Press Release: Gov. Evers Signs Executive Order #52 Relating to Climate Change in Wisconsin

Gov. Evers Signs Executive Order #52 Relating to Climate Change in Wisconsin

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, along with Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, today signed Executive Order #52, establishing the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change at the Urban Ecology Center’s Riverside Park location in Milwaukee.

“For too long we've been ignoring science, and frankly, we can't afford to do it any longer. It’s time for us to deliver on the promise to our kids that we’re leaving them a better life and world than the one we inherited,” Gov. Evers said. “I am confident that this task force will find meaningful sustainable solutions to the climate crisis to carry our state into the future.”

The Task Force on Climate Change will advise and assist the governor in developing a strategy to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change for the benefit of all Wisconsin communities. Members of the task force will work closely with the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy, created through Executive Order #38. The task force will report their findings and policy recommendations to Gov. Evers by August 2020.

In the executive order, Gov. Evers stated climate change is a grave threat to the health, safety, and economic well-being of people and communities throughout Wisconsin. Gov. Evers has appointed Lt. Gov. Barnes to serve as chairman of the task force, who noted communities of color and low-income communities experience the first and worst consequences of climate change.

“All of Wisconsin can prosper in transitioning to a just and equitable clean economy,” Lt. Gov. Barnes said. “I’m eager to work alongside a number of brilliant and diverse individuals from across the state on this task force being created by Governor Evers, and I’m proud he’s given me the opportunity to lead it.”

Members of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change will include: 

• Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes
• Department of Natural Resources Secretary-designee Preston Cole or a representative
• Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary-designee Brad Pfaff or a representative
• Department of Workforce Development Secretary-designee Caleb Frostman, or a representative
• A member of the Senate majority
• A member of the Senate minority
• A member of the Assembly majority
• A member of the Assembly minority
• August Ball- Cream City Conservation, Milwaukee
• Joe Bragger- Bragger Family Dairy, Independence
• Kristofer Canto- American Family Insurance
• Stacy M. Craig- Environmental Stewardship Advocate, Mason
• Jeffery Crawford- Forest County Potawatomi Attorney General, Oconomowoc
• Robert Garvin- We Energies, Milwaukee
• Paul Graham- President of Central Waters Brewing Company, Amherst
• Anna Haines- University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, Stevens Point
• Bill Hogseth- Wisconsin Farmer's Union, Elk Mound
• Dylan Jennings- Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, Odanah
• Sherri Johnson- University of Wisconsin Population Health Instsitute Director, Madison
• Amber Meyer-Smith- Clean Wisconsin, Madison
• Kathleen McGinty- Johnson Controls Inc
• Rob Palmberg- Dairyland Power, La Crosse
• Mike Peters, President of WPPI Energy
• Chris Pollack- Wisconsin Farm Bureau, Ripon
• Jeffery Rafn, Ph.D.- President of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay
• Doug Rebout, Roger Rebout & Sons Farms, Janesville
• Stephanie Salgado- Youth Climate Action, Madison
• Kerry Schumann- Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Madison
• Kirsten Shead- Milwaukee Water Commons, Milwaukee
• Mark Stoering- President of Xcel Energy, Eau Claire
• Bob Stone- IBEW Local 2150, Menominee Falls
• Krystal Westfahl- Minocqua Area Chamber of Commerce, Minocqua

Executive Order #52 can be found here.