Our Action Plan: A Guide to Protecting Our Region
Stopping this project requires a unified, strategic effort from all of us. Below is a step-by-step guide with tools, templates, and contacts to make your voice powerful and effective.
The Strategy: The High Road to Victory
When communicating we must be disciplined, professional, and persuasive. Please join us in the following approach:
- Stay Calm & Polite: Emotions are high, but a calm, fact-based approach is more persuasive. Don't put officials on the defensive.
- Stick to the Facts: We have the data on our side. Focus on the proposal's flaws, the financial risks, and the environmental threats.
- Remember the Goal: Name-calling and heckling do not change minds. Our job is to help the board see what we see by presenting the undeniable truth.
Step 1: The Foundation - Show Up & Speak Out
Your physical presence at meetings is the most powerful message we can send. It shows the board that the entire region is watching. These are public meetings and anyone can attend.
Upcoming Meetings at Caledonia Village Hall (5043 Chester Lane):
September 29 at 6:00 PM: SCPC Recommendation Meeting (Non-Binding Vote)
October 14 at 6:00 PM: Critical Village Board Meeting (Potential Final, Binding Vote)
ACTION: Arrive at 5:30 PM for all meetings to connect with neighbors!
Step 2: The Easiest First Step - Sign the Petition
Before you do anything else, add your name to the growing list of residents who oppose this project. A high signature count is a clear, undeniable signal of public opposition.
Sign the Change.org Petition NowStep 3: The Ground Game - Spread Awareness
Every conversation helps. We need to make sure every resident in Caledonia, Oak Creek, and beyond understands what is at stake.
- Talk to Your Neighbors: Share this website and the key facts about rising utility bills and falling property values.
- Share on Social Media: Post the link to this website on Facebook, Nextdoor, and other platforms. Use the hashtag #StopProjectNova.
- Engage with Others: Engaging on social media posts, liking and commenting to support others on group pages will spread awareness.
Step 4: Direct Pressure - Contact the Board
A constant stream of emails demonstrates sustained opposition. Use the template below to contact the Caledonia Village Board directly.
Key Talking Points:
- This is a regional threat, raising bills for ALL We Energies customers.
- It will lower property values in Caledonia AND Oak Creek.
- It threatens the health of our shared resource, Lake Michigan.
- The RCEDC's involvement after the Foxconn disaster is a massive red flag.
To: TWeatherston@Caledonia-WI.gov
CC (Copy & Paste): NPierce@Caledonia-WI.Gov, DStillman@Caledonia-WI.gov, MLambrecht@Caledonia-WI.gov, FMartin@Caledonia-WI.gov, HMcmanus@Caledonia-WI.gov, LWishau@caledonia-wi.gov, clerk@caledonia-wi.gov
Step 5: The Investigation - Follow the Money
We have a right to know what's happening behind the scenes. You can file a Wisconsin Open Records Request to demand transparency.
Sample Open Records Request:
"To the Village Clerk (clerk@caledonia-wi.gov), Pursuant to Wisconsin's Open Records Law, I am requesting copies of all electronic communications, including emails and attachments, from January 1, 2024, to the present, that contain the terms 'Project Nova,' 'Dewberry,' 'data center,' or 'RCEDC,' sent to or from any member of the Village Board or Plan Commission."
Step 6: The Coalition - Recruit Powerful Allies
We are not alone. There are powerful organizations dedicated to protecting our environment and holding corporations accountable. Contact them, share this website, and ask for their support.
- Alliance for the Great Lakes: A leading organization dedicated to protecting the freshwater of the Great Lakes. Contact them here.
- Clean Wisconsin: A non-profit focused on protecting Wisconsin's clean water and air. Contact them here.
- Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter (WI): The Wisconsin chapter of the national environmental advocacy group. Contact them here.