By Sr. Rose Marie Dischler
As a resident of Racine who lives just two miles south of the Oak Creek power plant, I care about our lands, water, air, and all communities in Wisconsin. Fossil fuels are a dirty and increasingly uneconomical way to provide for our energy needs.
Wisconsin’s energy landscape has changed dramatically in the last year. Four coal plants were announced for retirement, ha host of new clean energy projects were introduced, and Governor Tony Evers’ Task Force on Climate Change released a report that outlines a path to 100 % carbon-free energy.
Recommendation #47 of that report calls on the state to avoid all new fossil fuel infrastructure, including Dairyland Power Coop’s proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center fossil gas plant in Superior and Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 re-route in northern Wisconsin. It is crucial that both of these proposed projects be canceled from consideration. They would only further devastate the environment, risk the health of Indigenous and Communities of Color and be wasteful to the economy. Our state needs to be investing in more clean energy with good-paying jobs.
It is imperative that we follow through on the Task Force report’s recommendations. I ask Governor Evers, out utilities, and our legislators to do just that.