a clean energy future
Climate & Energy
Decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels is critical to ensuring a just and equitable future for all Wisconsinites, regardless of race, income or zip code. MEA is accelerating Wisconsin’s transition to a clean energy future by working to decommission existing fossil fuel infrastructure, challenging the approval of new fossil fuel projects, and advocating for just and equitable investments in transportation infrastructure.
our Current climate & Energy work
LEGAL ACTION
Securing the Constitutional Rights of Wisconsin Youth to a Stable Climate
MEA and Our Children’s Trust are representing fifteen young people from Wisconsin who filed a groundbreaking climate lawsuit against the Wisconsin Legislature and the Public Service Commission for enacting and enforcing unconstitutional laws that exacerbate the climate crisis.
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LEGAL ACTION
Preventing New Construction on Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline
Midwest Environmental Advocates is taking legal action to stop Enbridge Energy from moving forward with a plan to build a new 41-mile segment of its Line 5 oil pipeline in northern Wisconsin.
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.
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POLICY & ADVOCACY
Taking Action to Improve Air Quality in Beloit
With legal support from MEA, members of the Stateline Clean Air Coalition are raising the alarm over harmful levels of air pollution in the Beloit and speaking out against the expansion of a gas-fired power plant along the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
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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.
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latest news
Climate & Energy Updates
New documentary follows Wisconsin youth who are suing the state over climate change
A new documentary film brings viewers into the lives of 15 young Wisconsinites who are suing the state over climate change. They share what they love about the places they call home, what they hope to protect, and why they believe they deserve a chance to defend their health and future in court.
Legal victory! Judge orders release of information about energy use at Meta’s Beaver Dam data center
This week, a Dane County Circuit Court sided with MEA in a dispute over the public’s right to know how the unprecedented energy needs of hyperscale data centers will impact Wisconsin. The court ruled that the Public Service Commission acted unlawfully when it denied a public records request seeking information about energy use at Meta’s Beaver Dam data center and ordered that the information be released.
MEA and partners file new legal action over stream crossing approvals for Line 5 reroute
This week, the Bad River Band, Midwest Environmental Advocates and other partner organizations filed a new lawsuit in our ongoing fight to prevent the construction of the Line 5 reroute. We filed the lawsuit after the DNR unlawfully issued permit approvals allowing Enbridge to do work at four stream crossings in Ashland County.
DNR reversed course on a massive data center after pushback from developers. MEA is fighting for answers.
A new lawsuit filed by MEA on behalf of the Sierra Club shows the extent to which tech companies and data center developers may be influencing decisions that impact Wisconsin’s environment.
Port Washington Data Center Developers Seek to Shift Financial Risks to Residents
When the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved new protections for Wisconsin ratepayers in April, it sent a clear message that ordinary Wisconsinites should not be responsible for the financial risks created by data center deals negotiated behind closed doors by utility companies and the world’s biggest tech companies. Now, some of those companies are asking regulators to backtrack.
Upcoming Webinar: The Public Trust Doctrine in Action
The public trust doctrine is a powerful tool for protecting Wisconsin’s waters for the benefit of current and future generations. In this webinar, we will explore how the public trust doctrine, which has its roots in ancient Roman law, continues to shape some of the most important environmental fights in Wisconsin today.
