2022 Year in Review- Thanks for a great year!

Here are some of the highlights from the year.  Thank you for making this possible. (Consider making a donation to support all of the work we've accomplished together this year.)

January

• In response to the public pushback, Manitowoc Power canceled plans to build a small gas plant 
• The Sierra Club Book Club kicked off in January with a discussion of Emergent Strategies. Throughout the year, the Book Club met every two months to discuss a different book. 
• All six Issue Teams met in January to reset their Team goals, reengage with one-another, create campaign plans for the year. 

February 

• Over 150 people testified at the hearing on the Line 5 pipeline. The hearing lasted over 10 hours and 88% of the testifiers opposed the pipeline. 
• Wolves are put back on the Endangered Species List
• The Biden Administration announces plans to scrutinize (through an environmental assessment) plans to subsidize Dairyland Power’s NTEC gas plant proposal
• Every Kid Outdoor bill passes Assembly and Senate Committees
• Wisconsin celebrates Transit Equity Day with several proclamations, including one from Governor Evers, and educational events around the state. 
• Dozens of potential volunteers attended the 2022 Virtual Volunteer Fair and got connected to the Sierra Club Teams, Committees, and Groups. 

March

• Sierra Club members and partners submit over 250 resolutions for the Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing
• Wisconsin adopts first rules regulating PFAS. 
• In response to dozens of organizations calling on Governor Evers to veto the Riot Bill, he vetoed the bill in early March. 
• Exceeded our goal in the Big Share- for this year’s Big Share, we exceeded our fundraising goal and featured our ‘story’ about why we do the work we do.

April

• The Public Service Commission approved the creation of a pilot program that would target neighborhoods in Milwaukee suffering from high energy burden for a weatherization and efficiency program. 
• As the Line 5 comment period closed, over 32,000 people submitted comments about the Line 5 pipeline.   
• Aquila failed to get permits to build the Back 40 mine, putting the project on hold.
• Wisconsinites support clean water, land and wildlife protection in Conservation Congress Spring Hearings- 84.5% support clean water; 80% support Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, 79.4% support getting politics out of conservation, 76.7% support Every Kid Outdoors program

May

• Sierra Club members celebrate at our annual Locally Grown, Nationally Known house party - Our annual house party was another success, featuring Cain’s Blueberry and Apple Orchard, and excellent, locally grown recipes.  Together, we raised over $12,000!
• Coalition Renews Call for Fix At Six Solution for I-94 in Milwaukee with a week of activities including launch Fix at Six yard signs, a press conference, a walk of one of the impacted neighborhoods, and more. 

June

• Hundreds of water protectors joined together as part of Communities United by Water to celebrate the area’s water and call for the shutdown of Line 5.
• The Water Team hosted a screening of Little Big Farm highlighting solutions to some of the bad farming practices causing water pollution in Wisconsin.
• Leaders in the Four Lakes Group and Great Waters Group renewed their trainings and certifications to lead outings around the state.
• The Environmental Protection Agency created new health advisories for some of the most dangerous PFAS and PFOA substances.
• Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, the bill that could provide millions of dollars a year annually for Wisconsin’s endangered species passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

July

• Sierra Club and other members of the Clean Power Coalition called on We Energies to create a plan to move off of fossil fuels and invest in clean energy. 
• Community members in the Ashland area worked together to release the Line 5 Self-Guided Tour to give people an opportunity to explore the special and unique places threatened by Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute proposal.

August

• EPA weighs in on NTEC and pointed out the climate pollution of the proposal, the disproportionate impacts to Native people, and called on Dairyland to submit plans that are aligned with President Biden’s commitments on climate change.
• The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, securing bold action on climate change and funding for clean energy programs. 

September

• Sierra Club Wisconsin releases our 2021-22 Legislative Scorecard- 43 state lawmakers scored a perfect 100% on the scorecard and have been named “2022 Environmental Champion” for their demonstrated commitment to preserving Wisconsin’s environment. 
• Three Chapter volunteers, Liz Wessel, Zane Franke, and Andrea Collins won National Sierra Club Awards and were honored at a virtual celebration.

October

• Dozens of volunteers go through all 32,000 Line 5 comments and highlight top concerns: climate change, Lake Superior and other water impacts, respect of treaty rights, and more.
• The Sierra Club released the second edition of its ground-breaking report, The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges, that exposes how most major electric utilities, including WEC Energy Group, greenwash their climate action commitments.
• Hundreds attend Wolf Awareness Week activities including a presentation on the importance of wolves to the Ojibwe creation story, a discussion on the biology and ecological significance of wolves, and a live-stream of wolves at the  Seacrest Wolf Preserve.

November

• Dozens testify and thousands submit comments in opposition to We Energies’ proposed rate increase.  People called for lower rates and action on energy burden disparities.
• Wisconsin re-elected Governor Evers and had the highest voter turnout in the country in the fall 2022 elections. 
• National Sierra Club named Ben Jealous as its next Executive Director.

December

• Hundreds submit comments and testify on the state's proposal to expand the I94 highway and call for the Fix at Six solution instead.
• The DNR released a draft Wolf Management plan that centers science, Tribal input, and public opinion. 
• Dozens attend the UN’s Biodiversity Conference and call for protection of the Great Lakes from the threat of Line 5 by participating in the March for Biodiversity, a teach-in, and a formal panel.
• Sierra Club Wisconsin volunteers were celebrated through social media, blog posts, stories, and more during Volunteer Appreciation Week.
• Sierra Club Wisconsin volunteers Amy Mueller, Diane Cain, Kathy Allen, Rich Wentzel, and Pat Wilson were celebrated at the annual Awards Ceremony. Natural Resources Board Member Marcy West and partner organization Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action also won awards.