Clean Wisconsin applauds Gov. Tony Evers for unveiling a strong, sensible, and comprehensive budget Tuesday amid the many challenges facing Wisconsinites.
“Gov. Evers understands the compounding challenges Wisconsinites are facing right now, whether it be the pandemic, unsafe drinking water, or the impacts from climate change,” said Carly Michiels, director of government relations for Clean Wisconsin. “Water quality and clean energy are bipartisan issues, and many of the solutions will both help Wisconsin families and sustain a strong economy.”
Gov. Evers has continued to make water quality protections a key tenet of his administration, including major investments to tackle PFAS contamination, funding to replace lead service lines, and investing in solutions to address rural drinking water pollution.
The Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change put forth a sweeping set of policy proposals aimed at cutting carbon emissions while protecting public health and boosting the economy through clean energy jobs. Some of these important initiatives supported in Gov. Evers’ budget proposal include addressing critical infrastructure damage due to flooding caused by climate change, doubling funding for the state’s energy efficiency program, Focus on Energy, and investing in renewable energy research and green jobs.
The pandemic has made it clear how intrinsically linked public health is to environmental health. The Office of Environmental Justice is another important budget initiative to address the social and environmental disparities in our communities, which is essential to improving public health and ensuring everyone benefits from a healthier environment.
“This budget reflects the governor’s understanding that eliminating drinking water pollution can save millions of dollars in health costs, and that tackling climate change can create good paying, clean energy jobs,” said Michiels. “These important clean water and clean energy initiatives are important to the health of Wisconsin families but also for a strong economy.”
Clean Wisconsin looks forward to working with Gov. Evers and the state legislature to pass a strong and comprehensive budget for Wisconsin’s families and the environment.
