Eau Claire and La Crosse County Voters Will Vote for “Clean Water Now”
Good news for Eau Claire and La Crosse voters! Clean water advisory referendums will be added to voters’ ballots in Eau Claire and La Crosse Counties in the 2022 spring elections.
An advisory referendum question will give voters a chance to express their support for more action by local and state governments to protect drinking water, rivers, and lakes. The question will read: “Should the State of Wisconsin establish a right to clean water to protect human health, the environment, and the diverse cultural and natural heritage of Wisconsin?”
“La Crosse County has ongoing water quality issues, with PFAS and nitrates in drinking water as the most urgent,” said Pat Wilson, a longtime defender of La Crosse’s water and bluffs. “This is a timely opportunity to tell the state legislature that La Crosse County residents care about clean water and the state needs to take action to preserve this resource that Wisconsin is known for.”
The La Crosse County board vote was mentioned in the La Crosse Tribune and WKBT-TV CBS 8.
Wisconsinites raised concerns about the urgency of protecting our water during the Speaker’s Water Quality Task Force hearings in 2019, but the proposals from the task force fell short and the legislature has not taken meaningful or urgent action on task force recommendations.
“(The proposal) was passed unanimously by the Groundwater Advisory, Parks and Forest, and Administration Committees,” said Eau Claire County District 10 Supervisor Nancy Coffey. “Passing this county resolution will show elected officials and stakeholders that clean water must be addressed.”
The Eau Claire County board vote was covered in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram and WEAU-TV NBC 13.
“In addition to these opportunities for voters in La Crosse and Eau Claire to directly express their support for clean water, leaders in Vernon and Monroe counties are also writing resolutions about what they need to protect their water resources,” said River Alliance of Wisconsin Water Advocates Organizer Johnson Bridgwater.
In the spring 2021 elections, Clean Water Now questions had a strong, bipartisan success in central Wisconsin. Voters in Marquette County (73%), Portage County (77%) and Wood County (76%) approved referendums. It’s clear that clean water is important to Wisconsinites, regardless of political party.
Want to help?
If you live in Eau Claire or La Crosse counties:
- Sign up for email updates. We can share news and resources to keep you up to date on the referendums.
- Follow Clean Water Now WI on Twitter and Instagram. Share posts to help spread the word about #CleanWaterNowWI.
- Write a Letter to the Editor about what you’re voting YES. Click here to submit a letter to the La Crosse Tribune. Click here to submit a letter to the editor of the Eau Claire Leader Telegram.
If you live outside of Eau Claire or La Crosse counties:
- Sign up for email updates. We will also share news on other resolutions and efforts to add referendum questions in counties around the state.
- Follow Clean Water Now WI on Twitter and Instagram. Share posts to show your support for #CleanWaterNowWI in Wisconsin.
- Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper about why voters should have a say in making clean water protection in Wisconsin a top priority. You know your local water issues best, but we’ve also assembled some reasons to support county-by-county referendums.
Visit VoteForCleanWater.com for more resources.
Download graphics for social media or a printable 8.5×11” flyer.