• Interstate 41 Corridor
Brown, Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago, Fond du Lac Counties
Bay of Green Bay nominated for NERR designation
Gov. Tony Evers announced plans to nominate a multi-component site in the Bay of Green Bay for inclusion in the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) System, a national network designed to protect and study estuaries and their coastal wetlands. The NERR system includes 30 sites across the coastal United States and the Great Lakes.
The Green Bay site is made up of a number of natural areas along the bay’s shoreline and surrounding region that were submitted to the governor by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the lead state organization behind the effort to designate a Bay of Green Bay NERR for the last several years.
The full site nomination document was slated to be submitted to NOAA by late November.
“Wisconsin is home to some of the most precious and unique freshwater lakes and waterways in the country,” Evers said. “And Green Bay is a top example of that as the largest freshwater estuary in the world within one of the largest reservoirs of freshwater on the planet.”
The federal designation will enable the state to build on work with UW-Green Bay and at the federal level to bring more resources and attention to the critically important ecosystem, Evers said.
The selection of the natural area sites for a potential Bay of Green Bay NERR is a significant milestone in the NERR designation process and a step toward bringing the water quality research, educational programming and technical expertise that come with such a designation to Northeast Wisconsin.
UW-Green Bay will continue to lead the state’s efforts through the next steps toward NERR designation, and if selected the reserve will be a non-regulatory entity managed by UW-Green Bay with program guidance and technical assistance from NOAA.
“This is an exciting next step for our region. UW-Green Bay is committed to studying, preserving and protecting the area that includes the largest freshwater estuary in the world,” UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander said.
The site proposal is the culmination of several years of local, grassroots support for a research reserve in Northeast Wisconsin. The proposed sites were selected following a comprehensive evaluation process that sought the input of the public, affected landowners and other interested parties. State and local agency officials, representatives from Tribal Nations, estuarine experts and industry leaders served as committee members and evaluated candidate site areas.
UW-Oshkosh partners with Agra Energy on biofuel facility
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has launched a new effort with biogas partner Agra Energy to build Wisconsin’s first commercial facility to turn dairy farm waste into renewable biofuel.
The $20 million facility, located at Dairyland Farm in New Franken, will use pioneering technology to convert biogas waste into an estimated 750,000 gallons of renewable diesel and jet fuel annually.
The operation is expected to be up and running as early as January 2023.
“It feels good to partner with a company committed to and invested in helping Wisconsin dairy farmers advance and scale up technology to convert farm waste into renewable fuels,” UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Andy Leavitt said. “We are seeing the future in this project, and we are proud and grateful that our collaboration with Agra Energy gives UW-Oshkosh biogas experts the continued opportunity to demonstrate our own commitment to sustainability and the Wisconsin Idea.”
Brian Langolf, UW-Oshkosh biogas systems and research development director, said the new micro gas-to-liquid (GTL) conversion technology is a good fit to harness the renewable energy potential of Wisconsin’s dairy industry to help decarbonize transportation fuel and work toward energy independence.
UW-Oshkosh has been building a relationship with the startup Agra Energy since 2017 and began working to demonstrate the GTL process in 2019 at the small-scale Allen Farm digester site in northwestern Winnebago County.
“As we were pulling together key technology elements, we knew we needed to have a pilot system to allow us to test all the steps together,” said Tony Long, Agra Energy’s president and chief technology officer. “With the help of the UW-Oshkosh team and several great students who signed up to work with us, we had the first fuel running from the system in May 2020.”
Port of Green Bay receives $10.1M federal grant
The Port of Green Bay has secured a majority of the funding to transform the former Pulliam Power Plant property into a state-of-the-art port facility, with the addition of a $10.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The grant is from the USDOT’s Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program.
“This is great news for the Port and our regional economy,” said Port Director Dean Haen. “This new port facility at the mouth of the Fox River will generate jobs and economic activity that will be transformational for Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for port operations.”
Brown County previously secured a $15 million Neighborhood Investment Fund grant and a $1.1 million Wisconsin Department of Transportation Harbor Assistance Program grant for the project. The county also allocated $1.3 million in 2022 ARPA funds and $2.6 million in 2023 ARPA funds toward the project.
Following acquisition of the power plant property, an engineering firm began working to design the 40-acre port facility, including new dock walls, dredging, filling the old slip, a rail spur and stormwater management features and more to allow for movement of bulk cargo.
“For Northeast Wisconsin to be economically viable into the future we need to be continuously leveraging strategic assets to assure our competitiveness to bring in bulk commodities that support many industries and employ thousands of people,” said Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach. “Once again, Brown County competitively secured $10 million by being united in our overall support of our Port of Green Bay.”
Haen said that the design phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year with construction beginning in 2023 and project completion in 2025. GLC Minerals has already committed to buying 9.7 acres of the parcel to expand its operations.
• The Northwoods
Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties
Grant helps Bridges recovery center serve nearly 300
Biehl Bridges to Recovery (Bridges), a recovery community center in Marinette that serves both Marinette and Menominee, Michigan, completed its first year of a three-year federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant.
Over the course of the funding year, Bridges to Recovery supported 182 individuals, operating with the equivalent of two full-time recovery coaches, one full-time case manager and a part-time project director.
Through Bridges’ consortium — including Alphabet Shuffle, Libertas, Nicklaus Counseling Center, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College-Marinette Campus and UW-Green Bay Marinette Campus — nearly 300 individuals were served as a result of the partnership and funding. Bridges services were extended to nearly 60 incarcerated people in their recovery journeys.
In total, 33% of the individuals served have opioid use disorder, with the majority (52%) identifying psychostimulant use (methamphetamine, cocaine, amphetamine).
In addition to supporting individuals in several stages of recovery, Bridges trained 24 new recovery coaches in the community, equipping them to support their peers. Bridges has provided the recovery community with parenting classes, social services, peer support, community meetings, community events and referrals for services and support.
• West Central
Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, Marquette, Green Lake Counties
Marion Body Works opens new facility in Shawano
Marion Body Works is seeking to hire about 50 new workers with the opening of its new manufacturing facility in Shawano.
Covering 113,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 7,000 square feet of office space, the expansion is aimed at facilitating continued growth of the product line. The facility, located on Plank Road in Shawano, is Marion’s second operating plant in Wisconsin.
The Marion Body Works team transitioned the commercial truck body line into the new location over several months and officially opened the new facility in October.
“This new manufacturing space is a huge step for the Marion Body Works family. I say family because that truly captures our culture,” said Curt Ignacio, president and CEO of Marion Body Works. “At Marion Body Works, we make sure our employees have the tools they need to be successful, and this space will allow them to do just that, while also allowing us to better meet the needs of our customers.”
• The Lakeshore
Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Counties
LTC, UW-Oshkosh partner on transfer agreement
A new partnership between Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh hopes to create opportunities for students in the lakeshore area.
Under the agreement, LTC students interested in pursuing bachelor’s degrees can graduate from LTC with the college’s new associate of arts (AA) or associate of science (AS) degree and enroll at UW-Oshkosh with guaranteed junior standing.
The new associate degree programs launched at the start of LTC’s fall term. Both degrees cover general education requirements for a student whose goal is to transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree.
Students enrolling in the AA and AS degrees have access to federal financial aid and veterans’ benefits while taking their general education courses at LTC.
“The new partnership with UW-Oshkosh means our students and our community will have more options available as they start their baccalaureate journey,” said LTC President Paul Carlsen.
The agreement is another example of how higher education officials in the Fox Valley and Northeast Wisconsin are responding to needs in the region, UWO Chancellor Andy Leavitt says.
“You don’t have to zoom out on any map to realize UWO and Lakeshore Technical College are neighbors,” Leavitt said. “The lives and journeys of our students often intersect, and now we can celebrate and promote one more fundamental way we are, together, making it easier for learners to access and progress toward a college degree, earning outstanding credentials and experience along the way.”
UWO is a popular choice among the more than 400 students who transfer each year from LTC to four-year colleges. LTC’s new general studies degree programs require 60 credits, including elective courses that allow students to select courses that appeal to their future career plans.
