Director pleased with city's 'green' reputation

From a Business Journal interview with Ann Beier, Milwaukee’s director of environmental sustainability, conducted by Pete Millard:1. Since your appointment just over two years ago, what’s been your most satisfying achievement?“The most satisfying achievement has been the overall success of Mayor Barrett’s sustainability initiatives. I am also pleased with Milwaukee’s reputation as a ‘green’ city. Each year, Sustain Lane, a nonprofit group that provides information on sustainability practices for individuals, businesses and governments, ranks the 50 largest U.S. cities for their sustainability programs. In 2008, Milwaukee was ranked 12th. This a move up from 16th in the prior ranking. This is an important recognition and shows how well we are doing among much larger cities.We’ve also been named...

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Industry needs wind technicians, training standards

From a story by John Krerowicz in the Kenosha News:The need for wind energy technician training is not a lot of hot air, said those involved in a conference to be held here on the topic.The summit is expected to draw 50 participants from the industry and technical colleges on Jan. 6-7 at Snap-on’s Innovation Works. The renovated building, on the company’s headquarters site, 2801 80th St., was the production factory until it closed in 2004.Representatives from Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, Wis., Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater, Texas, and Iowa Lakes Community College are expected to attend.One goal of the gathering is to designate representatives to be liaisons with lawmakers in Madison and Washington, D.C., where the new administration is expected to be more receptive...

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Repower America and rebuild Wisconsin’s economy

From a guest column by Dan Kohler and Rep. Andy Jorgenson in the Janesville GazetteXtra:“We have the opportunity now to create jobs all across this country in all 50 states to repower America, to redesign how we use energy and think about how we are increasing efficiency to make our economy stronger, make us more safe, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make us competitive for decades to come—even as we save the planet.” -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, Dec. 8We couldn’t agree more. Our slumping economy is taking its toll, leaving all of us with a sense of anxiety about the future. But we have a tremendous opportunity to rebuild our economy across the country and here in Wisconsin, and to do it on a solid foundation.President-elect Obama and the new Congress should enact a green...

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Solar panels boost Milwaukee company

From a story by Ken Reibel in the Milwaukee Express:Jack Daniels, co-owner of Milwaukee-based Hot Water Products, one of the largest distributors of thermal solar panels in the Midwest, isn’t one to go with the flow. “We’re not waiting for business to come to us,” says Daniels, whose partner, Howard Endres, began selling high-efficiency water heaters and boilers in 1998. Daniels nudged his partner into the solar panel business three years ago, soon after Daniels became a partner in the company. Solar thermal panels circulate and heat water, an efficient supplement to natural gas or electric systems. Hot water can also be passed through a furnace or boiler to heat a house or business. Today, the company designs and engineers systems for homes and businesses, and hires contractors for installations....

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Big oil vs. big lakes

From an article by Dan Egan in the Superior Telegram:SUPERIOR — There is indeed a growing awareness of just how precious the Great Lakes are — and will be — in a century in which many are predicting fresh water will become more coveted than oil.The significance of this can’t be underestimated for a system of linked lakes that hold 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water and 90 percent of the nation’s.Recognizing the lakes’ ecological and economic value, President George W. Bush this fall signed the Great Lakes Compact, which prohibits most water diversions outside the Great Lakes basin. Bush signed the measure after the compact received overwhelming bipartisan support from the eight Great Lakes state legislatures, as well as the U.S. House and Senate.Its passage is the latest example...

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Regional transit authority and a commuter rail line still deserve widespread support

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Transit supporters have taken a couple of hits recently, casting doubt on both the creation of a regional transit authority and system, and the development of a critical element of such a system, a commuter rail line linking Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha. Nevertheless, the transit authority and the KRM line are still proposals that deserve widespread support if the region wants to build effective regional mass transit that would provide a number of benefits, including fostering economic development.A regional transit system could improve bus service in Milwaukee County and other areas, as well as help create better intercounty connections to help workers get to jobs. The KRM can help provide a reliable speedy mass transit link along the eastern...

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Solar workshops planned for Milwaukee area

A media release issued by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association:Milwaukee, WI – Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity and other funders, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) is now offering a wide variety of solar courses in the Milwaukee area. These courses range from introductory seminars to hands-on installation training. “We are very excited to be working with our partners in the Milwaukee area to offer high quality solar training for home and business owners,” said Tehri Parker, Executive Director of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. “Our goals for this program are two fold: to build a solid base of knowledge and enthusiasm for these technologies among Milwaukee residents, and to train a dependable workforce that can scope, install, and maintain these...

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Racine school adds solar electricity to sell to utility

From a story John Dobberstein in the Racine Journal Times:RACINE — Bringing a modern amenity to an aging building, contractors Thursday continued installing solar panels on the roof of Walden III School.The sun peeked out from the clouds during the frosty morning as electricians wired up two banks of solar panels that, when operational, will boost Walden’s certification with the state as a “Green and Healthy School.”Between three major grants and several student fundraisers, the community at Walden III, 1012 Center St., raised more than $140,000 in about a year’s time to have 70 205-watt panels purchased and installed on the roof.Walden will sell the electricity generated by the 14.4-kilowatt system back to We Energies at twice the rate the utility sells it for. The profits, estimated at $4,000a...

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New study questions commuter rail line; author's integrity quetioned

From a story by Larry Sandler in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:A new study by a libertarian think tank claims the projected economic benefits of a proposed Milwaukee-to-Kenosha commuter rail line have been inflated and questions its ridership estimates.But a business leader noted that the author of the study, Los Angeles-based transit consultant Tom Rubin, took a far more positive view of the $200 million project in June, when pro-transit business leaders were pushing the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority to hire him as the authority's consultant. And a regional planner said the commuter rail projections were sound.The Reason Foundation study, being released today, says the transit authority should consider express buses as an alternative to the KRM Commuter Link, which would...

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Energy efficiency evaluation can save homeowners hundreds of dollars

From an article article by Deneen Smith in the Kenosha News:Shawn Henoch can’t wait for frigid weather and the first serious heating bills of winter.“I’m really looking forward to January and February to see,” Henoch said. “Who is excited to get their electric bill? But I am.”Henoch hired a company to do an energy efficiency overhaul of her 60-year-old Kenosha home this year. The work was completed in June, and she said she’s already seen a dramatic reduction in her energy bills and an improvement in the coziness-factor of her home.The project sealed air leaks in the house, added insulation in the walls and ceiling, and replaced an old, inefficient furnace and air conditioner.Before the overhaul, her typical winter heating bills were about $400 “and that was keeping my heat set at 67 or 68,”...

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Mini wind turbine proposal blows into West Allis

From an article by Mark Schaff in West Allis Now:West Allis residents will get the chance next week to tell the city if proposed restrictions blow too gently or too hard when it comes to an alternative energy source for local homes.A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, on an ordinance that would allow West Allis residents to install mini wind turbines on their properties. The public hearing will come at the beginning of the Common Council meeting at City Hall, 7525 W. Greenfield Ave.On Dec. 3, the Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of the ordinance.Wind proponentEarlier this year, resident Conrad LeBeau asked the city to change its municipal code so he could install such a system at his residence.LeBeau, who has long been interested in alternative energy,...

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Doyle adds Milwaukee-Madison rail to wish list

From a story by Mark Pitsch in the Wisconsin State Journal:The start of a commuter rail line between Madison and Milwaukee, a new UW-Madison medical research tower and expansion of Interstate 94 are among the local projects Gov. Jim Doyle says could be started within months if federal lawmakers pass a massive economic stimulus bill for states.Doyle met with members of President-elect Barack Obama's economic team and incoming chief of staff Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday and presented them a list of those and other projects he says the state has ready to go, his office said.Over all, the state has nearly 1,800 projects worth $3.7 billion that could be ready to start within 120 days if it receives funding under the bill being worked on in Congress — though it's too early to say how much Wisconsin...

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More waste could generate more electricity at Jones Island

From an article by Don Behm in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:Sun seekers and swimmers put off by slimy, foul-smelling cladophora algae covering Lake Michigan beaches and rocky shorelines in summer have a pair of new allies in the ongoing battle with the nuisance plant: Daniel Zitomer and hungry microbes.Where some see a putrid eyesore, Zitomer sees a sweet opportunity to make energy.Allow bacteria and other microbes known as archaea to digest the stringy algae in enclosed tanks and the end product is methane, said Zitomer, an associate professor of engineering and director of the Water Quality Center at Marquette University.The same goes for animal droppings at the Milwaukee County Zoo, as well as waste from food processing, candy making or even distilling liquor. Each is rich in organic...

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Milwaukee-Madison train service cost soars

From an article on Milwaukee Rising:The capital cost of developing Milwaukee-Madison train service has soard 25% to 50% in just two years, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.The cost was estimated at $400 million when the 2007-09 budget was developed, according to the agency’s budget request.“As with all other infrastructure projects, the estimated cost has increased significantly in the last two years due to high fuel and materials costs,” the department said. ”While the final cost will not be known until the final design and engineering are completed, the project cost is currently estimated at $500 – $600 million, including all design, engineering, capital infrastructure costs, and equipment costs.”WisDOT is seeking $40 million in new bonding authority for the project,...

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Transit construction creates more jobs than highways

From a fact sheet of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership:Transportation policy has a strong, positive relationship with job creation and access. The transportation system should support job creation and grant all people access to good jobs. Unlike past transportation decisions that have focused on short-term solutions and have ignored large sections of the population, modern transportation investments must expand opportunities and improve quality of life. . . .In recent years, proponents of increased investment in new highway capacity have used job-creation as a rallying cry for their cause, saying that money spent on these new roads will lead to a surge in new jobs. While transportation investment should not be seen as primarily a jobs program, economic studies indicate that transit...

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Sustainable homes in Milwaukee

"Pragmatic Construction is building two sustainable homes in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee. These homes are targeting LEED-H Platinum certification," including passaive solar design and options of solar hotwater and solar electricity, according to its Web site which calls the company a "green design-build firm specializing in the integration of multiple green principles and technologie...

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An interview with Eco-hatchery owner Adam Borut

From a post on the Greener Milwaukee blog:I conducted a short interview on a local business owner, Adam Borut and his partner's start-up called, Eco-hatchery. Their focus is on Green gift packs that could come in handy this holiday season... what do you think?0. Who are you?Eco Hatchery is a Milwaukee based company dedicated to helping homeowners reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.1. How did you get started with this Hatchery business?My business partner and I were discussing the challenge of moving from environmental consciousness to action. In talking with friends and family, we found most were environmentally conscious, but had done little in their personal lives to take action. They were overwhelmed by information, and short on time. We sought to develop a collection...

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Regional transit bill dead for now

From a story Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:The special legislative committee charged with creating a regional transit authority bill is dead.State Rep. Alvin Ott, chairman of the Legislative Council Special Committee on Regional Transportation Authority, on Tuesday informed the Joint Legislative Council by letter that he would not convene any more committee meetings.Citing changes in political leadership, economic conditions and the projected $5.4 billion state budget deficit, Ott said it would not be prudent to set up a new taxing authority until the economy improves. But Len Brandrup, a committee member and director of Kenosha’s Transportation Department, said the state can’t afford to wait any longer for an RTA bill.“We have no choice but to get a bill this session,” he said. “We can’t...

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