Utility to build over toxic sludge at former sewage plant on Madison’s Northside
Above: Burke sewage plant “trickling filters” built around 1916. Photo from Wisconsin Historical Society ******* One of Madison’s long-standing corporate powerhouses, Madison Gas & Electric (MGE), plans to build a…
Madison’s long history of racist planning and development
Madison newspaper The Cap Times published this column on October 8. Column Madison’s long history of racist planning and development By Maria Powell | executive director, Midwest Environmental Justice Organization…
Development disparities: Madison’s classist, racist beginnings are alive and well in 2020
Photo: Oscar Mayer in 1947 (Wisconsin State Journal archives) ********** Flying in the face of its stated commitment to racial equity and social justice, Madison is as racist and classist…
Madison alders approved city’s first environmental justice policy this summer–without knowing it
Dane County and Madison have some of the worst racial disparities in the nation. Elected officials vow time and again to fix things, but when there’s a choice between doing…
Firefighting Foam Action in Wisconsin
From International Fire Fighter Vicki Quint Water contamination issues from PFAS are creating pressure on the fire service to make changes in toxic AFFF products. PFAS contamination of drinking water…
Faith Leaders Oppose F-35 Fighter Jets
A full-page ad appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal on July 29, 2020 – speaking against the F-35 fighter jets for reasons of social and environmental justice, and world peace.…
Madison Juneteenth rally today
Madison Juneteenth rally Friday, June 19th, 7pm at Olin Park Read Natalie Yahr’s Cap Times article about the history of Juneteenth Day and the Madison event here and below. ********…
Police brutality and environmental injustices are connected
(Image from The Nation) MEJO condemns the brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer–and commends Black Lives Matter, other racial justice activists, and all…
Northside teens push for creek clean-up after new sediment tests find high levels of PFAS — again
By Oona Mackesey-Green, Northside News (photo by Garth Olmanson) When the test results came back in February showing high levels of PFAS in the sediment at Starkweather Creek, a foot…
Capital City Hues on MEJO & EMCC Starkweather PFAS testing (Part 2)
East Madison Community Center (EMCC) Starkweather project team members Mack Rimson, Kenyan Harper, and Elijah Smith (left to right) at a Starkweather Creek tributary, November 2019 (Photo: Maria Powell) **********…
Capital City Hues on MEJO & EMCC Starkweather PFAS testing (Part I)
MEJO and EMCC team meets to discuss Starkweather results in late February (Photo by Jim Powell) *********** Jonathan Gramling of Capital City Hues met with MEJO leaders and East Madison…
PFAS, COVID and potential environmental racism
By Brad Geyer, Safe Skies, Clean Water The draft environmental impact study acknowledged that there will be “significant disproportionate impacts to low-income and minority populations as well as children.” Although…
Decision to base F-35s in Madison ignores public health concerns
By Bruce Barrett and Paula Rogge, Cap Times Today we are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. Our federal, state and local government officials have been working hard to contain the…
Starkweather Creek PFAS sediment testing in the news
Photo (Maria Powell): Bridges Golf Course ditch flowing into Starkweather Creek, where the highest levels of PFOS were found Nice coverage by a Madison newspaper of our Starkweather Creek sediment…
Earth Day 1970 in Madison, Wisconsin
Fifty years ago, on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day events were held across the United States, spearheaded by Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Madison) and Dennis Hayes, a Harvard Kennedy…