November 2003
Welcome to e-Sierra
The email newsletter of the Sierra Club North Star ChapterNovember 2003 / Issue 20
TAKE ACTION: ASK SENATOR DAYTON TO FILIBUSTER ENERGY BILL
After months of negotiation, a conference committee has finalized a federal Energy Bill that would waste tens of billions of taxpayer dollars on subsidies for polluting power, while shortchanging renewable energy sources. Ask Senator Dayton to filibuster the bill: http://northstar.sierraclubaction.org/showalert.asp?aaid=416
SAVING SPECIAL PLACES IN DANGER
Join Sierra Club open space advocates in creating and publishing: The Endangered Green Space Guide. It's been three years since we created the North Star Chapter's first guide to endangered open spaces in the metro area. These are the parks, wetlands, open spaces and special places we treasure and are in danger of being lost to development. The Green Space Guide is your guide to these green spaces, how to get there and what to see. It's also a critical step in informing Minnesotans how to get involved in saving these special places. Contact Trevor Russell for details at Trevor.Russell@sierraclub.org.
STAY DILIGENT!
Which environmental laws protect our national forests? They all do! Different laws regulate logging, mining, snowmobiling, wildlife, clean water, and government accountability on our public lands. They all have something in common: the Bush administration has systematically weakened every one. Read more in this fun chapter of the "Big Book of Bush": http://www.sierraclub.org/bush/safeguard.asp.
DULUTH EVENTS!
Our Northern Lights group is revving up for 2004 with a series of events. Get involved in protecting Duluth's open space, hunt for lynx tracks, learn about national forest planning and Great Lakes restoration. Details at http://northstar.sierraclub.org/groups/northern-lights/index.html.
SOMETHING SMELLS AROUND HERE - COME TO A CLEAN AIR TOWN MEETING
Join other community members for an old style town hall meeting on Monday, Nov. 24 at 7:00 at Christ the King church at 8600 Fremont Ave., Bloomington. Staff from Senator Dayton's office and Senator Coleman's office will be present. The subject will be the Bush Administration's Clear Skies proposal, a plan to weaken the Clean Air Act and allow old power plants to continue polluting and avoid required improvements. The town hall meeting is presented by Clean the Air. If you have any questions please contact michelle.rosier@sierraclub.org.
THE ST. CROIX NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERWAY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT
For three decades, the Sierra Club has defended the integrity of the St. Croix National Wild and Scenic Riverway from a MNDOT proposal for a new freeway-style superbridge south of Stillwater. Two meetings will be held next month to gather public input regarding the proposed St. Croix River crossing alternatives. The first meeting will be 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the Houlton, Wis., Elementary School, 70 County Road E. The second meeting will be 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Washington County Government Center, 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater. Come and speak, and support others who speak, on behalf of the St. Croix National Riverway. Your thoughts on the Riverway itself, its recreational value, its scenic qualities, and/or sprawl and land use in Wisconsin are critical to creating a balanced record at these hearings. For further information, call or email Mat Hollinshead at 651-698-0260, or and check out http://northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/open-space/transportation/stCroixProposal20030630.html.
MINNEAPOLIS TREE PLANTING PROPOSAL IN JEOPARDY
The City of Minneapolis has been hit hard in recent years by both Dutch Elm disease and storm damage, and tree planting hasn't kept pace with the City's losses. The gap is particularly severe on the north side of the City. The Mayor put $200,000 in his proposed budget for tree planting next year. This would triple the amount normally spent on planting trees (Park Board was planning to spend $100k). The goal is to plant 5000 trees in 2004, by leveraging some private and federal dollars as well. If you would like to see these trees planted, let the City Council know by Nov. 21, 2003. General City Council phone number is 612-673-2100 or find your City Council Member and more contact information at: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/.
THE EFFECT OF A BUTTERFLY'S WING CAN BE FELT AROUND THE WORLD - ANONYMOUS
The North American Butterfly Association-Northern Crescents Chapter in Duluth and Sierra Club invite you to a talk by Dr. David MacLean on "Butterfly species of concern in the Superior National Forest" on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30 p.m. Meeting is open to the public and is held at the MN Pollution Control Agency Office, Canal park, Palucci Bldg in Duluth. Enter through the back doors from the parking lot. For more information contact pthomas55804@yahoo.com or Joshua.Davis@sierraclub.org
POLITICS - PRECINCT CAUCUSES - HOW DO THEY WORK?
The North Star Chapter is organizing a series of trainings on how to get involved in precinct caucuses. Contact Brenda Asmus at if you can help organize a training in your area.
IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IN MINNESOTA
Hot off the press. Wondering how environmental review is working in Minnesota? Drop an e-mail to Karen Harder, Chair of the Chapter's Water Committee and request a copy of this latest North Star Chapter report. Karen Harder at ktharder@efg.com.
LET'S GET OUTDOORS
Want to help organize day hikes, week-long paddles, snow shoeing? Join the growing Outings Committee. Contact Chair of the Outings Committee, Brian Pasko at brian.pasko@sierraclub.org.
CITIZEN STEWARDS!
Contact your Congress members on a regular basis and let them know that you want them to protect the environment. Need an e-mail, phone, or mailing address for your Congress member? Click here. To contact Senator Coleman: http://www.senate.gov/~coleman/contact/index.cfm.
PRESIDENT BUSH AND CONGRESS WATCH
Keep tabs on President Bush and Congress: http://www.sierraclub.org/politics/
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Nov. 18: International Committee
Nov. 18: Precinct Caucus Organizing
Nov. 19: Outings Committee
Nov. 19: Inner City Outings
Nov. 19: Learn how Duluth is planning to use tax-forfeit land
Nov. 22: Student Organizing Committee
Nov. 24: Clean Air Accountability Bloomington Town Meeting
Nov. 24: Wetland Protections Committee
Nov. 25: Air Toxics Committee
Dec. 3: Forestry Committee
Dec. 3: Excomm Meeting
Dec. 6: Hunt for lynx tracks, Isabella, MN
Dec. 8: St. Croix Valley Group Meeting
Dec. 9: Political Committee
Dec. 10: Joint Legislative and Conservation Meetings
Dec. 10: Communications Committee
Dec. 10: Duluth presentation on forest diversity with Duane Lula from US Forest Service
Dec. 15: Water Committee
Dec. 15: Land Use Committee
Dec. 18: MERP Decision
Jan. 14: Duluth Presentation on Great Lakes restoration by Sierra Club's Jennifer Feyerherm
For More Calendar Information Contact:
vicki.munson@sierraclub.org
For Interesting Submissions:
heather.cusick@sierraclub.org
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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