February 2003
Welcome to e-Sierra
The email newsletter of the Sierra Club North Star ChapterFebruary 2003 / Issue 11
SierranACT ACTIVIST ALERT SYSTEM - PRAIRIE ISLAND - A DEAL IS A DEAL
Join the North Star Action Network an easy and effective way to send letters, faxes, or e-mails to decision makers on critical environmental issues. They need to hear from you!!! Send a message today telling our legislators - a Deal is a Deal. Stop Xcel from backing out of a 1994 legislative agreement to invest in renewables and to stop moving Minnesota toward a nuclear energy future. Your action today could help move us to a clean energy future. Sign up today! http://northstar.sierraclubaction.org
JOIN HUNDREDS AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZEN'S DAY AT THE CAPITOL
Join other Sierra Club activists at the Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP) Citizen's Day at the Capitol, Tues., Feb. 25, 2003, 9:00am-3:00pm. Come for all or part of the day. Rally in the Rotunda at 11:45. Talk with your legislators about mercury, pesticides, phosphorous, fecal matter, and other threats to our waters. For details contact Heather Cusick at or register at http://www.mepartnership.org/includes/calendar_detail.asp?cal_id=227#.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOWN MEETING WITH RT RYBAK - APRIL 10
The Sierra Club North Star Chapter is hosting an Environmental Town Meeting with Mayor RT Rybak on the evening of April 10th from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Mark your calendars and join us for an evening of dialogue on environmental issues. As part of this town meeting, the Sierra Club North Star Chapter is inviting Sierra Club members and environmental and community organizations to submit questions or topics you would like discussed at the forum. There will be an opportunity to participate in a Q & A during the last part of the program. If you would like to submit a question please type "Mayor Rybak Question" in the subject line and e-mail the question to .
DERAILMENT?
Governor Pawlenty's budget proposes that 60% of the operating cost of the new Hiawatha Light Rail be assigned to the cities through which it runs, Minneapolis and Bloomington - approximately $4.5 million per year. Using this principle, taxpayers of Chaska or Chanhassen would pay 60% of the cost of the highway interchanges in their cities, something which doesn't happen now and will not be proposed by the Governor. If residents and businesses of two cities pay 60% of the cost of the Hiawatha Light Rail line and that is made a state-wide precedent for rail passenger transportation, the political result will be no more rail passenger transportation, beyond Amtrak and Hiawatha, for as long as that policy is in place. For more information, contact: North Star Chapter Chair Mat Hollinshead at: .
ANOKA SPRAWL - WHO YOU GOING TO CALL "BUSTERS WORKSHOP"
The North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club and Anoka's 'Protect our Parks' are teaming up for our first in a series of six Sprawl Buster Workshops! Join other sprawl activists in educating our local communities on how we can protect our open space and preserve our community character. First "Busters" workshop will be held the morning of April 26th at the Rum River Branch of the Anoka County Library [7th Ave. and RT. 116 in Anoka]. For more information, or to help organize please contact Land Use Organizer Trevor Russell at: or call 612-659-9124.
TOUR DE MANURE - April 12, 2003
Join the Sierra Club and the Animal Welfare Institute to host doctors, scientists, farmers and experts in animal welfare for an upclose, personal examination of how the industrial system of producing animals negatively impacts human health in our country. The Tour de Manure will examine animal husbandry on family versus factory farms and discuss how the routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture contributes to the alarming increase of antibiotic resistant bacteria in our environment and food supply. To register, contact by email at or call 612-659-9124.
BUS DIESEL CAMPAIGN GOES NATIONAL!
Based on the great success of the School Bus Diesel Campaign in Minnesota, the National Sierra Club Student Coalition has decided to adopt a Cleaner Bus Campaign of its own. Volunteers are needed to help set up this new national campaign via networking with Sierra Club Chapters, students, and other organizations across the country. If you are interested in taking part in this exciting national effort to protect children's health from diesel exhaust, please contact Amir Nadav at . For more info on the Minnesota School Bus Diesel campaign, visit: http://northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/air/schoolbus/index.html.
DECREASE COAL-BURNING POLLUTION
The Sierra Club North Star Chapter Wasioja Group is working to decrease polluting emissions from the outdated coal-burning Silver Lake Plant (SLP). Along with other groups, Sierra Club members will participate in the first (of three) community meetings at 7 PM on Monday Feb. 24, 2003 at Assisi Heights in Rochester. Sarah Welch who is the mid-west power plant coordinator for the Izaak Walton League will be the featured speaker. Take a look at our possible futures: clean alternative energy or continued pollution from antiquated coal burning at SLP for many years to come. For more info: .
PRESIDENT BUSH AND CONGRESS WATCH
Push for Arctic Refuge Wilderness Area
On February 13, 2003, a new bill was introduced in Congress to
designate the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge as a Wilderness
Area - the highest level of public-lands protection. Sierra
Club Executive Director Carl Pope lauded the bill, which was
introduced by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Nancy Johnson
(R-Conn.), and cosponsored by 129 representatives. Encourage
Senator Coleman and Senator Dayton to sign onto the bill.
http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlands/arctic/help.asp
Stop the Bush Administration from Drying up the Clean Water Act
On January 15, 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency
and the Army Corps of Engineers issued an Advance Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking and policy guidance that represent
a serious setback for the nation's clean water protections.
http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanwater/bush_cripple.asp
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
February 21: Last day to Submit Public Comments to PUC on Coal Cleanup
February 25: MEP Citizens Day at the Capitol
February 26: Executive Committee
March 5: Air Toxics Coal Committee
March 5: Forestry Committee
March 8: Inner City Outings Training
March 12: Communications Committee
March 13: Land Use Committee
March 19: International Committee
March 19: Membership Committee
March 26: Book Group
March 26: Executive Committee
For More Calendar Information Contact:
For Interesting Submissions:
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Heather Cusick
Conservation Director
Sierra Club - North Star
2327 East Franklin Ave. Suite 1
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
phone: 612.659.9124
fax: 612.659.9129