Clean Lakes 101

media release: Join us as we unveil the economic impact of the Yahara chain of lakes to the Greater Madison community. This first-of-its-kind study was commissioned by Clean Lakes Alliance in partnership with SRF Consulting Group, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Presenters will reveal how our lakes and their conditions impact tourism, real estate, and quality-of-life factors. Attendees will gain insights into how investing in the protection and improvement of lake quality can pay dividends felt throughout the region.

About our Speakers

Daniel J. Phaneuf is the Henry C. Taylor Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has a doctorate in economics from Iowa State University and an undergraduate degree from Saint John’s University in Minnesota. Phaneuf’s research focuses on valuing the environment and natural resources, with applications to air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, and human health. He has published over sixty academic papers in both economics and general science outlets, and his research has been funded by the US EPA, USDA, NOAA, and other state and local organizations. In 2017, Phaneuf’s doctorate level textbook A Course in Environmental Economics was published by Cambridge University Press. He served as the managing editor for J. Environmental Economics and Management (JEEM) from 2011-2013 and as the inaugural editor-in-chief for J. Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (JAERE) from 2014-2016. Phaneuf currently edits Land Economics, and he was president of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AERE) during 2019-2020. He was elected an AERE Fellow in 2022.

Andrew Toay is a project manager with SRF Consulting Group in their water resources group. Throughout his career Andrew has worked with many public and private sector clients to design and implement stormwater conveyance and treatment systems that help improve and maintain the quality of our valued waterbodies. Andrew has had a lifelong passion for water quality and has had the privilege of working on projects that help protect our precious natural resources while supporting the continued growth of our communities.

Dr. Matthew Winden is the associate dean of graduate business programs and professor of economics at UW-Whitewater. Before taking on his current role, he was the Chair of the Economics Department and Assistant Director of the Fiscal and Economic Research Center. His academic background and research expertise is in environmental and natural resource economics issues and focuses on estimating dollar values for environmental impacts which are not priced in markets. He teaches courses in economic theory, resource and environmental economics, and quantitative methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Winden earned his PhD from The Ohio State University.

This event will be held at The East Side Club (3735 Monona Dr, Madison, WI 53714). Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The program runs from 4 – 5 p.m. A Q/A session will follow the presentation as time allows. Complimentary event parking will be available at The East Side Club. Parking spots fill up quickly and may be limited depending on capacity.

Clean Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. The series is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and UW-Extension Lakes, with presenting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, hosting sponsor The East Side Club, supporting sponsor Johnson Financial Group, and media sponsor WKOW. Additional support is provided by Alliant Energy Foundation, Hovde Properties, and Perkins Coie LLP.