December 2004
Welcome to e-Sierra
The email newsletter of the Sierra Club North Star ChapterDecember 2004 / Issue 30
WELCOME
The North Star Chapter welcomes you to our monthly e-Sierra. Please find updates on critical environmental issues; upcoming events; opportunities to become involved; and a North Star Chapter calendar of events. For additional Sierra Club information visit our website at http://northstar.sierraclub.org.
VISIT MOTHER NATURE WITH SOME FRIENDS
Want to spend a couple of freezing nights admiring the Milky Way or a quick hot cocoa stop at a Minneapolis wonder? Whatever outdoor experience you fancy, please join us in co-leading outings so that more people can share in the Great Outdoors. Join other Sierrans as we begin to set up our nature outings for 2005. Please join us on Tuesday, January 25th at 6:30 at the Sierra Club office. For more information or to RSVP drop a note to Wendy Miller at .
BECOME A CONSISTENT ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD
Public policy makers need to hear from people about protecting our environmental values. The Sierra Club North Star Chapter is hosting Wednesday Night Action Nights. To hold our legislators accountable we are simply picking up our phones and asking Sierra Club members to take timely action to protect our forests, our clean air, clean water, natural places and to work for international environmental protection. Please consider committing for one to four nights a month to engage our members in creating and sustaining Minnesota's environmental legacy. We provide refreshments and background information on the issues. You will get to know like-minded members and have fun working for environmental protection!
Action Nights: Wednesdays, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Wednesday, January 12th - Calling for Environmental Justice
Wednesday, January 19th - Calling for the Protection of our State Forests
Wednesday, January 26th - Calling for Clean Air
North Star Chapter Office, 2327 E. Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis. To RSVP or for more information: 612-659-9124 or .
DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW USE AN ATV RESPONSIBLY... TIRED OF OTHERS RIDING RECKLESSLY?
A coalition of conservation groups including the Sierra Club and Friends of the Boundary Waters is supporting a bill in the 2005 Minnesota legislature that stiffens penalties for reckless ATV, dirt-bike motorcycle, and off-road truck riding. Help us identify and work with responsible owners and riders who could call their legislators supporting stricter penalties, and possibly testify before Senate and House committees. If you (or someone you know) owns an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) and wants to reign in reckless riders, we would like to hear from you. To sign-up or learn more, contact Sean Wherley at (612) 332-9630 or , or Brian Pasko at 612-522-2757, .
EATING PIZZA, SOCIALIZING, AND SCHEMING WITH NEIGHBORS IN DULUTH
Join other folks from Duluth at the Tuesday, January 11th Kickoff Pizza Party. A great time to meet Nick the new Duluth Sierra Club organizer and hook up with others who care about local, state, and national environmental protection. Help set the 2005 environmental agenda. For details check out our website at: http://northstar.sierraclub.org or give Nick a call at 218-260-7181. Hope to see you there!
HELP STOP THE HEARTLAND TIRE BURNER - IT IS IMPORTANT!
Tuesday, January 25th at 3:00pm
MPCA Large Hearing Room located at 520 Lafayette Rd N, St. Paul
Citizens battling the proposed tire burner in Southern Minnesota
need your help! Please show your support by attending this
critical meeting. This tire burner would burn 10 million tires
annually to produce a minimal amount of energy, making it the
largest tire burner in the nation. In addition, the technology
proposed for burning tires has never been used in practice, and
the MPCA is relying on test results from 18 years ago. With this
much at stake, the state of Minnesota must protect human health
and the environment by doing proper environmental review before
the facility is built. For more information see more info on the
Heartland Tire Burner at
http://northstar.sierraclub.org/heartland
or e-mail
.
ROOFTOP CONNECTED TO THE GUTTER; GUTTER CONNECTED TO THE DOWNSPOUT; DOWNSPOUT CONNECTED TO YOUR SIDEWALK; SIDEWALK CONNECTED TO YOUR...
Interested in figuring out what happens to all those drips that hit your rooftop or where all the water goes from your storm drain or just how many chemicals are we flushing into the Mississippi River? Join other inquiring minds of the Sierra Club Water Committee as they dive into storm water runoff, wetland protection, and helping our wild rivers become wild again. Contact Karen Harder at for more information or join the Water Committee at its next meeting on Wednesday, January 26th.
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO PROTECT THE ARCTIC
We the undersigned Americans do not want the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and our other precious wilderness areas sacrificed for oil industry profits. But the Bush Administration has renewed its push to open up the Arctic Refuge to oil development, planning to either tuck it into the Federal Budget Resolution or incorporate it into its destructive Energy Bill which will lavish huge subsidies on the nuclear, coal, and oil industries. To weigh in with your voice go to: http://sierraclub.org/petition/arctic/.
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Fri. Dec 24-Mon. Jan 3: Chapter office is Closed
Wed. Jan 5: Forestry campaign meeting
Thurs. Jan 6: Twin Cities Political Committee meeting
Mon. Jan 10: Land Use Committee Meeting
Tues. Jan 11: Duluth Kick off and Pizza Party
Wed. Jan 12: Action Night: Calling for Environmental Justice
Wed. Jan 12: Communications Committee
Fri. Jan 14-Sun Jan 16: Sierra Club table at Women's Expo
(
to volunteer)
Sat. Jan 15: Endangered Open Space Outing: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center 10:00am-12:30pm
Tues. Jan 18: International Committee
Wed. Jan 19: Action Night: Calling for State Forest Protection
Tues. Jan 25: Outings Committee
Tues. Jan 25: Clean Air Campaign at Sierra Club office 7pm
Tues. Jan 25: Heartland at MPCA Citizen's Board Meeting 3pm
Wed. Jan 26: Water Committee at 5:30
Wed. Jan 26: Excom
Wed. Jan 26: Action Night: Calling for Clean Air
For More Calendar Information or for Interesting Submissions Contact:
Our postal address is:
Sierra Club - North Star Chapter
2327 E. Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
United States
WELCOME
The North Star Chapter welcomes you to our monthly e-Sierra. Please find updates on critical environmental issues; upcoming events; opportunities to become involved; and a North Star Chapter calendar of events. For additional Sierra Club information visit our website at http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING! GET IN SHAPE FOR "GET OUT THE VOTE" THIS SATURDAY WITH BARBARA FREESE!
Join us for a "last push" Voter Education effort on Saturday, October 23rd, 10:00am - 2:00pm! Warm up for the Get Out the Vote drive by joining us for our final voter education neighborhood walk this Saturday, October 23rd at the Sierra Club Office, 2327 East Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. Before we head out to talk to our neighbors, Barbara Freese, former Assistant Attorney General of Minnesota for more than twelve years, will speak about the impact of coal-burning power plants on our environment. She is the author of Coal: A Human History. Learn more about the harmful pollutants of coal fired energy and what is at stake in the upcoming election. If you haven't attended a walk yet, make this the one! Door knocking veterans, help us make our voter education numbers skyrocket! This will be our last big voter education effort before we begin our Get Out the Vote drive.
HELP GET OUT THE VOTE AND HELP MAKE HISTORY
The most important election of our lives is almost here, and we still need more than 100 volunteers to sign up to spend a few hours each between Saturday, October 30 and Election Day. What is our goal? We want to educate 20,000 environmental voters and we want to get environmental voters to vote. We need volunteers to go door-to-door to encourage people to vote, tell them where their polling location is, and answer any questions they may have about registering to vote and voting. Join us on these few days and help make history. All shifts meet at our office at 2327 East Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. This is an appeal to everyone who believes clean air, clean water, and our public lands are worth protecting. Thanks to many of you, we have already filled some shifts, but we need still need lots of help. To sign up, go to http://northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/politics/2004/gotvSignupForm.html or call 612-659-9124 and ask for Margaret.
DEAR GOVERNOR PAWLENTY: CLEAN AIR & WATER ADVOCATE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TIRE BURNER?
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency approved Heartland Energy and Recycling, LLC's plan to burn 10 million tires annually to produce energy. Heartland's plan is a technology that has never burned 100% tires on this scale before, and, if built, would be the largest tire burner in the nation. Ask Governor Pawlenty to urge his Administration to live up to its values as a Clean Air and Clean Water Administration by requiring an Environmental Impact Statement of the tire burner. Please send a letter to the Governor today, and then visit http://www.semep.org/news.html for information on how to submit a letter to the MPCA. We need your help! Share this information with your friends and family. To send a message to the Governor, please click the link below: http://northstar.sierraclubaction.org/showalert.asp?aaid=900
HOW SHOULD APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK BE MANAGED
The National Park Service will be holding seven public open houses this fall to listen to the public on how Apostle Islands National Lakeshore should be managed over the next 15 to 20 years. Public comments will help shape preliminary alternatives that will be developed over the next year or so. The Bush administration is using the plan as a green wash during election season; we want to get this national treasure protected, and not play political games with it. "What we are getting is less wilderness protection, not more," said Melissa Lindsay, executive director of the Minneapolis-based Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. "The Apostle Islands wilderness study recommends protection of only 80 percent of the lakeshore. But for the past 15 years, under the last plan, 97 percent of the park was managed as de facto wilderness." Go to http://www.friends-bwca.org/press_releases/apostles_09_02_04.html for the full release.
Apostle Islands Management Open Houses
Thursday, October 21 - 6:00pm-8:00pm
Four Points Sheraton Capitol Hotel
400 Hamline Avenue North, St Paul
Friday, October 22 - 4:00pm-6:00pm
Holiday Inn Downtown
200 West 1st Street, Duluth
BE ONE IN A MILLION - PROTECT AMERICA'S LAST ROADLESS AREAS!
The comment period on the Bush administration's attempt to reverse the protection we have for wild areas of our national forests is only open until Nov. 15. Over one million Americans have commented on the decision since it was announced in August! But the Bush administration hasn't heard us yet — send your opinion now, at http://northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/forests/policy/roadless.html.
THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES NEEDS SOME HELP
Care about impaired waters, protection of wetlands, storm water runoff, and clean water? Come help us direct the growth and development of Water Committee! A campaign planning session is scheduled for Saturday, October 30th, 12:30-4:30pm. Because it would be too much of a good thing, our regular 4th Wednesday meeting will not be held this month.
YOU CAN HELP MINNESOTA'S WOLVES - FED'S SEEKING COMMENTS NOW
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced in July
that it will seek to remove the eastern gray wolf from Endangered
Species list and turn management of the wolves over to the states
where they live. Minnesota's wolves have thrived under federal
protection and this ought to have signaled a victory of the
Endangered Species Act. You can submit public input before November
18.
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/campaigns/wolves/index.html
SOLSTICE PARTY IS BACK!
Please mark your calendars. The Sierra Club North Star Chapter will host its annual Solstice Party on December 17th at the Izaak Walton League of America Breckenridge Chapter Clubhouse. This is an event to recognize volunteers for their great contributions. More details to come.
MEET UP OR MISS OUT
Meet up http://www.sierraclub.meetup.com/ and join others who share a love of the environment.
PRESIDENT BUSH AND CONGRESS WATCH
Keep tabs on President Bush and Congress.
http://www.sierraclub.org/politics/
http://www.sierraclub.org/wwatch/
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed Oct 20: Voter Education Calling
Wed Oct 20: Letter Writing Workshop on Tire Burner - 7pm, Preston MN
Thu Oct 21: Voter Education Doorknock
Sat Oct 23: Voter Education Doorknocking (10:00 am)
Sun Oct 24: Voter Education Calling (1:00 pm and 6:30 pm)
Mon Oct. 25: Indoor Air Quality Presentation - 9:30am-11am, MPCA (520 Lafayette Blvd, Saint Paul)
Tue Oct. 26: Clean Air Committee Meeting, 7pm, Alliance for Metro Stability (2525 E. Franklin Ave, Mpls)
Tue Oct 26: Voter Education Calling
Wed Oct 27: Voter Education Calling
Thu Oct 28: Voter Education Doorknock
Fri Oct. 29: Deadline for public comments to MPCA on Tire Burner
Sat Oct. 30: Clean Water Campaign Planning - 12:30-4:30pm
Sat Oct 30: Sierra Club Get Out the Vote Drive Begins - all day
Sun Oct 31: Sierra Club Get Out the Vote Drive - all day
Mon Nov 1: Sierra Club Get Out the Vote Drive - all day
Tue Nov 2: Election Day - Sierra Club Get Out the Vote Drive - all day
Thu-Sat Nov 4-6:
Forest Watch exploring trip, Superior National Forest
Wed Nov 10: Forest Campaign Meeting
Mon Nov 15:
National Forest plan town meeting
Tue Nov 16: Land Use Committee
Tue Nov 16: International Committee Meeting
Tue Nov 23: Clean Air Committee
For More Calendar Information or for Interesting Submissions Contact:
Our postal address is:
Sierra Club - North Star Chapter
2327 E. Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
United States