>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
PBS WISCONSIN, AND TODAY IS JULY
21.
EXPERTS ARE SAYING WISCONSIN'S
SHORELINES ARE UNDERGOING HIGHER
LEVELS OF FLOODING AND EROSION
DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AND A NEW
SURVEY REPORTS THAT COASTAL
COMMUNITIES ARE EXPERIENCING
DAMAGES THAT COST IN THE
MILLIONS.
SO HERE TO GIVE A LARGEST
CONTEXT BOTH LOCALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY IS SHEBOYGAN
MAYOR, RYAN SORENSON, A
REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF
THE GREAT LAKES AND ST. LAWRENCE
RIVER INITIATIVE,.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME, MARISA, IT IS A PLEASURE TO
BE HERE.
>> I WANT TO START BE -- SO THE
GREAT LAKES IN ST. LAWRENCE AND
RIVER CITY EXPANDS BEYOND
WISCONSIN AND EVEN THE UNITED
STATES, INCLUDED CANADIAN
COMMUNITIES, THE SURVEY
ESTIMATED DAMAGES OF AT LEAST $2
BILLION.
WHAT IS WISCONSIN'S SHARE OF
THAT COST, AND IS IT A
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OR
OVERESTIMATION?
>> YEAH.
SO THE ESTIMATED COST FOR
WISCONSIN SPECIFICALLY ARE
AROUND $245 MILLION, BUT THESE
AREN'T ALL THE NUMBERS COMBINED
FOR ALL THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES
IN WISCONSIN, BUT ACCOUNTING FOR
CITIES.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE
VILLAGES AND TOWNS SPRINKLED IN
BETWEEN.
WE'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT.
THESE COSTS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
IN WISCONSIN ARE JUST LOOKING AT
COSTS THAT IT TAKES TO MITIGATE
AND TO ADAPT INTO WATER LEVELS
THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR
COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S THE
LAKE FRONT OR THE RIVERS THAT
FEED INTO LAKE MICHIGAN AS WELL.
$2 BILLION FOR ALL OF THE CITIES
ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES IN THE
ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, THESE ARE
MAJOR, MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN
FOR MILLIONS OF FOLKS THAT LIVE
ON THESE BODIES OF WATER,
WHETHER THEY WORK HERE, VISIT
HERE, OR RAISE THEIR FAMILIES
HERE, AND SO IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT, TOO, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN
LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, LIKE A
MIDSIZED CITY LIKE SHEBOYGAN,
TRIES TO BUDGET AND PLAN FOR THE
FUTURE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT WORKS FOR US AND HOW TO
MAKE OUR MONEY WORK AND HOW
WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE THAT
WITH OUR CON CONSTITUENTS SO THE
NUMBERS ARE VERY MUCH A TARGET
RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF GETTING A
BETTER SCOPE OF WHERE WE ARE AT
AND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE GREAT
LAKES AND ST. LAWRENCE CITIES
AND INDUSTRY IS WORKING AND
REALLY MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS IN
WASHINGTON HERE FROM -- HEAR
FROM US WHEN WE ARE WORKING ON
THE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE THAT
THEY ARE PUTTING THINGS IN THERE
THAT HELPS COMMUNITIES LIKE
SHEBOYGAN, MILWAUKEE, GREEN BAY,
TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> NOW, LET'S GET A LITTLE BIT
INTO WHAT THESE COSTS REPRESENT.
SO SPECIFICALLY IS IT DAMAGE TO
THE SHORELINE?
IS IT ECONOMIC LOSSES?
WHAT DO THESE COSTS SPECIFICALLY
REPRESENT?
>> OVERALL, THIS IS DAMAGE
PROTECTION.
THIS IS A VERY MUCH REACTION OF
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
ANTICIPATE OVER THE NEXT FEW
YEARS HERE.
THIS IS NOT LOOKING AT THE FULL
SCOPE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AS WELL
TOO.
WHETHER YOU ARE A SMALL BUSINESS
SALON OWNER THAT'S RIGHT ON THE
WATER FRONT OR IF YOU'RE A MAJOR
ORGANIZATION THAT RELIES ON
TOURISTS AND IMPACTS BY RISING
WATER AS WELL, TOO, YOU'RE NOT
LOOKING AT THE LOSS OF REVENUE
THAT WOULD HAVE OR THE IMPACT ON
THOSE FAMILIES THAT THOSE JOBS
SUPPORT, AND SO THAT WE DON'T
GET THE HOLISTIC GROUP PICTURE
JUST YET OF TRULY WHAT THE BIG
IMPACT OF THIS IS OR FOR BOTH
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA FOR
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IMPACTED ON
THE GREAT LAKES OR THE
ST. LAWRENCE RIVER.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE GREAT
LAKES AND ALL THEY PROVIDE WITH
THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES IS A
HUGE ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR ALL THE
COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE
HOLDS IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
SPECIFICALLY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE, BUT WE HAVE TO ACT AND DO
SOMETHING TO COMMUNITIES ARE
PROTECTED AND PREPARED FOR
WHAT'S TO COME IN THE FUTURE.
>> COULD YOU DIAL IT IN A LITTLE
FURTHER FOR US AND TELL US ABOUT
WHAT THIS IT LOOKS LIKE IN
SHEBOYGAN?
WHAT ARE THESE LOSSES LOOKING
LIKE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
>> YEAH.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE
FULL PICTURE, BUT WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE BEING ATTENTIVE
AND FORWARD-THINKING IN HOW TO
ADDRESS THIS.
SHEBOYGAN IS THE MALIBU OF THE
MIDWEST.
WE ARE A STRONG TOURISM
COMMUNITY AND RELY ON MANY
FACETS OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE
ECONOMY.
WHETHER IT'S CHARTER FISHING, WE
HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST CHARTER
FISHING FLEETS ON THE GREAT
LAKES AND WONDERFUL MARINA THAT
ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER
THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, SURFACING,
FRESH WATER SURFING CAPITAL OF
THE WORLD.
MANY ENJOY THAT SPORT AS WELL
TOO.
ALL OF THESE PARTS TIED TO
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ECONOMY,
AND SO THAT IS JUST A LITTLE
SNAPSHOT OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS THE
COMMUNITIES.
IF IT DAMAGES OUR SHORELINES AND
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE A BEACH
FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY AND RECREATE
ANYMORE, THAT'S A CONCERN.
WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL,
I REPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS THAT
LIVED ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF
SHEBOYGAN, AND EVERYONE THAT I
TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, THAT LIVED
IN THEIR HOMES FOR SEVERAL
YEARS, COULD SEE THE DIRECT
IMPACT OF THEIR SLOPES AND
SHORELINES ERODING AND FALLING
INTO THE LAKE.
YOU KNOW, EVERY FEW YEARS, JUST
A COUPLE MORE INCHES, A COUPLE
MORE FEET, AND WHEN THE SLOPES
LOSE STABILITY, SADLY, WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH THE
FUTURE OF THOSE HOMES, AND SO
THE LIVELIHOODS OF FAMILIES AND
THEIR SAFETY ARE A CONCERN AS
WELL TOO.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
BROAD SPECTRUM OF RISING WATER
AND HOW IT IS IMPACTING FOLKS ON
LAKE MICHIGAN, WHETHER IT'S
HOMEOWNERS, FAMILIES, TOURISM,
RECREATION, GO DOWN THE LIST.
IT IMPACTS SO MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS.
WE SEE IT FIRSTHAND, YOU KNOW,
SHE
SHEBOYGAN, WE LOST SEVERAL
BEACHES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS
BECAUSE OF HIGH WATER, AND, YOU
KNOW, NOW IT'S GOING BAD, AND WE
HAVE 100-YEAR STORMS HAPPENING
FREQUENTLY, HEAVY RAINFALLS,
WITH THAT COMES A LOT OF
EROSION, AND THAT IMPACTS US IN
THOSE WAYS AS WELL SO FOLKS IN
SHEBOYGAN SEE IT FIRSTHAND.
WE'RE CONCERNED.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE FUTURE
AND HOW TO PLAN FOR IT.
>> AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE
100-YEAR STORMS HAPPENING OVER
AND OVER, IS THAT REALLY KIND OF
WHAT IS MAKING IT UNDENIABLE OR
HARD TO IGNORE THIS IS CLIMATE
CHANGE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAY,
WELL, THE LEVELS OF WATER RISE
AND FALL ALL THE TIME, AND IT IS
CYCLICAL, BUT IS THE INTENSITY
OF AND FREQUENCY OF HOW THIS IS
HAPPENING, IS THAT WHAT'S REALLY
MAKING IT EASIER TO SAY, NO,
THIS IS CLIMATE CHANGE?
>> OF COURSE.
THE INTENSITY, THE FREQUENCY, IT
IS HAPPENING SO MUCH MORE THAT
IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO
PLAN FOR IT.
JUST THE OTHER SUMMER, WE HAD
OUR BOARDWALK UNDERWATER, YOU
KNOW, IN PARTS OF THE RIVER
FRONT UNDERWATER BECAUSE OF THE
INTENSITY OF RISING WATER.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO PUT IN BOAT
DOCKS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE
BOAT LAUNCHES BECAUSE OF THE
FREQUENCY OF HOW THE WATER WAS
RISING.
WE HAD BUSINESSES THAT JUST FOR
THE LIVELIHOOD HAVE TO REACT IN
SUCH A WAY THAT THEY JUST PUT
OUT SANDBAGS AND HOPE AND PRAY
THAT THE WATER WON'T DAMAGE
THEIR STORES, AND, SADLY, SOME
DID GET DAMAGED, AND SOME ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL
WITH WATER RUNOFF THAT FLOODS
INTO THEIR BASEMENT AND INTO
THEIR BUSINESSES.
THESE ARE FOLKS' LIVELIHOODS,
WHETHER THEY OWN AND OPERATE
BUSINESSES HERE, WHETHER THEY
RELY ON TOURISM, WHETHER THEY
ARE HOMEOWNERS, WE HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE AND
THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE REALLY ELEVATE
THE VOICE FOR COMMUNITIES ON THE
GREAT LAKES AND THE ST. LAWRENCE
RIVER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
HAVING A STRONG COLLECTIVE VOICE
TO MOVE THIS ISSUE FORWARD AND
MAKE SURE FOLKS IN CANADA AND
THE UNITED STATES CAN HELP US
OUT.
>> AND ALONG THOSE LINES,
BECAUSE IT IS BI-NATIONAL, AND
IT STRETCHES MANY DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES AND GOES BEYOND
BOUNDARIES AND BORDERS, WHOSE
RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO PAY FOR
THIS?
HOW DO YOU DECIDE VERSUS
POINTING FINGERS?
>> YEAH.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE
PROACTIVING AND I'M NOT A PERSON
THAT LIKES TO POINT FINGERS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ISSUE WE
ARE DEALING WITH.
WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE AND WORK
TOGETHER AND BE COLLABORATIVE IN
OUR APPROACHES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS WHAT
GETS EXCITING FOR ME.
THE ISSUE LIKE THIS, WATER IS A
NONPARTISAN ISSUE.
I LOVE WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS,
REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS, AND
EVERYONE IN BETWEEN FROM THE
UNITED STATES, FROM CANADA, IN
TERMS OF HOW TO MOVE FORWARD AND
HAVE -- THE UNITED STATES,
OBVIOUSLY, HAS TO DO ITS PART,
AND WE ARE HAVING GREAT
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS
INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE GOING
THROUGH CONGRESS RIGHT NOW.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COMES
OUT OF THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET A GREAT
INVESTMENT IN ROADS AND BRIDGES
FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND WE
ALSO NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE.
COMMUNITIES LIKE SHEBOYGAN,
STATES LIKE WISCONSIN RELY
HEAVILY ON OUR WATERWAYS AND
GREAT LAKES TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS JUST A
HUGE VITAL COMPONENT OF HOW WE
CAN BE STRONG AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE A LAKE FRONT COMMUNITY OF
THE 21st CENTURY.
WE HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR
COMMUNITIES STAY STRONG AND
HEALTHY AND VIBRANT AND KEEP OUR
GREAT LAKES PROTECTED JUST IS
PART OF THAT.
>> SO YOU SPOKE OF REACTIONARY
MEASURES, BUSINESSES PUTTING
DOWN SANDBAGS.
LOOKS LIKE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING
AT WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE
PACKAGE IS A LITTLE MORE LONG
TERM.
IS THERE ALSO POLLUTION IN THE
WATER BECAUSE OF THIS?
WHAT ARE THE REAL LONG TERM
SOLUTIONS, AND IS IT JUST GOING
TO KEEP GETTING WORSE?
>> YEAH.
WHEN YOU TALK LONG-TERM
SOLUTIONS, IT GOES MANY WAYS,
BUT I'LL SPEAK FOR SHEBOYGAN
SPECIFICALLY.
WE'RE A LAKE SHORE COMMUNITY
THAT HAS OVER TEN MILES ON THE
GREAT LAKES.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SHEBOYGAN
RIVER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES,
PARKS, AREAS TO RECREATE, ENJOY
A DAY AT THE BEACH, GRAB ICE
CREAM, GRAB FOOD AT A
RESTAURANT, RENT SOME KAYAKS OR
PADDLE BOARDS, AND WE'RE VERY
CONNECTED IN A LOT OF THOSE
DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE A STRONG BUSINESS
COMMUNITY.
WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE
THIS THAT COMES UNEXPECTEDLY AND
IMPACTS US, IT IS HARD TO ADAPT,
AND I MET WITH THE SALON OWNER
THE OTHER DAY WHO OWNS A SALON
RIGHT ON THE RIVER, AND WHEN YOU
HAVE STORM WATER PIPES BACKING
UP BECAUSE OF HIGH WATER OR
HEAVY RAIN AND THAT FLOODS THE
BASEMENT, AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE
TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO FIX THAT,
THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO SOLVE THE
PROPERTY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH
THEIR BUSINESSES, THAT REALLY
IMPACTING THEM, AND IT IS A BIG
STRUGGLE FOR THEM AS WELL, TOO.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MAJOR
COMPONENT FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING
TO WORK WITH THE STATES, FEDERAL
GOVERNMENTS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS,
EVERY LEVEL IN BETWEEN IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AS WELL TO
DEVELOP STRONG STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE SURE WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BUSINESSES'
NEEDS ARE THAT ARE IN THE AREA
AS WELL SO I THINK THAT'S ONE
POINT, AND THEN WE NEED TO TALK
ABOUT MITIGATION STRATEGIES AS
WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN SHEBOYGAN, WE
HAVE A LOT OF JETTIES, BREAK
WATER SYSTEMS, SEA WALLS THAT
NEED REPAIR, AND INVESTMENTS TO
PROTECT OUR SHORELINE FROM
EROSION WHETHER IT'S THE
BEACHES, FROM HOMEOWNERS, FROM
OTHER TOURISM ENTITIES AS WELL,
AND SMALL BUSINESSES AS I SAID
BEFORE.
I THINK THOSE NEED TO BE KEY
FACTORS AS WELL IN TERMS OF
LONG-TERM PLANNING IN WHAT'S THE
CYCLE.
YOU KNOW, HOW LONG ARE WE GOING
TO REPAIR THIS?
WHAT'S THE EXPECTATION OF HOW
LONG SOME OF THESE MITIGATION
AND EROSION PROTECTIONS LAST FOR
THE COMMUNITY LIKE SHEBOYGAN.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE ARMY
CORP OF ENGINEERS NOW TO REPAIR
THE SOUTH PIER BREAK WATER AREA
RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S A MAJOR
INVESTMENT THAT THE ARMY CORP IS
MAKING IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT
THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
OF MAKING THAT INVESTMENT AND
REPAIR, SO WE NEED MORE PROJECTS
LIKE THAT, UP AND DOWN ALL THE
SHORES OF THE GREAT LAKES AS
WELL, TOO, BUT WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND -- YOU BROUGHT UP A
POINT, TOO, ABOUT POLLUTION.
WISCONSIN'S AN AGRICULTURE
STATE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE A LOT OF LONG-TERM
PROTECTIONS IN MATERIALS OF
AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF, MAKING SURE
COMMUNITIES HAVE THE VINNEST --
INVESTMENTS AND SUPPORT TO DO
TESTING FOR GROUND WATER OR TEST
RIVERS AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THE
WATER WE INTAKE IS CLEAN,
HEALTHY, AND GOOD FOR FOLKS THAT
WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SWIM IN THE
LAKES OR THAT ARE CONSUMING AND
DRINKING IT AS WELL.
I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
KEY THINGS, JUST AS A QUICK
RUNDOWN OF THINGS WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT FOR LONG TERM
THAT WE HAVE TO HAMMER DOWN AND
GET A GOOD GRIP ON.
>> BUT WHEN WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS AT THE
ROOT CAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, IT
IS SOMETHING THAT DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES ARE PUNTING BACK AND
FORTH, AND IT IS A CAN THAT GETS
KICKED DOWN THE ROAD.
AS A MAYOR OF A WISCONSIN CITY,
AND YOU MENTIONED YOU GET
TOGETHER WITH OTHER MAYORS IN
THE STATE, PART OF THE
BI-NATIONAL COALITION, IS MAKING
CERTAIN PROMISES TOWARDS
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND
LOWERING GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS, IS THAT SOMETHING
THAT IS A PART OF YOUR FORWARD
PLANNING?
>> IT HAS TO BE.
IT HAS TO BE.
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE A MAYOR,
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON' ON AN
ISLAND BY YOURSELF.
YOUR COMMUNITY IS FIGHTING HARD
TO RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC,
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A STRONG
BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A GLOBAL
ISSUE LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU
CAN'T GO IT ALONE.
YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS
AND LEAN ON YOUR FRIENDS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN WITH OTHER AND IN
OTHER COMMUNITIES, OTHER MAYORS,
HAVING A COLLECTIVE VOICE.
YOU CAN'T GO AT IT ALONE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING
CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE
SURE YOU HAVE A CONCISE,
CONCEDED WAY TO MOVE MOVE
FORWARD, AND I THINK HAVING A
GROUP LIKE THE GREAT LAKES IN
ST. LAWRENCE RIVER CITIES
INITIATIVE TO BE THAT VOICE I
THINK IS A STRONG ADVOCATE TO
THE FEDERAL POSITIONS.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INTERSTATE
COMMERCE AND BI-NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND ISSUES LIKE
THIS, LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO COME
FROM THE TOP AS WELL.
IT NEEDS TO START LOCAL.
ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL.
IT IS.
WE SEE THE IMPACT.
WE ALSO SEE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT
WHEN FOLKS AT THE TOP DON'T STEP
UP TO HELP FOLKS LIKE US TO HAVE
A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH IN
TERMS OF ADDRESSING ISSUES LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN, BUT WE
HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT
TOGETHER, AND MAKE SURE WE MOVE
THE ISSUE FORWARD.
>> NOW, YOU ARE SHEBOYGAN
NATIVE, AND THE YOUNGEST ELECTED
SHEBOYGAN MAYOR, AND YOU SAID
THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY THE
YOUNGEST MAYOR IN WISCONSIN.
THERE'S KIND OF A TREND OF
YOUNGER MAYORS IN THE STATE AS
WELL.
BEING THE GENERATION THAT IS
INHERITING CLIMATE CHANGE, WHAT
WILL THIS LOOK LIKE IF IT'S NOT
ADDRESSED?
>> I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW IT'S GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE
INVOLVED IN POLITICS LOCALLY OR
THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
INACTION IS NOT A WAY TO MOVE
FORWARD, AND FOLKS LIKE ME AND
OTHER YOUNG MAYORS ACROSS
WISCONSIN OR THE COUNTRY, FOR
THAT MATTER, WE DON'T DO THIS
JUST FOR THE POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE.
I MEAN, I KNOW I DID THIS
BECAUSE I LOVE MY HOMETOWN AND I
LOVE MY COMMUNITY, AND I
REMEMBER GROWING UP SPENDING A
DAY AT THE LAKE, GOING TO THE
BEACH, HAVING FUN WITH FRIENDS
AND FAMILY, AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
NOW, WHEN YOU HAVE ENTIRE
BEACHES AND WATERWAYS WASHED OUT
AND NOT HAVING THOSE SAME SHARED
EXPERIENCES, IT HURTS, THAT
BECOMES PERSONAL FOR ME, SO I
THINK MAKING MY HOMETOWN A
BETTER PLACE IS A BIG MOTIVATING
FACTOR FOR ME TO JUMP IN AND RUN
FOR MAYOR FROM THE START.
NOW I'M IN THIS POSITION OF A
PART OF A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION
THAT'S A GREAT ADVOCATE TO
TACKLE AND ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
ISSUES, BUT IT IS SCARY WHEN YOU
DON'T SEE LEADERSHIP FROM THE
TOP THAT WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD
AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, MY GENERATION, THE
NEXT GENERATION AFTER ME, WE'RE
GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS,
AND WE DON'T FULLY KNOW WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE, BUT WE KNOW IT'S NOT
LOOKING GOOD IF WE DON'T DO
ANYTHING.
WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART.
I'M HAPPY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES AND HAPPY
TO HAVE PLATFORMS LIKE THIS TO
TRULY ELEVATE THE CONCERN OF
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD,
WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR NECK OF
THE WOODS.
YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FOLKS WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT'S THE' THE
ICECAPS MELTING WAY UP NORTH,
IT'S NOT MY BACKYARD.
WELL, IT IS IN OUR BACKYARD.
SMALL CITIES LIKE SHEBOYGAN ARE
SEEING BEACHES WASH AWAY, RIVERS
RISE, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE
FLOODING.
WE'RE SEEING MORE OF THESE
100-YEAR STORMS HAPPENING MORE
AND MORE, AND WE ARE SEEING THE
FREQUENCY OF LAKE LEVELS RISE
AND DROP 15 FEET, MORE
DRASTICALLY THAN BEFORE, AND I
THINK IT IS A CONCERN FOR MYSELF
AND MANY OTHER CITIZENS.
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO STEP UP
AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND WE
HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM LOCAL
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WANT TO
GET INVOLVED AND HELP ADDRESS
THIS AND SEE WHAT SHEBOYGAN CAN
DO THIS IN NECK OF THE WOODS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE, SHE BOY BEGAN
MAYOR, RYAN SORENSON, THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I WANT TO DO A QUICK PITCH FOR
THE GREAT LAKES AND ST. LAWRENCE
CITIES INITIATIVE.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
STAY IN TOUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT.
FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW" AND
PBS WISCONSIN, YOU CAN VISIT
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG, AND THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
WEDNESDAY."