 *2
BILLION GALLONS A DAY -“The Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources on Thursday issued a
draft water pollution permit modification which will
allow We Energies to operate the offshore cooling water
intake built for the expansion of the Oak Creek power
plant. The intake, capable of pulling in about 2 billion
gallons of water per day from Lake Michigan, has been
under fire from environmentalists and other states
because of its potential to destroy small aquatic
creatures and change the local lake’s water temperature
and thus lake ecology…The once-through system will draw
in water, send it through the power plants to cool
equipment, and then return it to the lake. Opponents of
this system say that it will kill too many fish and
small organisms which will die either from being pulled
against lake bottom screens or drawn through machinery,
and that it will alter the local ecology when warmed
water is pumped directly back into the lake.” SOURCE -
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2008/05/09/local_news/doc482330bb7fb73317891987.txt.
*“WE
LIVE OUTDOORS” -“The outdoor store REI has
pulled all bottles containing a potentially harmful but
common chemical found in plastic off its shelves, and
Gander Mountain is phasing them out as well. REI's
decision was made on the heels of an announcement by the
bottle company Nalgene to replace its "outdoor" line of
containers with alternatives free of bisphenol A… In the
last couple of weeks, the U.S. and Canada have called
for concern regarding the plastic chemical. The U.S.
National Toxicology Program said the chemical posed some
concern for fetuses, infants and children, and the
Canadian government is considering a ban on all baby
products containing bisphenol A. David Ewald, a
spokesman for Gander Mountain, said the company still
has some plastic bottles containing bisphenol A on its
store shelves, but the company will not order any more.”
SOURCE -
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=745825.
*PUBLIC
WELL CONTAMINATION –“The Madison Water
Utility called for a temporary shutdown of a water
source near the University of Wisconsin campus after
routine testing recorded unsatisfactory results Tuesday.
The bacteria discovered in Well No. 15, known as total
coliform, is bacteria commonly used as an indicator of
other bacteria in food and water… The Water Utility was
relieved to find tests for E. coli and fecal coliform
came back negative, DeMorrett also said. According to
Tom Stunkard, public water supply engineer with the
Department of Natural Resources, the absence of these
bacteria ‘tells us that something is going on with the
well or [DNR’s] sampling methods, [but] there are no
health risks from total coliform alone.’ Stunkard said
Madison takes bacteria samples every day to ensure the
public water supply is safe.” SOURCE -
http://badgerherald.com/news/2008/04/30/well_closed_due_to_c.php.
*PRIVATE
WELL CONTAMINATION –“Residents in Cooperstown
whose wells tested positive for contamination earlier
this year may be eligible for state aid, a state
Department of Natural Resources official said Thursday.
Mike Hanaway, DNR water supply specialist, said he sent
out information packets to 54 town residents this week.
But about 14 residents had positive tests for
contamination and likely would be eligible for well
compensation, he said. Water sampled from more than a
dozen wells in the town contained E. coli and other
bacteria and high nitrate levels, according to tests
conducted by the Manitowoc County Health Department.
Some wells had nitrate levels five times higher than
allowed under federal drinking water standards, test
results showed.” SOURCE -
http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/MAN0101/80501078/1358/MANnews.
*“IF
YOU CAN’T BEAT THEM, JOIN THEM” –“A La Crosse
city worker has become the first in what appears might
be a long line of candidates to take out papers for a
2009 mayoral bid.” SOURCE -
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/05/07/newsupdate/12mayor.txt.
*DID
YOU KNOW? –Wisconsin has 334 Watersheds.
QUOTE - “There are no
shortcuts to any place worth going.”
Beverly Sills
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