Posted inEconomy, Environment, Government, Money & Politics

Wisconsin wetlands seen as threat to jobs

On Feb. 2, 2011, the Legislature voted to exempt a little patch of land, less than a mile down the road from the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field, from the state’s wetlands rules, once called “the strongest wetland protections in the country.” The bill, passed on World Wetlands Day, will let up to three acres of the so-called Bergstrom wetland be filled with no additional permits or process.

Posted inEnvironment, Government, Health & Welfare

Under legal pressure, Wisconsin coal-fired power plants curb emissions

Dairyland and other Wisconsin coal-fired plants have begun lowering emissions, but not necessarily in response to demands by pollution regulators. Many of the changes have resulted from pressure and lawsuits brought by the nonprofit Sierra Club, which has campaigned for a decade to cut emissions from coal combustion. But enforcement is inconsistent, and some residents living in the shadow of coal plants are concerned their health may be affected.

Posted inGovernment, Justice & Safety, Security after 9/11: 10 Years Later

At Lambeau Field and beyond, how a police force stepped up security after 9/11

Ever notice that semitrailer parked on Lombardi Avenue during Green Bay Packers home games? It’s there to prevent possible vehicles armed with explosives from getting anywhere close to Lambeau Field, said Green Bay police Lt. Jim Runge. That security tactic, often unnoticed by many, goes a long way toward ensuring fans’ safety, he said. Since 9/11, law enforcement agencies and emergency responders nationwide have received federal funding for new equipment and logged hours of special training to be prepared for a large-scale crisis.