Clean Water Updates
Short posts and shared links to latest news on clean water issues pertinent to Northern Wisconsin.
Posted October 8th, 2026- Raptor Education Group Inc (REGI) shares loon rescue on Crescent Lake.
OCCWA has shared the work that REGI does all across Northern Wisconsin including Oneida County. We are sharing their latest Facebook post below of a recent loon rescue on Crescent Lake. REGI's Facebook page can be viewed at Facebook and donations can be made at their website Raptor Education Group, Inc. Please consider supporting this wonderful organization.
REGI Crescent loon rescue Facebook Post
An Amazing Story of a Loon Rescue from Crescent Lake and the Patients Fascinating Connection to REGI and the World of Science
REGI recently admitted a beautiful adult female loon (#586-26) from Crescent Lake near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, after an encounter with a bald eagle.
Linda Grenzer of Loon Rescue alerted us after Crescent Lake residents saw a bald eagle tussle with the loon before the eagle flew off. The residents stayed nearby, tracking the bleeding bird until rescuers arrived. Although Linda was out of state, she, and Kevin—the heart and soul of Loon Rescue—conduct 98% of the organization’s loon-related work. In her absense, Linda turned to local Loon Rescue team member extraordinaire, Larry Mathein. Larry quickly responded, gathered his gear, and made the drive to Crescent Lake where he met with the caring and resolute residents that were waiting with their boat and additional gear.
The loon had begun to dive underwater by the time Larry arrived at the site. A diving loon requires a different capture technique which includes night capture. Larry and the lake's residents remained at the site and waited for nightfall. The loon was safely captured and Larry made the hour’s drive to transport her to REGI where we were waiting in the clinic after hours.
We immediately assessed and treated the loon's injury. She had a deep but clean laceration on the back of her neck that was bleeding. Further examination and radiographs revealed no other serious injuries. Federal and color bands indicated that she was part of a study. That news stirred our interest as to her past however with no additional information at that time, our patient was treated as a typical loon patient with a good prognosis.
The loon’s band offered valuable information about her age and history. Records identified her as an important study bird from Walter Piper’s, Loon Project. The loon was leg banded as an adult; therefore, her exact age is not known, but we do know that she is at least 27 years old.
Her story became even more remarkable when we discovered that a fifteen year old banded loon treated at REGI for lead poisoning in April 2020, was our current patient’s daughter. We are grateful to contribute to the science that deepens our understanding of these extraordinary birds, and to Walter Piper, whose decades of research have expanded that knowledge. Long-term studies like his are essential to understanding wild species.
Loon 586-26 is recovering steadily, eating well, and gaining weight. Once fully healed, she will return to the wild before migrating south for the winter.
I will include a link below that will take you to the story from April 2020. It is the story of our current patient’s daughters’ story of her recovery from lead poisoning at REGI. https://www.facebook.com/groups/942848699396690/permalink/1160631014285123/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=0SmyxxxwaZaL0Q1R#
A huge thank you to lake residents and other caring community members are heroes to injured loons and wild birds. We can treat these patients, but it is the public that often finds and protects them until help arrives. Linda and Kevin Grenzer of Loon Rescue are our personal heroes. Linda’s years of work with Walter Piper and The Loon Project laid the foundation for their efforts and transformed loon rescue across North America.
Posted October 8, 2026- Numbers don't lie, public not buying in on Trump Adminstrations' plan to repeal Roadless Rule.
To no one's surprise except perhaps the current administration, public comment overwhelmingly (99.1%) opposes repealing the federal Roadless Rule. The latest analysis by The Center for Western Priorities Analysis: 99.1 percent of public comments oppose Roadless Rule repeal - Center for Western Priorities stated:
"A new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that 99.1 percent of the 370,238 public comments posted on the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule oppose the Trump administration’s plan. The comment period closed October 6."
Before you say the Roadless Rule only impacts western states, remember that 4.5% or nearly 69,000 acres of the Chequamegon National Forest's 1.5 million acres is designated roadless. That fact and the desire to maintain those protections were voiced in a Sierra Club sponsored town hall at Nicolet College in June. WXPR coverage of the town hall: Northwoods residents share concerns about proposed roadless rule rescission | WXPR
The point of repealing the Roadless Rule according to the administration is to combat wildfires. That point has been contested by many environmentally focused groups professing just the opposite. A quote from WXPR article The roadless rule is facing repeal, experts want to be clear about wildfires and roads | WXPR
"Most wildfires in the United States are caused by people. According to the Fire Research and Management Exchange System, most ignitions began within 50 meters of a road.
Dr. Camille Stevens-Rumann is an associate professor of forest and rangeland stewardship, and director of the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute at Colorado State University.
“It's a situation of numbers where if you're having increased ignitions, that's unlikely to be helpful to have increased access for firefighters, because they're also just having to respond to more fires because of that increased human access to two areas,” said Stevens-Rumann."
99.1% is a big number. It will be interesting if 364,043 public comments will override extractive industry's desire to exploit the nations roadless forests.
Posted October 8, 22026- Wisconsin's Greenfire shares latest essay from their Science, Knowledge, and Democracy series.
Great minds think alike? OCCWA's Tom Wiensch has dedicated multiple articles to the recently proposed Clean Water Act changes, and for good reason. That reason being the incredible impacts the latest changes by the EPA will have on our water. With that in mind, we like to share Greenfire's third essay installment from their Science, Knowledge, and Democracy series. The topic?
Watersheds at Risk
Federal Conservation Rollbacks on Clean Water Act Implementation— WOTUS and 401 Certification
The article is penned by Nancy Larson, Wisconsin’s Green Fire Senior Water Resources Specialist.
The first two instalments "Speaking Up for Science" and "Assault on Science and Democracy" if you missed them, may be viewed at: https://wigreenfire.org/science-knowledge-democracy/
Wisconsin's Greenfire Website: Wisconsin's Green Fire • Wisconsin’s Green Fire
Posted September 29, 2026- Town of Stella to host Informational PFAS meeting on October 20th, 5pm at Stella Town Hall.
As listed in Town of Stella notice 09.28.26 Notice of Informational PFAS Meeting and Possible Quorum.pdf the Wisconsin DNR and DHS as well as the EPA will be in
attendance to provide Stella PFAS updates. Dr. Amy Schultz of UW Madison will share information on her research project funded by a National Institute of Health grant. We ask all attendees to be respectful and allow all Stella residents to ask their questions before any other general public inquiries are taken.
Related PBS Coverage: The northern Wisconsin town of Stella demands action on PFAS
Town of Stella Notice:
Town of Stella
Stella Town Hall
2496 CTH C
P.O. Box 1141
Rhinelander, WI 54501
NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL PFAS MEETING AND POSSIBLE QUORUM
There will be a PFAS Information meeting on October 20, 2026. Doors will open at 5:00 p.m., and the meeting will start promptly at 5:30 p.m. This meeting will provide updates from the WDNR, DHS and EPA. Additionally, Amy Schultz from UW will provide an update on the NIH funded study for Stella residents. This study will examine blood levels, water, soil and food items that are grown and consumed. For any questions, please email Chair Crump at chair@townofstella.com.
FURTHER, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in compliance with the State of Wisconsin Open Meetings Law requirements, that members and a possible quorum of the Town of Stella Board will at the following:
On October 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. a quorum of Town Board Members may attend this informational PFAS meeting.
Although a quorum may be present, no formal action will be taken.
Noticed: September 28, 2026.
Stacy Schickert, Clerk
Town of Stella
Posted September 28, 2026- Dr. Amy Schultz's $3 million National Institute of Health (NIH) grant for town of Stella PFAS research approved.
Maria Peralta-Arellano's WXPR article Town of Stella selected for multi-year PFAS study | WXPR share's details of the $3million grant program. The multifaceted grant will allow for up to 400 to 500 participants to have blood test analysis and will also offer other PFAS focused research to be done. A quote from the WXPR article states:
"The study is led by Dr. Amy Schultz, a senior scientist in the department of population, health sciences at UW-Madison. The study has received a grant of more than $3 million from the National Institute of Health to conduct the research.
“The main goal is to understand how PFAS in the Stella Township area is getting to people's bodies, and whether those exposures are related to specifically changes in cholesterol and other blood lipids,” said Schultz.
The study will also be looking into household dust, indoor and outdoor air, garden soil, garden produce, deer meat, fish, and household drinking water. The study will dig into various understudied PFAS"
Dr, Schultz has graciously provided several articles to OCCWA in the past explaining the research objectives.
In a July 8th OCCWA located on our homepage article she shared research to be done funded by a separate University of Wisconsin grant.
In an October 29th, 2025, OCCWA article located in our PFAS Contamination Tab she shared details of the research to be accomplished for this most recently approved NIH grant.
With these two grants now approved, it will be interesting to see all the benefits they will provide to the town of Stella residents. Never did we at OCCWA think that such an opportunity would be available. Here's hoping that this research will contribute to the town's recovery. Special thanks to Dr. Schultz for her efforts!
Posted September 28, 2026- Wisconsin NRB approves purchase of conservation easement in Langlade County using last of available Knowles Nelson funding.
The placing of conservation easements to establish the Braun Woodlands Forest Legacy Conservation Easement is much like the successful efforts in Oneida County to establish the Pelican River Forest (PRF). As you may recall the PRF project was contested by several Oneida County Supervisors, Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany, and Texas based American Stewards of Liberty to no avail. It does not appear there was any such opposition to the Braun Woodlands project.
The $1.6 million-dollar NRB approved easement purchase is being funded by the Ice Age Trail Alliance, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (KNP) and a federal forest legacy grant. Funding from the KNP was secured under a purchase contract before the legislature chose to end funding for the extremely popular program. WXPR coverage of NRB meeting: Natural Resources Board approves conservation easement in Langlade County | WXPR
A description of the Braun Woodlands project was provided in a John Burton September 22nd WXPR article Nearly 1,800 acres would be protected by proposed conservation easement in Langlade County | WXPR quote:
" A description of the proposal being provided to the Natural Resources Board says acquisition of this Forest Legacy Easement will protect and preserve the integrity of these important northern forestlands in perpetuity.
It says the easement will prevent forest fragmentation and promote the use of sustainable management practices.
A three-mile segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail passes through the property, which would be protected under this acquisition.
The property will be managed by the private landowner.
The property is enrolled in the MFL Certified Group which is dually certified under the American Tree Farm System and the Forest Stewardship Council.
DNR documents say that assures the forests are managed to the highest environmental and social standards."
Posted September 23, 2026- Gov. Evers, DNR Celebrate PFAS Awareness Week, Highlight Evers Administration’s Efforts to Ensure Safe, Clean Water Statewide.
Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), today kicked off PFAS Awareness Week in coordination with the state’s Midwest neighbors, including Michigan and Minnesota. Gov. Evers earlier this year signed bipartisan legislation releasing $125 million in stalled funding from the state’s PFAS Trust Fund to fight PFAS contamination statewide and ensure families across the state have clean, safe drinking water. Gov. Evers and DNR also recently celebrated the state budget committee’s release of $10 million in settlement funds to help provide safe, clean drinking water to families and communities impacted by contamination, following a lawsuit against Tyco Fire Products LP’s Fire Technology Center. PFAS Awareness Week begins today, Mon, Sept. 21, and will be recognized across Wisconsin through Fri., Sept. 25, 2026.
The full press release may be viewed at: Press Release: Gov. Evers, DNR Celebrate PFAS Awareness Week, Highlight Evers Administration’s Efforts to Ensure Safe, Clean Water Statewide
Posted September 23, 2026- Northwoods Ledgers solicits public support to continue independent Northwoods reporting.
Though not all the Ledgers' articles are environmentally based, their environmental reporting has become invaluable to OCCWA and Northwood residents. For that reason, The Northwoods Ledger has become a staple in our Clean Water Updates. We ask you to consider adding them to your information toolbox. We all know how valuable a dedicated Northwoods news source can be.
An excerpt from their latest post states:
"Our primary foundation will always be individual readers who want an uncompromised publication, who is monitoring local power, and bringing the Northwoods to you, wherever you are.
If you value having an independent, rigorous public records project covering Oneida, Vilas, and Lincoln counties, consider upgrading to our paid tier.
[Upgrade to Paid Support via Stripe]
Your paid subscription directly funds our open records request fees, document processing, and the deep research time required to do this work right. It also guarantees this investigative archive remains permanently free and accessible to every taxpayer in the region."
The full post may be viewed at: How The Northwoods Ledger stays independent • Buttondown
Posted September 20, 2026- OCLRA shares August/September eNews Update
The update which can be viewed at: OCLRA eNews – August/September 2026 – Oneida County Lakes & Rivers Association
Topics covered include:
- Oneida County Lake Steward: Full steam ahead!
- Loons: Should we be worried?
- DNR seeks pre-applications for Surface Water Grants
- County Land and Water issues Stewardship Awards
- Hiring out for pier removal? Take good care.
- Video highlights “The Soul of the Northwoods”
- How to keep spiny water fleas in check
- Safe Wakes maps gain popularity in Minnesota
- Outdoor Consortium aims to improve communication
- Michigan program seeks to protect ceded territory lakes
- Consortium aims to improve communication
- Michigan program seeks to protect ceded territory lakes
Item of note is the launch of the Oneida County Lake Steward Program
Oneida County Lake Steward: Full steam ahead!
The Lake Steward program in Oneida County is now officially ready for lake
groups to implement. Criteria for Lake Steward recognition and other items
about the program are now available on the OCLRA website. The program,
and very similar initiatives, have drawn interest even beyond Oneida
County: The Waupaca Chain of Lakes, Lake Owen in northwest Wisconsin,
and the Long/Bass Lake Association in Lincoln County are moving ahead.
Meanwhile, the Moen Lake Chain Association, which launched the program
in Oneida County with a pilot project in 2024, continues to award Lake
Steward recognitions. The most recent recipients are Rocky and Julie Gust.
More details at: Lake Steward Program – Oneida County Lakes & Rivers Association
Posted September 20, 2026- Join Oneida County's own Bob Martini for a webinar on why the Clean Water Act was a win-win for industry and conservation.
On October 13 at 7 p.m., celebrate 54 years of the Clean Water Act and the collective work to build a clean water future. Wisconsin’s Green Fire and River Alliance of Wisconsin will present a free webinar about the Wisconsin River.
Featured speaker and former River Alliance board member Bob Martini will tell his story of the cleanup of the “hardest working river in the nation,” a conservation success story that unfolded over decades and tireless collaboration.
OCCWA has great respect for all Bob has done for conservation in his lifetime and highly recommend taking advantage of his insight shared in this webinar!
More details may be found at: Fifty Years of the Clean Water Act Successes in the Wisconsin River Basin • Wisconsin’s Green Fire
Registration for the webinar co-hosted by Wisconsin's Green Fire and River Alliance of Wisconsin can be found at: Meeting Registration - Zoom
Posted September 20, 2026- WPR article reveals judge determines CAFO permit fails to protect groundwater.
An August 29 WPR article Judge says permit for western Wisconsin CAFO fails to adequately protect groundwater - WPR shares concerns about DNR's permitting of a Western Wisconsin CAFO.
Administrative Law Judge Angela Chaput Foy issued a decision which states the DNR permit fails to provide conditions to meet groundwater standards. Judge Foy's concerns were shared in an article quote.
“The permit conditions set Ridge Breeze up for anticipated compliance, they also command compliance, but the permit lacks a mechanism to verify compliance,” Foy wrote. “By omitting a mechanism to verify actual compliance, the (DNR) has issued a mandate while simultaneously denying itself the tools or data necessary to know whether that mandate is broken.”
It's a good time to remember that in 2022 Oneida County failed to adopt a proposed Manure Storage Ordinance that would have given the county more ability to manage a CAFO if one should decide to operate in the county.
In a January 21, 2022, CUW Special Manure Storage Ordinance (MSO) Committee meeting, Special Manure Storage Ordinance CUW Committee Meeting January 21, 2022 a vote was taken to postpone adoption of the proposed MSO.
"a motion was made by Roach, seconded by Winkler to postpone the Manure Storage Ordinance until such time as operations exceeding 200 animal units comes into Oneida County with an animal unit equaling 1000 lbs. of live animal weight. Roll call vote: Winkler-aye, Mott-aye, Thome-aye, Engel-aye, Roach-aye, Ives- aye. Motion carried."
It's important to note that none of the County Supervisors who voted to postpone the ordinance are still on the County Board. The fact that the vote was postponed and not tabled means it can be reconsidered. Without a manure storage ordinance in place, anyone starting a CAFO in Oneida County would not have to comply with a county ordinance adopted later.
More details can be found on the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation Department's website: MANURE STORAGE - Oneida County Land and Water Conservation
