by jboullion | Nov 24, 2008 | Uncategorized
An opinion piece by Michael Grebe in The Business Joournal:
As gas prices fluctuate and the economy trudges along, sustainable, dependable modes of transit will be critical to keeping our local economy from stagnating. If southeastern Wisconsin desires economic growth and prosperity for citizens, we must follow peer cities nationwide and invest in our current transit systems and new initiatives encouraging economic development in the region.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) must be properly funded so it can continue to provide critical service and access to jobs and educational opportunities in this community. Routes should be restored and frequency of buses increased. Continuing to cut funding and service to this system is an added blow to the populations hardest hit by these economic times.
To complement bus service and connect local residents to nearly a million jobs in the corridor linking this region to Chicago, the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail would expand the pool of potential jobs and employees for this region and promote economic development. Connecting with other transit options such as buses and shuttles, it would provide southeastern Wisconsin with the full-service mass transit system it needs, creating an infrastructure linking people to jobs to support economic growth in this community.
Southeastern Wisconsin is one of the few metro regions of our size that funds transit with property taxes. Recently, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) supported removing bus transit from the property tax and enacting up to 0.5 percent sales tax to fund transit.
by jboullion | Nov 21, 2008 | Uncategorized
From the green Web site of the City of Eau Claire:
Sustainability “is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition has come to mean not only meeting human needs, but environmental and economic as well. Thus, to do its part, the City of Eau Claire is conducting a process to amend its Comprehensive Plan addressing green issues more adequately.
Eau Claire’s Comprehensive Plan has won ‘Excellence in Planning’ awards by the Wisconsin Chapter of American Planner’s Association for both our 1993 and 2005 plans. Although there are many sustainable development goals, objectives and policies already listed in the 2005 plan, more could be addressed in the areas of energy, recycling, waste, green buildings, food production, and climate change. Thus, this amendment process will seek community input on these and other issues as we increase our efforts towards creating an even more sustainable future.
A series of Community Workshops will be held in the River Rooms on the ground floor of Royal Credit Union Corporate Center, 200 Riverfront Terrace, Eau Claire, WI, 54703. The next workshop is on December 11, 2008 at 7 p.m.
by jboullion | Nov 21, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a report on WISC-TV:
LA CROSSE, Wis. — With gas prices still hovering above $2 per gallon, imagine paying as little as $1.25 a gallon to run a car.
Such a cost savings comes not from gasoline, but instead pumping a fuel that many of people already use to heat their home or to cook a meal.
Natural gas is a fuel that is readily available, produced in North America and is virtually pollution free. According to current designs, a compressed natural gas-powered vehicle could hypothetically be filled up in home’s garage every night.
A version of this vehicle is available today in Wisconsin.
A Honda Civic looks just like any other sedan seen on the road, but it isn’t. The Civic has a trick up its sleeve.
“This car is fueled by American-produced natural gas,” said Chris Schneider, president of Honda Motorwerks in La Crosse. “It’s stored as a gas and I should say, when we talk about gas, we are usually referring to gasoline that’s stored as a liquid. This is stored as a gas.”
by jboullion | Nov 21, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The falling price of natural gas could result in a small refund to We Energies electricity customers early next year, but the Milwaukee utility is forecasting a big jump in the price of another fuel it uses in its power plants – coal.
The utility is forecasting a jump of $100 million, or 25% in the amount of money it plans to spend on coal next year, utility spokesman Brian Manthey said.
The key drivers of the higher cost: rises in market prices for coal and transportation expense by rail from Wyoming and Colorado. Also factoring in, to a lesser degree, Manthey said, is the need to buy more coal next year as the first of two new coal plants under construction in Oak Creek prepares to start generating power.
Two months ago, the utility signaled to investors that it might have to raise prices for customers next year because of rising coal costs. But the slowdown in the economy and the resulting drop in natural gas prices has made that less likely, Manthey said.
The typical We Energies customer using 750 kilowatt-hours a month currently pays $89.23 per month for electricity.
The company raised prices three times this year for a total of 9%. One increase was to cover the costs of the utility’s power plant construction program and other projects. The other two came in response to soaring fuel prices. The state’s other utilities have also raised fuel prices at least once this year.
Based on November bills, We Energies customers’ monthly bills are lower than those of three of the five investor-owned utilities in the state. Customers of two Madison utilities and one in Green Bay pay more, while customers of Xcel Energy Corp.’s Eau Claire utility pay less.
As recently as two months ago We Energies said soaring fuel costs would reduce its 2008 profit by as much as $20 million to $40 million from the company’s business plan, but the drop in natural gas prices since the summer now means customers could see a refund early next year.
“Whether or not there will be a refund and how much money would be refunded will be known after the books are closed in December,” Manthey said.
But the drop in natural gas prices could help customers on their heating, or natural gas, side of their monthly utility bill if gas prices remain low, Manthey said.
Another increase on electricity bills will hit We Energies customers in January. The increase, authorized earlier this year by the state Public Service Commission, will amount to a jump of nearly 4%, or nearly $4 a month for the average residential customer, pushing the monthly bill to $93.07.
by jboullion | Nov 20, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an announcement issued by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:
With a new legislative session comes new opportunities AND new Conservation Priorities! At the 11 Listening Sessions held around the state, local groups and citizens like YOU had a lot to say about which issues should be top priorities. In the end, only 4 can rise to the top.
In 2009-2010, the conservation community will be fighting to make sure:
+ Wisconsin adopts a strong statewide plan to tackle global warming.
+ Wisconsin returns to an Independent DNR Secretary and has timely DNR Board Appointments by the Senate.
+ Wisconsin develops a statewide plan to protect our drinking water.
+ Wisconsin creates standards for safe agricultural, industrial and municipal waste-spreading. . . .
On February 25th, 2009, join citizens from across Wisconsin at the state Capitol to tell legislators that you expect them to vote well on natural resource issues.
RSVP TODAY for Conservation Lobby Day on February 25th, 2009!
by jboullion | Nov 20, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an announcement issued by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:
With a new legislative session comes new opportunities AND new Conservation Priorities! At the 11 Listening Sessions held around the state, local groups and citizens like YOU had a lot to say about which issues should be top priorities. In the end, only 4 can rise to the top.
In 2009-2010, the conservation community will be fighting to make sure:
+ Wisconsin adopts a strong statewide plan to tackle global warming.
+ Wisconsin returns to an Independent DNR Secretary and has timely DNR Board Appointments by the Senate.
+ Wisconsin develops a statewide plan to protect our drinking water.
+ Wisconsin creates standards for safe agricultural, industrial and municipal waste-spreading. . . .
On February 25th, 2009, join citizens from across Wisconsin at the state Capitol to tell legislators that you expect them to vote well on natural resource issues.
RSVP TODAY for Conservation Lobby Day on February 25th, 2009!
by jboullion | Nov 20, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an announcement issued by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters:
With a new legislative session comes new opportunities AND new Conservation Priorities! At the 11 Listening Sessions held around the state, local groups and citizens like YOU had a lot to say about which issues should be top priorities. In the end, only 4 can rise to the top.
In 2009-2010, the conservation community will be fighting to make sure:
+ Wisconsin adopts a strong statewide plan to tackle global warming.
+ Wisconsin returns to an Independent DNR Secretary and has timely DNR Board Appointments by the Senate.
+ Wisconsin develops a statewide plan to protect our drinking water.
+ Wisconsin creates standards for safe agricultural, industrial and municipal waste-spreading. . . .
On February 25th, 2009, join citizens from across Wisconsin at the state Capitol to tell legislators that you expect them to vote well on natural resource issues.
RSVP TODAY for Conservation Lobby Day on February 25th, 2009!
by jboullion | Nov 19, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Milwaukee Area Technical College:
A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the erection of a wind turbine at Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Mequon Campus was held at the campus Nov. 12. The 160-foot tall unit with a blade diameter of 56 feet is the largest wind turbine on a college campus in the state. It is part of a sustainability initiative designed to educate students and the public about renewable energy technologies. . . .
Located at the south end of the campus building, the 90-kilowatt, V-17 turbine is a remanufactured unit made in Denmark by Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of turbines. It does not feed electricity to We Energies but supplies power directly to the Mequon Campus. . It will directly provide about 8 percent of the campus’ electricity, saving taxpayer dollars.
The wind tower cost approximately $200,000, with grants of $57,000 from Focus on Energy and $25,000 from We Energies. The college expects to recoup its investment within eight years or less at current energy prices.
More on the wind turbine here.
by jboullion | Nov 19, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Dan Springer in the La Crosse Tribune:
Officials in area counties said while tumbling oil prices could provide some budget relief, they don’t trust the trend will last.
After talking about painfully steep costs for fuel, energy and asphalt for so long, county officials struggled to gauge what the recent falling prices might mean as they finalized annual budgets last week.
In the period between when most area counties established a preliminary budget and the 2009 plan was approved, the price of gasoline dropped as much as 46 percent, and the cost of energy was not far behind.
As La Crosse County leaders looked to whittle away at their 2009 budget, County Administrator Steve O’Malley suggested the board could lower its figures for fuel in the coming year.
As O’Malley expected, the idea wasn’t seriously considered.
“Do any of you have an idea where prices are going to go?” O’Malley asked at one meeting. “Maybe your crystal ball is clearer than mine, but I doubt the prices won’t go back up.”
Area county leaders agreed that banking on lower fuel-related costs would be a foolish move.
“We left it the same,” said Jeff Amo, first vice-chairman for the Jackson County Board. “We just don’t trust it’s going to stay there all next year.”
High fuel prices were to blame for Jackson County’s decision earlier this year to lay off workers in the highway department. Several of those workers since have been brought back, so the board would like nothing more than to see prices remain low to keep them on the job, Amo said.
by jboullion | Nov 18, 2008 | Uncategorized
From the institute’s description of itself:
Founded in May of 2007, the Institute is a “go-to” resource for every context of “Sustainability in the St. Croix River Watershed.” Besides the “walk the talk” service it provides to the UWRF campus community, it is the primary resource for regional, county, town, and municipal leaders seeking assistance with sustainable community development (SCD) in response to the myriad of environmental, social, and economic challenges.
Through a holistic, systems-thinking approach, Institute staff, faculty experts, student interns, and research teams from UWRF are coordinated to address the breadth and depth of comprehensive planning, development, and commercial issues that ultimately define the quality of “The River” and the quality of life in the valley.
This includes, but is not limited to:
+ Assisting the region in a comprehensive benchmarking and tracking of integrated data on ecologic integrity, social justice, and economic vitality;
+ Achieving maximum self-sufficiency and commercial value for local food, fuels, water, housing, transportation, native habitat, and carbon sequestration systems; and
+ Partnerships across all social contexts, from the arts to community health, job development, education, and other civic engagement initiatives.
