Gov. Tony Evers (D) says Wisconsin is part of two regional clean hydrogen hubs selected by the Biden administration to receive $7 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to accelerate the domestic market for low-cost, clean hydrogen.
The White House announced the hubs early Friday in a press release that did not mention Wisconsin. But Evers told a Friday afternoon news conference held at a meeting of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers in Ohio that Wisconsin is part of two consortiums.
"Actually, we have a two-fer," Evers told news reporters, adding, "We're going to directly move hydrogen much more quickly than ever before in the country."
The Associated Press reports that Wisconsin is part of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub that aims to produce and use low-carbon hydrogen at commercial scale in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana.
Also, Wisconsin is part of the Midwest Hydrogen Hub that the White House said, "will enable decarbonization through strategic hydrogen uses, including steel and glass production, power generation, refining, heavy-duty transportation and sustainable aviation fuel."
As part of being departing chair of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers group, Evers also announced an agreement on The 100% Great Lakes Fish Project, which aims to show that 100% of commercially caught fish from the Great Lakes can be used for purposes beyond food, including medical products, beverages and cosmetics.
Evers said, "For example, the Red Cliff Tribal Nation, [also known as the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, based in Bayfield, WI,] that fishes in Lake Superior — they're very involved with the very thing we're talking about. Making sure that every fish is processed in a way that there is nothing left. Making it more financially suitable for them and also better for the environment."
Also, Evers announced the launching of the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Trees Initiative that has a goal of planting 250 million trees by 2033. "That's a helluva' lot of trees, " Evers said, adding the program will build on the tree planting of several states and Canadian provinces, including Wisconsin.
"The trees we plant now will create positive environmental and economic for Wisconsin, our lakes, and our Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence region for decades to come," Evers said.
The governors and premiers organization also announced that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) will be the next chair of the group.
