Wisconsin Water Law
Environmental Justice
Since 1999, MEA has used its legal expertise to protect public rights to Wisconsin’s waters, to advocate for strong water policies, and to ensure that government is held accountable for protecting groundwater and surface waters.
The Public Trust Doctrine
Wisconsin’s public trust doctrine requires state government to prevent the impairment of public waters and their uses. While these uses were once understood to include only access to public waters for navigation and commercial purposes, the public trust is now understood to encompass public rights to water quantity and quality, recreational uses and scenic beauty.
The Great Lakes Compact
The Great Lakes Compact was signed into law in 2008. The Compact is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the citizens of eight Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces who worked for years to craft an agreement to protect the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. They house 20 percent of all freshwater on the surface of the planet, provide drinking water to 40 million people, create habitat for 3,500 species of plants and animals, and support a $4 billion sports fishing industry.
A centerpiece of the Compact is its ban on diversions, reflecting the region’s determination to prohibit the transfer of Great Lakes water outside the basin unless a diversion request can meet narrowly defined exceptions outlined in the provisions and definitions of the Compact. As the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes are a national treasure.
Our Work to Advance Environmental Justice
LEGAL ACTION
Challenging the Expansion of I-94 in Milwaukee
In August 2024, MEA and Legal Action of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit challenging federal approval of a $1.75 billion highway expansion plan that would increase our dependence on cars, add to greenhouse gas emissions and cause disproportionate harm to Milwaukeeans of color.
LEARN MORE →
LEGAL ACTION
Making the Connection Between Fair Maps and Environmental Justice
In a December 2023 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Wisconsin’s legislative maps violated the state constitution and ordered that they be redrawn. Among those who applauded the court’s decision were members of the Coalition on Lead Emergency, on whose behalf MEA submitted an amicus brief in the case.
LEARN MORE →
LEGAL ACTION
Standing Up for Energy Equity and Affordable Solar Power
When two of Wisconsin’s biggest utility companies announced plans to increase energy rates and unfairly reduce compensation for rooftop solar owners, MEA took action to ensure the economic viability of rooftop solar in Wisconsin.
LEARN MORE →
POLICY & ADVOCACY
Advocating for Sustainable Alternatives to the Expansion Of I-94
Wisconsin transportation officials are proposing a controversial $1.1 billion dollar expansion of I-94 in Milwaukee. MEA is advocating for a more just and sustainable alternative that prioritizes the health and wellbeing of people living adjacent to the corridor.
LEARN MORE →
POLICY & ADVOCACY
Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning in Milwaukee
Decades of disinvestment have led to disproportionately high rates of lead exposure among communities of color and lower-income families in Milwaukee’s north side. As a member of the Coalition on Lead Emergency, MEA is advocating for policies and new sources of funding to address this environmental injustice.
LEARN MORE →
