Paper Valley: The Fight for the Fox River Cleanup

by Susan Campbell, Susan Campbell

Booklist raves: "A compelling human-interest tale on par with 'Erin Brockovich' and Jonathan Harr's 'A Civil Action.'"

Publisher's Weekly: "This brisk account . . . is an insightful look into how regulatory agencies and news media can act in concert to grapple with corrupt corporate power."

When government scientist David Allen arrived at his new jobsite in the 1990s, the Fox River near Wisconsin's Green Bay was dominated by hulking paper mills, noxious industrial odors, and widespread ecological damage. Confronted by his lack of resources to force the politically powerful "Paper Valley" polluters to fix their mess, Allen proceeds against all bureaucratic odds in building a $1 billion case against the paper company bosses. Two small but vital players, Allen along with journalist Susan Campbell were relentless in bringing the case to the public at the time. They do so again in this an act of radical transparency to uncover the intrigue that nearly blocked the cleanup behind the scenes at US Fish and Wildlife, Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources, and the US Environmental Protection Agency. In a rare and major environmental win, the Fox River became the site of the largest polychlorinated biphenyls cleanup in history, paid for by the paper companies rather than taxpayers, to the tune of $1.3 billion, and completed in 2020.

This true story of struggle, perseverance, and success inspires hope for environmentalists who strive to restore natural landscapes. The detailed account given in this book is meant to inspire and offer practical knowledge and solutions for those fighting similar opponents of environmental cleanup and restoration. Allen and Campbell eloquently outline the problematic bureaucracy involved in environmental cleanup efforts and reveal tactics to compel corporate entities who would dodge accountability for decades worth of contamination.

Paper Valley is printed on recycled paper.

Genres: Nonfiction

357 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2023

About the author

Susan Campbell is an award-winning environmental journalist, author, and communications specialist. She covered the Fox River and Green Bay cleanup controversy from 1995 through 2000 as environmental reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Her extensive Fox River reporting won national and state honors, including a national “Best of Gannett” award for specialty reporting in 1997; an enterprise reporting award from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association in 1997; beat, staff enterprise, and specialty reporting awards from Gannett in 1997, 1998, and 2000; and a spot news award from the Milwaukee Press Club in 1999. The Fox River stories were also honored by the local Green Bay community, earning the “Conservation of Natural Resources Award” from the Green Bay Mayor’s Beautification Committee and the “Clean Bay Backer Award” from the Remedial Action Plan Committee.

Campbell is also co-author of Beyond Earth Day: Fulfilling the Promise, (University of Wisconsin Press, 2002) with the late Earth Day founder U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson. Her articles have appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Psychology Today and Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. She’s shared her passion for local newspapers as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and for the environment as a public speaker in classrooms and at Earth Day events.

After her newspaper career, Campbell championed Great Lakes protections, notably passage of the landmark Great Lakes Compact, as communications manager for the Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes. In 2017 she branched out to focus on sustainable real estate, promoting energy efficiency in homes and working to raise the profile of sustainable homes nationally as a founding member of the National Association of REALTORS’ Sustainability Advisory Group.

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived through and been somewhat involved with the activities regarding the Fox River/Bay of Green Bay cleanup, I found this to be a very rewarding read. The authors have put many of the pieces, personages, and events with which I was familiar into a coherent context. This is a great services to the community and a notable case study from which others can learn. I highly recommend the book as a notable read. Who knows, maybe someone can make it into film story -- might be a great Netflix type saga for a season or so.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is opportunity to hear about David's (a wildlife biologist) and Susan's (an environmental reporter) stories on a big environmental clean up in Wisconsin. Even if you don't live in Wisconsin it is an engaging read. The authors take turns sharing the story in their own voices. I love the back and forth between the two perspectives (biologist and reporter). The look back at the environmental reporting in the Green Bay Press Gazette strengthens and confirms the recollections of the US Fish & Wildlife biologist. This book tells a story about how persistence, sticking with facts, accountability, and knowing and using resources (public, media, the laws) can actually accomplish important goals. Their book is about how all these things worked together, despite the push back from the paper mills and other governmental agencies, to achieve an environmental win! We need some more of these stories to encourage us to not give up when there is a cause that we care about. Despite the serious subject, it was a fun and fast paced read! (full disclosure.... I'm married to one of the authors... but I still hope others will appreciate my perspective and review. Happy reading!

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors on the Lake April 29, 2023.

Lots of facts and interesting stories. A lot of politics with a lot of names. And places and topography and government agencies. It is discouraging how politics can drag things out.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I am appreciative of everyone’s effort and the outcome, the book itself was hard to read and seemed drawn out. It was one sided and, at times, overly dramatic. I guess I was looking for something more academic on the event.

[Stephani · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just ok. The story was good, but how it was written could have been improved.

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I thought i was going to read a book about the actual cleanup process, it turned out to be a book describing every negotiation and political maneuver in great detail. 100+ pages could have been cut.