Producer's Journal - Environment

Badger Ammunition Plant Demolition

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:35:00 -0500

Once again we're out at the Badger Ammunition plant documenting the demolition of the many structures at the former defense plant. After taking down many of the smaller structures which dotted the landscape, crews are now turning their attention to the larger structures which have been landmarks along Highway 12 south of Baraboo since the 1940's. All are supposed to be gone by 2011. Last Friday, state and federal officials gathered to mark the transfer of the first piece of land to the State of Wisconsin. Governor Jim Doyle recalled that when his family went on vacations to the Dells, he had to listen to his father give the history of the plant....every year. The D-N-R hopes to make about half of the land accessible later this year. The remainder of the roughly 3,000 acres will be transferred once the demolition is complete. Another section will be given by the Army to the Ho-Chunk Nation, which plans to graze buffalo on the property. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dairy Forage Research Center has already taken control of land which they had been using while the land was still under Army jurisdiction. At the ceremony on Friday, I talked to Second District Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. The planning for the transfer of the land began even before she took office in 1999. At that time there those who wanted to develop part of the land for industrial use. Baldwin recalled that there were issues about environmental impacts of some of the potential uses. But her take was that both Baraboo and Sauk City-Prairie du Sac had both just opened their own industrial parks and were concerned about adding still more land to the mix. Ten years later, the land will be used for recreation, creating a link between Devil's Lake State Park and the Wisconsin River.

Lake Superior Story

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:20:00 -0500

As I mentioned last week, I was in Ashland reporting on the efforts to clean up the tarry residue left by a manufactured gas plant which has been out of service for nearly three fourths of a century. It's one of the odder Superfund sites I've ever covered since it covers such a limited area. There's a pleasant neighborhood of houses just across from where the plant was located. The plant site itself will likely have to be excavated, but the houses apparently are not affected. There's a large grassy area below the houses which also will have to be dug out....as will an expanse of Chequamegon Bay between two piers. But a popular swimming beach on the opposite side of one of the jetties has a clean bill of health. But the most unusual thing I saw was a stretch of beach made up entirely of wood chips. Some came from the lumber mills which were on the site up until the early 1930's. Some from timbers on the floor of Lake Superior which are chewed by wave action. It's really strange to walk on a beach and feel as if you're stepping on sponges. Hear more about it this fall on In Wisconsin.

Art's Agenda

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:57:00 -0500

We're working on a couple of stories "up north" this week for air this fall on In Wisconsin. The first involves an overview of climate change research underway at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Scientists are taking core samples in Vilas County near Woodruff to see how vegetation changed during past climatic periods. Given that Wisconsin is projected to be warmer in the future, they're hoping to predict what changes there might be in the biology of northern lakeshore areas. And we'll also be in Ashland to report on efforts to clean up an old coal gas plant. Few people today know what "coal gas" is. Before natural gas pipelines brought today's heating fuel up from Texas and points south, gas companies would heat coal to the point methane gas "boiled off." The gas was piped to homes for lighting and cooking. But the coal tar left over has polluted land and water in cities all across Wisconsin. Some have been cleaned up. Ashland, home to what may be the most expensive cleanup of them all, is waiting for final approval from the US EPA. It's going to be a story that mixes environmental and historical reporting. Most of these plants closed over fifty years ago.

Deconstruction Update

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:00:00 -0500

Remember the Badger Army Ammunition plant? The huge facility of World War II era buildings near Baraboo, WI was in the news a lot about fifteen years ago as the Army debated whether to keep it open, albeit in a mothballed state. Then there was debate over who would get custody of the land after the Army declared the property surplus. Then there was a controversy over whether some of the buildings which were laced with explosive residue could be burned since they were too dangerous to pull apart with wrecking equipment. Then, the news stopped. We were out at the plant yesterday to watch what's happening. Many of the smaller buildings are gone. The larger ones are slowly being stripped of smaller pieces of equipment. They will be coming down over the summer. Even sewer pipes, buried since 1942, are being removed, since some of them might contain explosive material. And next month, the first parcel of land to be transferred off Uncle Sam's property inventory will go to the DNR to provide an extension of Devil's Lake State Park. We'll be visiting the plant several times over the summer for a report on In Wisconsin this fall. Expect lots of pictures of what amounts to a time capsule from sixty years ago.

Waukesha Water Diversion

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:09:00 -0500

For those of you who haven't heard, a meeting is being held in Chicago tonight to discuss Waukesha's proposal to divert water from Lake Michigan. This is the first request to divert water outside the Great Lakes Basin since the Great Lakes Compact Council formed in 2008. Making a final decision involves quite a bit of research and the involvement of several states. On top of the many people directly involved in the process, many citizens and groups like The Alliance for the Great Lakes are also weighing in and expressing their concerns. Almost everyone involved shares similar concerns:

What negative effects could each option have on the environment?
Are there any better alternatives available that would provide radium free water?
How will the results of this proposal influence future requests for Great Lakes Water?

If you'd like a little more history on this ongoing issue, check out a report done by Art Hackett back in November called Waukesha Water.

Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Tue, 04 May 2010 13:00:00 -0500

We've been wondering in the news department whether experts and specialists from Wisconsin were responding to the Gulf Coast as the massive oil spill continues to threaten aqua life and wild life and beaches. We're told that the UW Madison School of Veterinary Medicine has not yet sent anyone, but that the word is that veterinarians from zoos across the country are mobilizing. We've got calls in to vets from Madison and Milwaukee and will report back. Of interesting note, reading a bit from the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida, it said they were looking for people to donate hair to fill stockings with to act as oil booms or socks. The Alaqua Animal Refuge website says one pound of hair can absorb one pound of oil.

Earth Day at 40

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:25:00 -0500

Yesterday I experienced a powerful array of speakers at the University of Wisconsin Gaylord Nelson Institute's 'Earth Day at 40' conference in Madison, Wisconsin: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Margaret Atwood, Fisk Johnson and many others. I must admit that before I arrived I wasn't looking forward to a day of sitting indoors but boy did my attitude change once the presentations began. Among a LONG litany of interesting ideas Kennedy laid out how environmental polluters are stealing from our children and clean, renewable energy is the solution; Atwood said drinking shade-grown organic coffee really does make a difference and read an excerpt from her most recent futuristic novel when northern Wisconsin is a desert; Johnson explained the difficult and sometimes costly choices his family's business has made and made me worry about chlorine in plastic wrap (who knew?). Overall the energy, commitment and positive attitude of all the presenters helped me see that there are a LOT of very dedicated and intelligent people picking up where Gaylord Nelson left off. His legacy is in good hands.

John Muir in the New World

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:30:00 -0500

As In Wisconsin first reported back in August 2009. The PBS series American Masters will air a documentary about Wisconsin's own John Muir. (Father of the National Park System) A freelance producer and crew where shooting on the former Muir property in Marquette County (Fountain Lake Farm) last fall for the upcoming documentary called, "John Muir in the New World." The documentary is in editing right now and will be ready to air on Earth Day in mid-April 2011 right here on Wisconsin Public Television. For more information about the documentary and to hear from the series producer you can watch our web extras. Also, only on the web you can learn about Muir's strict religious upbringing, the biggest threats to the Muir property today and find out what the current landowner would say if he ever met John Muir. For more on John Muir's legacy and the Wisconsin man who's walking in his footsteps you can watch our In Wisconsin report about the former Muir property. Click here to watch!

The Big Melt

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:46:00 -0500

Well the big melt is on, at least here in Madison. Last Sunday the crew and I shot in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Arboretum. And why? The Arboretum sponsored a "First Day of Spring" hike and we thought it would make for wonderful visuals for a story I'm shooting on phenology. And what is phenology? phe·nol·o·gy "the science dealing with the influence of climate on the recurrence of such annual phenomena of animal and plant life as budding and bird migrations." Courtesy Dictionary.com What comes up when, what's flying, what's flowering, fading, etc... This story will be part of a series of stories of the Arboretum. To view a previous story, produced by Liz Koerner, click here! So what's coming or going in your neck of the woods? What's the phenology word where you live??????

Groundwater, Deer Population and the Hodag

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:38:00 -0500

There's news to report on the subject of groundwater in Wisconsin. You may remember our stories we broadcast on In Wisconsin in November regarding the "dry lakes" in Waushara County and the declining water tables in the central sands area in general. At that time the legislature was discussing possible changes to the state's groundwater laws. Today(Monday March 8th) Representative Spencer Black (D-Madison) and Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona) are unveiling a revised groundwater protection bill. Some of the folks who live on Long Lake and Huron Lake, or what's left of them, are expected to be present for the legislator's press conference at the U-W Arboretum. We'll be there as well and will have details on Here and Now, Friday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Also this week we'll be heading to Rhinelander to report on the process the DNR uses to estimate the state's deer herd. That's the subject of great debate and of a new study to check the accuracy of the state's population model. But wait, there's more: We think there's a hidden history behind the Hodag. Curious? You'll have to watch In Wisconsin to see what we uncover.

Urban Ecology Center

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:22:00 -0500

This week I am knee-deep in editing. The story is about a program sponsored by the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. This environmental education center has a full calendar of many interesting activities and projects. Our story focuses on a UEC program to train "citizen scientists". The UEC requires that "citizen scientists" are used for all their research projects. These volunteers spend massive hours in training to become skilled at the research tasks of each project. In return, they are very, very invested in these research projects. This story will air in the coming weeks on In Wisconsin. Hope you get a chance to check it out.

Frozen Fingers

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:04:00 -0500

I've learned a whole new appreciation for the people who work outside at airports. We spent about 4 hours videotaping at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee on Wednesday. The story looks at the research being done by the U.S. Geological Survey on deicer runoff downstream from the airport. And, even though it wasn't snowing and only partly cloudy, WOW! it was cold. Kudos to my crew, Rick Fatke and Eric Zitske who never complained and only requested a break when their fingers no longer obeyed commands from their brain. The irony here is that my colleague, JoAnne Garrett, along with cinematographer Frank Boll and sound recordist Kerman Eckes, are probably suffering from too much heat and humidity this week. They're working on a documentary in Costa Rica. I'm sure Joanne will have great stories to tell when she returns.

Some River Time

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:55:00 -0500

Take a trip downriver this week my story on the addition of the Brunsweiler River to the state's Wild River System will air. It's a chance to look at one of the prettiest places in the state. In the heart of winter, it's great fun to dive into "green" footage. Actually, this footage is best described as multi-colored, it was a fall day when we shot. No matter the time/color of year, this is a beautiful place. The section of the Brunsweiler that was saved winds through Ashland County. It was very near and dear to Wisconsin conservationist Martin Hanson and he played a critical role in securing the river's designation as "wild". There are not many state wild rivers, just five: the Brunsweiler, the Pine, the Pike, the Popple, and the Totogatic. Next we'll travel the "Toto" (Totogatic) It too, was just recently added to the state's wild river system. Sit back and enjoy the paddle as we take to the Brunsweiler and next week, the Toto.

Catch Those Carp Part 2

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:15:00 -0500

I'm on week two of coverage of the Asian carp story. Last week I was watching the poisoning of a six mile stretch of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to clear all fish out of the water while the electrical barrier against the carp is down for maintenance. This week I'm talking to fishermen around Door County. They've had their eyes on the exotic species for ten years, ever since the fish started moving up the Mississippi River. The lake re-opens for commercial fishing December first. Fishermen like Jeff Weborg of Gill's Rock stay on the water until the ice gets too thick. The ice was already forming around the dock while he unloaded three thousand pounds of whitefish. While biologists are uncertain whether the Asian carp, which have a tendency to take over water bodies where they reside, will thrive in the Great Lakes, these people who depend on the lakes for a living don't want to find out the hard way. I'll have that report on Here and Now on Friday, 12/11, at 7:30pm.

Catch Those Carp!

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:31:00 -0500

Many of you have been following the progress (if you want to call it that) of Asian carp up the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The big fish are fugitives from southern catfish farms and fishermen and environmental agencies are concerned about what will happen if they make it into the Great Lakes. The canal draws water from Lake Michigan so there's a direct connection. The Corps of Engineers had installed an electrified barrier near Lockport, Illinois to try and keep the fish out of the Great Lakes, but DNA tests released two weeks ago, show the invasive species has made it past the "fence." This week the Illinois DNR will be treating a six mile stretch of the canal with Rotenone to poison all the fish in that section. The goal is to catch any that might have slipped past. Researchers would like to come up with some actual specimens to back up the DNA tests, but they admit finding them among hundreds of thousands of other floating fish will be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. We'll be there to document the activity for this week's Here and Now program and hopefully for an expanded report later on. I'd also like to mention that I've entered the brave new world of Twitter. I'll keep you posted on what's going on around the news and public affairs unit.