http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wisconsin_farm_windmill_s5.jpg2016 Marks the 100th Birthday Anniversary of Earth Day Founder and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. However, Wisconsin's current Senator Ron Johnson has been a vocal opponent of the Clean Power.

MADISON - On Friday, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters hosted multiple events with community leaders, conservation advocates, and elected officials to celebrate Earth Day 2016. Events were held in Milwaukee and Green Bay at Pere Marquette Park and the Fox River Trail.

Additionally, President Obama signed the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement. Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters communications director Jonah Hermann thanked the president for his climate change leadership, saying “Under the leadership of President Obama, the last two years have been monumental in our fight to combat climate change. With the signing of the Paris Agreement today, coupled with the Clean Power Plan, the United States is in a better position than ever before to be a global leader on this critical issue.”

However, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson has not only been a vocal opponent of the Clean Power Plan — he has sponsored legislation to block it.

Hermann continued, “It’s a shame that Ron Johnson continually ignores his constituents and works to roll back the tremendous progress we have made. Unfortunately, Wisconsinites have gotten all too familiar with his abysmal record of putting polluters over people since he took office in 2011.”

“In Wisconsin we have a rich tradition of standing up for our natural resources. That’s why our own Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day 46 years ago today. Gaylord Nelson was a tireless advocate for the conservation values we hold so dear in this state. Today, Ron Johnson holds the same seat that Nelson had in the US Senate. The contrast between these decision makers is astounding. Nelson fought every day to represent Wisconsinites in Washington. Johnson fights every day to represent corporate polluters. It is sad that he responds to contributions from big oil filling his campaign war chest instead of the voices of everyday citizens demanding real solutions to climate change. He should be embarrassed by that fact,” concluded Hermann.

Speakers at the Milwaukee event included Paris Climate Agreement attendee George Stone and State Representative Mandela Barnes.

Speakers at the Green Bay event included city councilman Randy Scannell, County Supervisor Erik Hoyer, and State Representative Amanda Stuck.

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Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to electing conservation leaders, holding decision makers accountable, and encouraging lawmakers to champion conservation policies that effectively protect Wisconsin's public health and natural resources.

You can follow state legislation impacting natural resources on our Conservation Vote Tracker, a real-time accountability tool that provides you with a complete picture of what conservation issues are in play and how legislators are performing: http://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/.