Companies support clean energy jobs
From the home page of Governor Doyle:
Farmers testify at hearing on Clean Energy Jobs
From a news release issued by the Wisconsin Farmers Union and posted on the Web site of WQOW-TV (Eau Claire):
Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Press Release) — The Wisconsin Farmers Union joined renewable energy producers at a senate hearing held in the Capitol today to ask elected leaders to support the Low Carbon Fuel Standard as a part of the Clean Energy Jobs Act.
“The Low Carbon Fuel Standard will support Wisconsin farmers by creating new markets to sell crops to power our homes, schools, and businesses,” said Mike Stranz, Government Relations Specialist at the Wisconsin Farmer’s Union.
Under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), fuel providers in the state must gradually reduce the average carbon content of the mix of fuels sold in the state. An LCFS benefits the agricultural community by increasing demand for crops capable of producing low-carbon fuels such as switchgrass, woody biomass and crop residue.
“By growing our own low-carbon fuels, we can become more energy independent and put money into the pockets of hard-working Wisconsin farmers,” said Jamie Derr, Owner and Operator of Derr Solarmass LLC. “Why spend billions buying foreign fossil fuels when Wisconsin farmers can grow much of our fuel right here at home?”
Eau Claire Chamber announces "green" businesses
From a news release posted on the Web site of WQOW-TV (Eau Claire):
Eau Claire – The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce has selected 10 Chamber member businesses as the initial group of business to be identified by the Chamber as Green Sustainable businesses.
Those businesses selected include: Applied Data Consultants, Department of Interiors Ltd., Laser Product Technologies, Liberty Exteriors Inc., Luther Midelfort-Mayo Health System, PESI, LLC, Phillips Plastics Corporation, RealityWorks, Inc., Superior Auto Body, and Sacred Heart Hospital. These businesses range from five employees to 4,500 employees.
The areas of selection include: 1) Energy Conservation 2) Purchasing 3) Recycling 4) Transportation 5) Social Capital 6) Waste Prevention 7) Water Conservation. Businesses must earn at least 40 points in five categories, if they employee 50 or fewer employees and 60 points in all seven categories if they employee more than 50 employees. The selection is done by a panel of six Chamber member representatives based on an application submitted by the businesses. The committee will meet monthly to review future applications that are submitted to the Chamber.
Sustainable communities roundtable and forum, Februrary and March
From an announcement of community roundtables by the University of Wisconsin System:
Six regional Sustainable Communities Roundtables — in Central Wisconsin, De Pere, Waukesha, Chequamegon Bay, Rhinelander, and Chippewa Valley — begin in late February and lead up to the March 25-26 Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum. The two- to three-hour sessions will open with an overview of sustainability efforts in the state and conclude with a facilitated process to identify sustainability policy issues, barriers, strengths, and possibilities.
Chippewa Valley Roundtable
Date: March 3, 9-11 a.m.
Location: Eau Claire County – UW-Extension, 227 1st Street West, Altoona
Contact: Andrew Dane, andrew.dane@ces.uwex.edu, 715-226-1347
Chequamegon Bay Roundtable
Date: March 3, 6-8 p.m.
Location: Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G, Ashland
Contacts: Timothy Kane, timothy.kane@ces.uwex.edu, 715-373-6104
Tom Wojciechowski, tom.wojciechowski@ces.uwex.edu, 715-682-7017
The Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum is the third in a series of forums designed to focus University of Wisconsin System resources on Wisconsin’s most vexing social, environmental, and economic challenges. These forums inform the debate around selected current issues confronting Wisconsin residents by bringing objective, research-based information to the dialogue. Forums utilize experts to cover issues impacting the state of Wisconsin.
Sustainable Communities Policy Forum
March 25-26, 2010
University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley
Communication Arts Center
1478 Midway Road, Menasha
Wisconsin's agenda is all about employment
From an article by Wayne Nelson in BusinessNorth:
The legislature and Gov. James Doyle used federal stimulus money to offset one-third of the budget shortfall, he said. The remaining deficit was offset with spending cuts and new taxes.
“Without the federal stimulus money, we would have had to shut down the (UW) campuses,” he said.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on lawmakers in both states to help create private sector jobs, and reduce unemployment. In Wisconsin, the emerging priorities are stabilizing the state’s manufacturing sector and jumpstarting the state’s entry into the green energy economy.
On Jan. 6, Governor Doyle introduced his green energy development plan, the proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act, to the Legislature. The bill embodies recommendations by the Global Warming Task Force that Doyle created in 2007 to find ways to combat predicted climate change in Wisconsin, including drought, damage to forests and wetlands, and already historically low Lake Michigan water levels.
“This bill will ensure Wisconsin is on the leading edge in capturing green jobs,” said state Rep. Nick Milroy, D-Superior.
It calls for weaning the state of its dependence on fossil fuels by increasing the use of renewable fuels, and even invites a debate over potential new nuclear power development.
The bill would mandate that 25 percent of energy be generated from renewable sources – including wind, solar and biomass – by 2025. The state’s current goal is 10 percent by 2015, and at the end of 2008, Wisconsin was just less than 5 percent.