Current Issues
Songs of the Badger Tallgrass Prairie, Part 2
The Henslow's Sparrow is one of several threatened species found at Badger Army Ammunition Plant. Its population numbers have declined steadily over the past few decades, largely because of habitat loss. The U.S. population of this uncommon species declined more than...
Songs of the Badger Tallgrass Prairie, Part 1
The Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) is listed as a threatened bird species in Wisconsin. It prefers dense shrubby areas within an open prairie landscape and is found at Badger Army Ammunition Plant. Photograph by Joan Gellatly. The Badger Army Ammunition...
County Postpones Comment on Badger Reuse
A county committee will wait to hear from a state agency before passing judgment on the future use of the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area. The Sauk County Board’s Conservation, Planning and Zoning Committee was slated Tuesday to discuss a possible recommendation on the...
Army Announces Shutdown of Groundwater Pump-and-Treat
Officials with the Wisconsin DNR said that they will be carefully monitoring groundwater data when the Army shuts down active groundwater cleanup at Badger Army Ammunition Plant later this month. However, some residents with deeper bedrock wells believe that they are...
U.S. Army Blocks Other Opinions at Upcoming Public Meeting
The U.S. Army at Badger Army Ammunition Plant has informed CSWAB that it is “not okay” to distribute informational handouts at an upcoming public meeting on groundwater scheduled to begin at 6 pm on December 11 at the River Arts Center Gallery in Prairie du Sac. The...
CSWAB Responds to Groundwater Cleanup System Shutdown at Badger
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB) has asked state regulators to require additional analysis and data collection in response the recent shutdown of a groundwater treatment system at Badger Army Ammunition Plant. The recommendations to the Wisconsin...
WDNR Blocks Public Input on Residential Well Testing near Badger
Without any public notice or opportunity for public comment, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has quietly approved an Army proposal that eliminates or significantly reduces regular testing of private wells near Badger Army Ammunition Plant. Of the...
Ho-Chunk Nation Favors Conservation and Low-Impact Recreation on Badger Lands
The Ho-Chunk Nation has formally opposed the establishment of a proposed Special Use Zone for an ATV track and gun range on former Badger Army Ammunition Plant lands. In an August 28 letter to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the Nation said that...
Baldwin Urges WDNR to Reject Shooting Range and ATV Trails at Badger
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin – a long-time proponent for the cleanup and restoration of the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant lands – is challenging the establishment of a shooting range and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) track on land that will be transferred to the...
DOD and EPA Challenge State Groundwater Laws: Wisconsin Aquifers Should be Protected for Current and Future Use
The proposed remedy for groundwater contamination emanating from the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant may not comply with Wisconsin groundwater laws, according to a new report released today by Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB). “The Wisconsin...
Thank You and Next Steps in Badger Planning
THANK YOU to everyone who wrote a letter, signed a petition, sent an email, or attended a public meeting to support the cleanup and conservation of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant lands. Altogether, 53 organizations and 181 individuals co-signed our letter calling...
Sauk City and Baraboo Add Support for Low-Impact Uses at Badger
In separate meetings Tuesday night, the Baraboo City Council and the Sauk City Village Board voted unanimously in favor of resolutions supporting only low-impact recreation at the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant. Both supported a land-use alternative proposed by...