FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2024
Contact: Cassie Steiner
cassie.steiner@sierraclub.org, (262) 930-3963
*Press Release*
Advocates condemn approval of I-94 expansion
The project is currently under review for Civil Rights violation
Milwaukee, Wis. – Today the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT) announced that the expansion of I-94 in Milwaukee received federal approval (formally called a Record of Decision or ROD). In response, Sierra Club - Wisconsin Chapter Campaign Coordinator Cassie Steiner issued the following statement:
"It is extremely disappointing that the Federal Highway Administration issued a ROD on a project that is currently under investigation for Civil Rights violation. The expansion of I-94 has received opposition from racial justice, religious, environmental, public health and transportation advocacy organizations for more than a decade, and all of those concerns are still true. Expanding this segment of highway will increase greenhouse gas emissions, cost taxpayers more than a billion dollars, increase air and water pollution especially for neighboring communities, and will almost certainly make congestion worse and car crashes deadlier.
It is also disappointing to see the continued lack of transparency in this process. Announcing a decision on a project on a Friday afternoon, prior to publishing the final required documents (the FEIS) and without alerting stakeholders, is not the way that our government agencies should make or announce decisions.
Because the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will not be publicly available until next week, we do not know the details of the project beyond what WISDOT included in its press release. After analysis of the FEIS, we will be considering our options. We remain opposed to expansion of massive highway infrastructure, and we are committed to pushing for a thorough civil rights investigation.”
###
About Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.