Dear John,

When Gov. Evers introduced his state budget in February, we were really excited.

After listening to conservation voters across the state, the governor’s budget included a wide variety of initiatives and items that directly addressed some of our most pressing statewide environmental, health, and democracy issues. And, they did it with a deep emphasis on equity.

Clean water, clean energy, and a healthy democracy are the keys to a brighter, more equitable, and more successful future here in Wisconsin. Now, those priorities are in jeopardy because the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, Sen. Howard Marklein and Rep. Mark Born announced that one of the first actions they are going to take on the budget this Thursday is to strip out key natural resource initiatives that you made clear were priorities for the state.

We need you to contact your state Representative and Senator and ask them to support these key conservation priorities and keep them in the state budget.

Here’s what at risk of being stripped out of the state budget with a single vote on Thursday:

Clean water

Expediting efforts to set PFAS standards for drinking water and surface waters, similar to the Clear Act from last session.
Holding responsible parties accountable for PFAS pollution when it threatens our environment and public health.

Clean energy and climate change

Establishing an Office of Environmental Justice and the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy.
Local government risk assessments and resiliency plans for climate change.
Increasing the Focus on Energy program from 1.2 to 2.4 percent of operating revenues and lowing the threshold for low income households to be able to take advantage of energy saving programs.

Healthy democracy

Creating automatic voter registration.

Please contact your legislators and tell them they need to support keeping these conservation initiatives in the state budget.