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About the Conservation Congress
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) is a board that is made up of elected delegates from each county, and they give input to the Natural Resources Board (NRB) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on what priorities they should focus on. Usually, the Conservation Congress holds annual hearings in each county around the state to hear input from citizens, but they have recently moved online in a new virtual voting format. Voting for the Conservation Congress is an important and unique way to voice your opinion on our environmental future.
Residents submit resolutions that they think should be a priority for the DNR, and people in the same county can vote on that resolution. If it passes in that county, the resolution will move on to a statewide vote the following year. Each year when you vote, you will vote on statewide resolutions and recently proposed resolutions in your county that can potentially determine what the DNR prioritizes.
When giving your online input to the Conservation Congress this year, among other questions, you will be asked if you support opposition to Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute and if you support the acceptance of the Every Kid Outdoors pass at Wisconsin State Parks. It’s important to vote “yes” on both of these questions. The reroute doesn’t change the fact that Line 5 puts our wildlife, wetlands, and people at unnecessary risk, and the Every Kid Outdoors pass would allow every fourth grader and their family to access our state parks and enjoy Wisconsin’s beautiful nature for free. You can see our other positions on the Conservation Congress questionnaire in our Voter Guide below.
This year, there may also be two resolutions up for vote in your county that we encourage you to support: “Avoid All New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure” and “Imposing Stricter Regulations on PFAS Chemicals”. The first one follows a recommendation made by the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change and calls for the DNR to prevent any new fossil fuel projects. Proposed projects like Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute and the NTEC fossil gas plant threaten to increase our dependency on fossil fuels while putting the health and safety of our communities at risk. The other proposed resolution advocates for stronger PFAS protections and the creation of PFAS clean up processes. These chemicals are found in food packaging, Teflon, and other materials, and they threaten human health and aquatic ecosystems through water contamination. Stronger regulations are needed to preserve our access to clean drinking water and protect the species that rely on our waterways and wetlands.
Written by Beto Spielvogel, Organizing Intern with the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter
Online Voting: April 12 - 15
This year, Wisconsin residents will be able to vote from 7PM on April 12 to 7PM on April 15. Voting is done through online ballot, and please feel free to use the Sierra Club guide below!
On the online ballot, select "Yes" for if you would like to provide input on the Citizen Resolutions submitted for your county of residence (if the No New Fossil Fuels and PFAS resolutions are on your ballot, this is where they'll be located).
Voter Guide
Looking for a text version of our Voter Guide? Find one here.
