Clean Energy 

Gov. Tony Evers recently signed an executive order creating the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, which will be responsible for partnering with state agencies and utilities to achieve carbon-free energy within Wisconsin by 2050.

While that is a laudable goal worth working toward, it is currently not economically feasible and we have no way of knowing whether the technology will exist to make that possible.

But who knows? A few years ago people thought that solar power was not practical in Wisconsin, and just this week I had the pleasure of attending a groundbreaking ceremony for the Two Creeks Solar Project. Located just south of the Point Beach Nuclear Plant, it is in the southernmost part of my district in Manitowoc County.

The 800-acre solar energy generating facility is one of two solar farms being constructed through a partnership between Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas & Electric. The other is being built in southwestern Wisconsin.

When the Two Creeks Solar Project goes online in late 2020, its 500,000 solar panels will be able to generate enough energy to power 33,000 homes. It will also more than double the solar output we are producing right now in Wisconsin. That is quite impressive.

I applaud Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas & Electric for coming together to find innovative solutions to ensure that we don't have to rely so much on fossil fuels. If progress continues at the current rate, the 2050 goal may be possible.

If you're interested in viewing some media coverage of the groundbreaking ceremony, please click here and here. 

Coastal Management Grants

It was a great honor to participate in a ceremony this week where Door County was presented with more than $250,000 in grant funding from the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program.

The largest grant, totaling almost $105,000, is going to the Door County Facilities and Parks Department to acquire and add 73 acres of undeveloped land to the Door Bluff Headlands County Park.

 The new parcel includes several habitats of ecological interest that contain hardwood forest trees that are almost 100 years old. It is also home to 46 different species of birds and nearly 100 species of plants. The acquisition will make Door Bluff Headlands the largest county park, bringing its total area to 228 acres.

The remaining $147,000 in grant funding has been awarded to the Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department to continue with the restoration of the Dunes Lake inner basin and to streamline messaging for invasive species prevention.

The Dunes Lake restoration project is targeting nearly six acres of lakebed where two feet of phosphorus-laden organic sediment will be hydraulically dredged to a dewatering site. County officials are expecting to remove about 18,500 cubic yards of sediment during this phase. Work should begin in July of 2020.

The Door County Soil and Water Conservation Department is also using a portion of the funding to implement the PlayCleanGo campaign, which showcases the simple steps we can take to make significant improvements in protecting our region’s ecology. Additionally, the department will be installing waterless boat cleaning stations at two of the county’s most used launches and boot brush stations along the Ahnapee state trail. 

This should greatly help us in our efforts of halting the spread of invasive species. 

Established in 1978, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program works cooperatively with state, local and tribal government agencies and non-profit organizations to manage the ecological, economic and aesthetic assets of the Great Lakes coastal areas. I have served on the Wisconsin Coastal Management Council since I was appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker back in 2016, and it has been a very rewarding experience.

Local Water Quality Hearing

I serve on the Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality, which was created at the beginning of this legislative session to address water concerns throughout the state. Over the past several months, we have been traveling across Wisconsin to hear from experts and the public to determine the best practices for protecting one of our state's most valuable resources: our water.   

So far, the task force has received a wealth of information while making stops in Madison, Lancaster, Janesville, Mauston, La Crosse, Racine, Tomahawk, Stevens Point and Milwaukee. 

Next week the task force will be close to home when we host a public hearing on Wednesday at the Weidner Center in Green Bay. Invited speakers will begin giving their testimony at 12:30 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 3:30 p.m. Members of the public will then be given the opportunity to speak.

The task force is holding these hearings at all corners of the state because the problems we face are vastly dissimilar in these different regions – from lead pipes in Milwaukee, to lake levels in the center of the state, to PFAS in Marinette, to groundwater contamination in the Karst region. Even in areas dealing the same issues, the different topographies and soil types make it impossible to pursue a one-size-fits-all approach and have the success we would like to achieve.  

That is why I am encouraging you to please consider speaking at the Green Bay public hearing. If my colleagues can get a more comprehensive understanding of the specific challenges we are facing in our district, the task force will be better suited to recommend changes to the state Legislature that will best address our needs.

Although it's a little further away, the Speaker's Task Force on Water Quality will also be holding another public hearing on Thursday at 10 a.m. in Marinette.

If you have any questions about these hearings or any future task force meetings, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Upcoming District Events

What: Blues on the Bay
Where: Ellison Bay Community Park, 11953 Highway 42, Ellison Bay, WI
When: Saturday, Aug. 24, from 3 to 9 p.m.
Details: "Featuring blues artists. Bring your own chair or blanket. Rain or shine."

What: Community Honey Harvest
Where: Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI
When: Saturday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Details: "A fun family event with educational programs, demonstrations, and interactive activities for all ages. See how honey is harvested and try samples."

What: Chamber Music Retreat Concert
Where: Birch Creek Music Performance Center, 3821 County Highway E, Egg Harbor, WI
When: Saturday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m.
Details: "Performance by the adult musicians who took part in the Chamber Music Retreat. Free and open to the public."