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Your Monthly Climate Digest

See your impact this year! Scroll down for more.

Hi John,

You made a huge impact on Wisconsin this year.

This year has been a whirlwind! But, together, we made significant strides to move our state forward to a healthier future. We’re seeing real changes to address the climate crisis from the federal to the local level.

These are some of the highlights your membership made possible in 2023 (scroll down for more details):

• You helped us elect Justice Janet Protasiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
• Conservation champions were elected around the state in April. 
• Native voters turned out in record numbers where Wisconsin Native Vote program, a program of our sister org Wisconsin Conservation Voices, focused their efforts.
• $125 million in the state budget was allocated to addressing PFAS contamination.
• We knocked 75,000 doors to help people realize the benefits of Pres. Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan.
• Green Bay passed the Clean Energy Green Bay Plan.

You made this happen. Your membership powers this movement and without your volunteer hours, calls to legislators, generous donations, and involvement, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Your membership is also powering the conservation voter movement around the country. Earlier this month I gathered with the national League of Conservation Voters leadership team and fellow executive directors from the 30 state leagues across the country to plan for the year ahead and to celebrate some major wins. Michigan’s governor recently signed a commitment to 100 percent clean energy (a victory that is already reverberating across the country). Virginia is celebrating recent legislative victories. The amazing re-election of Boise Mayor Lauren McLean (who is a climate champion and was present at the COP28 conference) is so inspiring, as are Ohio’s recent victories, and so many more examples of progress across our movement. I know that if we all keep working together, we have what it takes to engage voters and protect our hard-won progress on climate, clean water, and democracy in 2024.  

Sincerely, thank you for being a conservation voter. I can’t wait to hit the ground running in 2024!

Happy holidays and happy new year,

Kerry Schumann

Executive Director

The election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz and conservation champions across Wisconsin

The year started off with our largest spring election program in history. Wisconsin Conservation Voters Independent Expenditure Committee (IEC) talked to thousands of voters about our endorsed candidates and invested more than $1.5 million to elect conservation champions up and down the ballot.

Thanks to your support, Justice Janet Protasiewicz was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving our state a real chance for fair maps. Additionally, we helped re-elect Mayor Eric Genrich in Green Bay, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway in Madison, Mayor Cory Mason in Racine, and many other important local races.

Read more >

Native voters turnout in record numbers where the Wisconsin Native Vote was active

Also in April, Wisconsin Native Vote, a program under our 501c3 sister organization Wisconsin Conservation Voices, worked alongside tribal nations to increase voter turnout by an astounding 130 percent in Red Cliff and 75 percent in Menominee, along with increases in other communities. Their success comes from their commitment to building deep partnerships with tribal governments and leaders across the state.

The Native Vote team and the Native American Rights Fund hosted two major events in Red Cliff and Milwaukee to educate voters on the role of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and how to vote in the April election.

Read more in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel >

Make a tax-deductible year-end donation to support Wisconsin Native Vote >

$125 million in the state budget for addressing PFAS contamination

Your continued push for clean water and meetings with your legislators at Conservation Lobby Day led to an unprecedented $125 million in the state budget to clean up PFAS contamination.

PFAS chemicals are now a known statewide concern because of our years of advocacy. We still need to pass legislation to direct where that money will be spent. We will stay in this fight until impacted communities' needs are prioritized and corporate polluters are held accountable. 

Read more >

Helping people realize the benefits of Pres. Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan

In 2022, you were part of a national movement that pushed Congress and Pres. Biden to pass the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – all part of Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan. Now in 2023, we’re already seeing major federal investments from those laws come into our state. 

We already knocked on 76,000 doors to make people aware of how they can take advantage of these benefits by improving their homes and getting electric cars. This is the largest climate investment in U.S. history and now everyday people can be part of the solution. 

Passing the Clean Energy Green Bay Plan

To finish the year strong, Green Bay just passed their Clean Energy Green Bay Plan, laying out a roadmap for the city to reach 100 percent clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050. Our Green Bay team organized locally for over five years to make this happen!

Your help re-electing Mayor Eric Genrich in April was crucial to getting this plan over the finish line. Additionally, our members in Green Bay called their common council members and testified and the hearing to encourage city officials to vote for this plan. 

Read more >

Wisconsin Conservation Voters
133 S. Butler Street Suite 320
Madison, WI 53703
United States

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