:26:00 +0000

We’re hearing it more and more: Solar farms in Wisconsin are taking away prime farmland used for food. But it turns out, a million acres of farmland in Wisconsin are already being used energy production by growing corn for ethanol. A quarter of all the corn grown in our state is processed into ethanol. Nationwide, it’s 45%.

But which land use produces the most energy per acre, corn or solar? And how much land do we really need for solar in Wisconsin to end our reliance on coal and gas? Hear from Clean Wisconsin Science Program Director Paul Mathewson, Ph.D., about his latest analysis that’s been getting a lot of attention.

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest:

Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin

Background Reading:

Like “State of Change”?

Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Crisis of Contamination: Toxic PFAS in our Great Lakes

Civic Media — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 23:00:00 +0000

Six years ago, families in Marinette and Peshtigo, Wis., got the news that would change everything, for them, and eventually the whole state. PFAS from firefighting foam produced for years at nearby Tyco Fire Products had infiltrated groundwater, creeks, streams and drinking water wells across the area. Now University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers say they’ve linked contamination in Lake Michigan’s Green Bay to Tyco.

But it’s an issue that goes far beyond Green Bay. PFAS have been found in water bodies and drinking water sources across the state, including Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, Rhinelander, Marshfield, Manitowoc and Wausau, often near airports and airbases where training with firefighting foam has gone on for decades. While two types of PFAS chemicals called PFOA and PFOS have been phased out in the U.S. and will soon be regulated in drinking water by the EPA, there are thousands more, many of which are still widely used in all kinds of consumer products.

Hear what needs to happen next to get a handle on growing PFAS contamination across Wisconsin and the world.

Guests:

Dr. Christy Remucal, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison.

Dr. Paul Mathewson, Science Program Director, Clean Wisconsin

Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Background Reading

Find out more about PFAS contamination in Wisconsin

Read the latest PFAS Fish Consumption Advisories for Wisconsin

View an interactive map of PFAS contamination sites in Wisconsin

Like “State of Change”?

Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

Like State of Change? Help support our podcast and our work to protect Wisconsin’s environment at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org/donate

Power to the People

Civic Media — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 17:46:00 +0000

What does the We Energies rate case tell us about how Wisconsin energy companies make money?

Spoiler Alert: It’s not by promoting energy efficiency.

We Energies customers across Wisconsin are bracing for higher bills. The company is asking the Public Service Commission to approve a large rate hike, insisting its investment in new solar and wind infrastructure is driving the increase. But We Energies customers are still paying off a $2 billion construction price tag for the company’s Oak Creek coal plant completed in 2011, and they’ll keep paying long after it’s shut down in two years.

The Oak Creek coal plant may be a burden for customers, but it was a windfall for We Energies’ shareholders. Experts say that points to a big problem with the way energy utilities in Wisconsin make money.

Hear from Clean Wisconsin attorney Katie Nekola about what has to change – and find out and what other states are doing to bring power to the people in the face of rising bills.

Find out more about Clean Wisconsin’s legal work at the Public Service Commission here: https://www.cleanwisconsin.org/our-work/legal-action/

Episode Host: Amy Barrilleaux

Guest: Katie Nekola, General Counsel, Clean Wisconsin

Kernza Crunch: The race to develop the world’s first perennial grain crop

Civic Media — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 22:37:37 +0000

How often do we think about the food we eat and its impact on climate?

A new food product called Kernza® perennial grain is part of a major effort to fight climate change by changing what we plant and eat. But can Kernza really find a place on dinner tables – and in cereal bowls –across Wisconsin? In this episode, we sit down to taste a few samples and learn why changing farming systems is key to helping our climate.

Kernza® is the perennial grain crop from an improved intermediate wheatgrass developed by The Land Institute in Kansas. Research partners in the US, including Wisconsin and Minnesota, and abroad continue to improve the grain.

Thank you to our guests: Nicole Tautges, agro-ecologist with the Michael Field Institute; Valentin Picasso, associate professor of agronomy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Scott Laeser, Clean Wisconsin Water Program Director

Host: Amy Barrilleaux, Clean Wisconsin

Background Reading:

Agriculture is responsible for 15% of Wisconsin’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and that contribution is growing. Find out how natural climate solutions like perennial agriculture can help – and why they’re urgently needed in Wisconsin: cleanwisconsin.org/natural-climate-solutions

Like “State of Change”?

Subscribe to State of Change on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Be sure to rate our show and give us a review. It helps other people find us.

You can learn more about Clean Wisconsin and our work at http://www.cleanwisconsin.org.

Trailer: This is the Defender

Civic Media — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 01:37:50 +0000

Wisconsin’s environment is changing faster and more dramatically than anyone expected. But there’s another kind of change happening, too. Around the state, there’s a growing movement to try and stop the dangerous trends before it’s too late. From Clean Wisconsin, this is State of Change, a podcast telling the stories of Wisconsin’s rapidly changing environment and the people who are trying to do something about it.