PFAS, a large class of human-made chemicals, continues to present a major public health concern in Wisconsin and beyond. Since the Center published its PFAS policy brief in 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued an April 2024 final …
Data centers are rapidly developing across the country to meet demands for artificial intelligence, data storage, and cloud computing. But their environmental impact, especially regarding water use, is largely obscured from public view. That’s the subject of the Center for …
Abandoned boats are being left on the shores of Wisconsin’s rivers and lakes. Not only are these boats difficult and expensive to remove, but it can be unclear who is responsible for removing them when the owner will not or …
The Great Lakes water levels fluctuate over a variety of time scales. One way to protect homes and other structures located along the coasts of the Great Lakes from the dangers of fluctuating water levels, floods, waves, and erosion is …
The Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern spans roughly 10 miles spread across three rivers and includes Milwaukee’s inner and outer harbor. Cleaning this area requires dredging the riverbeds and lakebed to remove contaminated sediment, but where does it go? The …
Graduate students in Professor Melissa Scanlan’s course ”Water Consulting” at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to develop actionable strategies for long-term resilience as climate change intensifies flooding and reshapes coastal landscapes …
In 2023, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory identified extensive potential offshore wind resource in the Great Lakes. All eight Great Lakes states have some type of clean, renewable, or alternative energy goal, and five of the eight Great Lakes states …
Water Policy Specialist Peyton McCauley, Director Melissa Scanlan, and UWM-SFS Master’s student Dan McLennon recently explored private environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting to assess water consumption of AI and data centers and discuss the limitations. Article Summary: Read the full article …
Wetlands and ephemeral and intermittent streams are vital to the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Wetlands filter pollutants from water, retain and absorb flood waters, and provide habitats for wildlife. Ephemeral and intermittent streams are ubiquitous …
In 2024, the Water Policy Program at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences engaged in multidisciplinary freshwater policy research. Our work appears in peer-reviewed articles, reports and policy briefs. Our faculty and researchers are working on complex water policy issues ranging …
