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| Clean Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
| Name | Clean Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Founder | Gaylord Nelson |
| Type | Nonprofit advocacy group |
| Headquarters | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Area served | Wisconsin |
| Focus | Environmental protection, water quality, air quality, conservation, clean energy |
Clean Wisconsin Clean Wisconsin is a Wisconsin-based environmental advocacy organization focused on protecting Lake Michigan, preserving Great Lakes resources, and promoting clean energy in Madison, Wisconsin. It engages in policy advocacy, litigation, public education, and grassroots organizing to influence state and federal decision-making involving Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and legislative bodies such as the Wisconsin Legislature. The organization works alongside a network of environmental, civic, and legal actors, including national groups and regional partners.
Clean Wisconsin traces its roots to conservation movements of the late 20th century and has been active through eras marked by the influence of figures and institutions like Gaylord Nelson, the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Richard Nixon, and the evolution of the Clean Water Act. Over decades the group has responded to environmental events and policy shifts associated with incidents such as contamination episodes in communities like Waukesha, Wisconsin and industrial regulation disputes involving companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Its timeline intersects with landmark legal decisions by courts including rulings from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and actions by the United States Supreme Court impacting administrative law and environmental statutes. Major regional developments tied to the organization include debates over Fox River (Wisconsin) remediation, Kewaunee Nuclear Generating Station closure implications, and water-intake controversies near Port Washington, Wisconsin.
Clean Wisconsin’s mission centers on protecting water resources such as Lake Superior, safeguarding air quality near urban centers like Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and transitioning energy systems away from fossil fuels toward alternatives championed by proponents of renewable energy and advocates associated with organizations like Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council. The group emphasizes enforcement of statutes including the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, and aligns policy priorities with scientific institutions such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison and research findings from federal agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Program areas include freshwater protection in basins like the Fox River (Wisconsin), Great Lakes stewardship in coordination with the Great Lakes Commission, and climate resilience efforts linked to studies by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Clean Wisconsin undertakes campaigns addressing point-source pollution relevant to industrial facilities regulated under permits issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and engages in litigation in venues including the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. It has campaigned against proposed expansions of coal-fired plants analogous to disputes around Kenosha Power Plant projects and opposed pipelines and extraction projects similar to controversies involving the Enbridge Line 5 corridor in the Straits of Mackinac. Activities include community outreach in cities like Green Bay, Wisconsin, public records litigation invoking the Freedom of Information Act and state equivalents, and ballot-related civic engagement akin to efforts by groups such as League of Conservation Voters during election cycles influenced by governors like Tony Evers and Scott Walker. Education initiatives reference academic partners including Marquette University and environmental reporting by outlets such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The organization operates as a nonprofit with governance structures similar to other advocacy groups, overseen by a board of directors and executive leadership drawn from professionals with legal backgrounds tied to institutions like the American Bar Association and policy experts from think tanks paralleling Environmental Defense Fund. Funding sources include individual donors, foundation grants from entities comparable to the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and membership contributions; it may receive support for litigation from legal foundations akin to the Sierra Club Foundation. Financial operations conform to reporting expectations that involve filings with state agencies and the Internal Revenue Service for nonprofit compliance. Staff and volunteer networks extend across Wisconsin regions such as Dane County, Wisconsin, Racine County, Wisconsin, and Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
Clean Wisconsin has influenced regulatory outcomes through administrative petitions to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and through court challenges in forums including the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Its litigation strategy has intersected with statutory interpretation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and enforcement of consent decrees modeled after settlements involving contaminated sites like the Fox River (Wisconsin). The organization’s advocacy has shaped legislative debates in the Wisconsin Legislature over budget provisions affecting conservation funding and has submitted expert testimony to committees chaired by lawmakers such as those from Milwaukee County. Policy reports and technical comments have referenced scientific analyses from the United States Geological Survey and public health assessments by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Clean Wisconsin collaborates with national and regional partners including Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and the National Wildlife Federation, and participates in coalitions with tribal governments such as the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa Community on Great Lakes issues. It engages with municipal actors like the City of Madison and regional authorities including the Great Lakes Commission for coordinated policy work, and partners with academic entities such as the University of Wisconsin System and advocacy networks like the League of Conservation Voters for electoral and educational campaigns. Cooperative legal efforts have included alliances with public-interest law firms and bar associations in multi-party litigation.
Critics have challenged Clean Wisconsin on grounds similar to those leveled at other environmental NGOs, including debates over litigation tactics in cases adjudicated by courts like the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and concerns about influence from major foundations comparable to the Rockefeller Foundation. Controversies have arisen during high-profile disputes over industrial projects where stakeholders such as utilities listed on the New York Stock Exchange and manufacturing firms have contested regulatory positions, leading to public debate reported by outlets including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and state political coverage in Wisconsin State Journal. Opponents from political coalitions aligned with figures like Scott Walker have criticized regulatory advocacy as affecting job markets in counties such as Kenosha County, Wisconsin and Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
Category:Environmental organizations based in Wisconsin