Energy Policy

WGF analyses and statements on energy policy in Wisconsin, including generation, distribution, energy sources, and efficiencies. This work is developed by the Energy Policy Work Group, and is closely allied with our Climate Change work.

Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline Updates – March 2025

pipeline infrastructure among grass and trees under cloudy skies

Enbridge Line 5 Updates: Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Denies Water Quality Certification for Enbridge Line 5 Oil Pipeline Re-route
Will Trump Administration Energy Emergency Executive Order Affect Line 5?

Prepared by Nancy Larson, WGF Water Resources Specialist

Inter-Related Regulatory Decisions

Existing pipeline on east end of the Bad River Reservation, 2022, photo …

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Update on Vista Sands Solar and Greater Prairie-Chickens

Map of Vista Sands Solar development solar arrays

by Meleesa Johnson, WGF Executive Director

Working for Renewable Energy AND Wildlife Conservation
In August 2024, at the administrative law hearing for the Vista Sands Solar Project development, I testified on behalf of Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF). In that testimony, we asked for certain solar arrays to be excluded from the final project map. …

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Updates on Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline – December 2024

Enbridge received permits from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for oil pipeline Line 5 Reroute to cross streams and wetlands in northern Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, crude oil spilled from Line 6 in southern Wisconsin.

Enbridge Line 5 Segment Relocation Map, 2020

Prepared by Nancy Larson, WGF Water Resources Specialist

Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) has followed and commented …

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Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline Reroute: 2024 Updates

Drilling for Enbridge Pipeline construction project in northern Wisconsin

Drilling for Pipeline Construction Project in Northern Wisconsin. Photo: John Spangberg

Two regulatory milestones for Enbridge L5R

The regulatory process for the controversial Enbridge Line 5 petroleum pipeline re-route (L5R) crossed two major milestones in late summer 2024.

  • On September 6, 2024, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) released its final Environmental Impact Statement …
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  • Celebrating IRA Funding at Black Business Hub

    Ruben Anthony speaks to crowd at IRA celebration at the Black Business Hub, photo by Paul Heinen

    Celebrating Climate Funding

    On August 14, 2024, Paul Heinen, Policy Director of Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF), joined 70 celebrants of the 2-year-old Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) at the new Black Business Hub in Madison.  Through the IRA, over $920 Million has been invested in Wisconsin. To begin this needed work, in 2022, President Biden sent …

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    Vista Sands Solar Farm – WGF Public Testimony

    prairie grasses and flowers with prairie chicken management sign in foreground

    WGF’s Public Testimony on the proposed Vista Sands Solar Farm
    An update on how we’re fighting for renewable energy and wildlife conservation.

    Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) continues to seek several modifications to the proposed Vista Sands Solar Farm development. We’re working so this unprecedented expansion of renewable energy production – a necessary step toward attaining the …

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    Opportunity for Action: Public Hearing on Vista Sands Solar Farm

    Solar panels in Wisconsin. Credit: Mark Asplund

    Your voice is needed to support renewable energy production and protect Wisconsin’s wildlife.

    As you may know, Wisconsin’s Green Fire has been engaged with other conservation organizations reviewing the 6,700-acre Vista Sands Solar Farm application.  The final approval of this project rests with the Public Service …

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    WGF Submits Comments on Vista Sands Solar Farm DEIS

    Photovoltaic panels, Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

    Wisconsin’s Green Fire sends comment letter to the Public Service Commission (PSC).

    We submitted our organizational comment letter on PSC Docket Number 9820-CE-100 on June 14, 2024. In this letter, experts from our Climate and Energy, Fisheries, and Wildlife Work Groups collaborated to provide a detailed set of comments on the 147-page Draft Environmental Impact …

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    Guest Blog: Net Metering and Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Future

    The following blog post was written by Mark Asplund, a member of Wisconsin’s Green Fire’s Energy and Climate Change Work Group. Here, Mark describes two proposals currently under consideration by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission affecting net metering – a utility billing policy that supports customers with self-generating electricity sources like rooftop solar panels.

    You can …

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