Eco-Minute

Wisconsin hunters are warned: mallard and wood ducks from Green Bay are contaminated with PFAS chemicals, traced to Tyco fire products. Meanwhile, the crucial Mississippi River Ecosystem Research Area faces severe federal budget cuts, threatening its century-old scientific contributions on water quality and wildlife. These developments underscore the importance of environmental vigilance and advocacy. On […]

Tue Sep 9, 2025

1:00

Wisconsin’s environmental scene heats up as a state court of appeals rejects a lawsuit threatening crucial water protections, safeguarding waterways from CAFOs’ waste. Meanwhile, the Line 5 oil pipeline controversy escalates, with the battle shifting to Madison. Experts are set to testify on the environmental risks of Enbridge’s plan to expand the pipeline, which involves […]

Tue Sep 2, 2025

1:00

Regulators have imposed a hefty $29 million burden on Midwest families to revive a dormant coal plant in Michigan, thanks to a controversial Trump-era emergency order. The financial hit has sparked outcry as the plant’s inefficiency becomes painfully clear in just five weeks. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s often-overlooked wetlands are emerging as unsung heroes, offering a staggering […]

Tue Aug 19, 2025

1:00

A legal challenge against the Line 5 oil pipeline is set to begin August 12 in Ashland. Canadian oil giant Enbridge wants to trench and blast across northern Wisconsin to make way for a new 41-mile section of the pipeline. Environmental groups and the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are challenging permits and […]

Tue Aug 5, 2025

1:00

Baby bald eagles near the great lakes are testing positive for PFAS and other toxic chemicals. Researchers found that eagles living near the great lakes had six times more toxic chemicals in their blood streams than inland populations. Other chemicals found were DDT and PCBs which were banned decades ago. A small Wisconsin school district […]

Tue Jul 29, 2025

1:00

An unwelcome surprise for Wisconsin farmers looking to apply for the Federal Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP. The popular program helps rural small businesses and farmers invest in money saving energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy. But the application window that was supposed to open July 1st was abruptly closed by the USDA. […]

Tue Jul 22, 2025

1:00

We’re seeing all the smoke, but what exactly is causing all the fires in Canada? Turns out the 5,000-year-old forest stretching across the country doesn’t get as much snow cover in the spring as it used to and is experiencing warmer, drier summers because of climate change, making wildfire season much more severe. Canada’s boreal […]

Tue Jul 15, 2025

1:00

The Wisconsin Supreme Court hands a big win to the environment. The court ruled it is unconstitutional for a legislative committee to block rules created by state agencies. The decision means good environmental rules now face an easier path to getting to the finish line and becoming law. For years, “legislative vetoes” by a handful […]

Tue Jul 8, 2025

1:00

The website climate.gov is no more. The site that served as a trusted resource for federal research on climate change has been officially shut down a month after its staff was fired by the Trump Administration. When it was online, climate.gov received hundreds of thousands of visitors every month. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says […]

Tue Jul 1, 2025

1:00

Environmental groups say the Midwest grid operator, MISO, is pushing an emergency energy plan that discriminates against wind and solar, the two cheapest ways to produce energy in our state. The plan favors fast-tracking construction of gas-burning power plants at the expense of clean energy projects. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected a similar plan […]

Tue Jun 24, 2025

1:00