Evers creates Green Ribbon Commission to establish environmental and clean energy fund 

A press release yesterday announced that Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order No. 195 creating the Green Ribbon Commission on Clean Energy and Environmental Innovation, which will advise on establishing the state’s first-ever Green Innovation Fund.  

The Green Ribbon Commission on Clean Energy and Environmental Innovation will consist of members appointed by the governor, including representatives from the Department of Administration (DOA), the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC), and relevant stakeholders.  

The Green Innovation Fund, which will be administered by WEDC in partnership with DOA, is the first environmental and clean energy fund in Wisconsin. It will join its partners in leveraging public and private financing to invest in projects that provide environmental and clean energy solutions to businesses, reduce pollution, lower energy costs for families, and expand access to clean, affordable energy options.  

The federal Inflation Reduction Act created the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and allocated $27 billion in competitive funding for states and nonprofit entities that collaborate with community financing institutions, such as green banks, to support projects that will combat the climate crisis, invest in innovative clean energy development, and create good-paying jobs.