Reminder - OCT 4 HIGHWAY CLEAN UP!

Please join us if you can at 5 p.m. for highway clean up on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4! More details at the Highway Clean Up page.

Coulee Region Transportation - please participate!

There are important transportation related events coming up. We hope Sierra Club members will be able to attend and advocate for the environment and for fairness in planning and funding.

IF YOU DIDN'T (DON'T) OWN A CAR, HOW WOULD YOU (DO YOU) GET TO WORK/SCHOOL/EVENTS/APPOINTMENTS?

The Wisconsin Counties Association is hosting a night of Transportation Town Halls on Thursday, September 29 at 7 p.m. in each Wisconsin county. These have not been well publicized but they will provide an opportunity for citizens to advocate for better alternative transportation options. What with lack of publicity and inaccessible location! you could get the impression that they'd prefer few people attend. If you are available, though, the La Crosse event is at the La Crosse County Highway Shop, 301 Carlson Road, West Salem WI 54669. Visit the site to learn where your county's event will be held.

The La Crosse Tribune reports today that the La Crosse Area Planning Committee will start exploring non-road transportation plans! Please encourage your ciy and county representatives and officials to 1) work to encourage more transit, car pools, park and ride, bike/ped solutions to area transportation issues and 2) attend the Sierra Club's October 5 event:

 

Reminder! Meeting TOMORROW!

Enviro-Education Grants!

The Coulee Region Sierra Club is offering grants of up to $200 for environmental education projects involving young people at the elementary or middle school level or in community organizations. The local group, in keeping with the Sierra Club's purpose of exploring, protecting, and enjoying our environment, invites teachers/leaders in all areas of study, as well as youth group advisors, to involve tomorrow's decision makers in making their world a better place.

More information and grant application available here. Application is due by December 1 for projects to be completed within the 2016-2017 school year.

Questions? Please email us at CRSierraClub[at]gmail.com.

National Sierra Club Update - 9/20/16

A Light Shines in the Dakotas

Aggrieved but emboldened by the federal government's attempt to fast-track a crude-oil pipeline through sovereign Native American lands, more than 200 tribes and thousands of native activists have gathered at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota in a powerful and virtually unprecedented display of unity. Thousands more have rallied in solidarity in over 100 cities across the country. In response, three federal agencies have issued a joint statement that will temporarily halt pipeline construction near the Standing Rock Sioux's water supply. "Regardless of what happens next, the Dakota Access pipeline protest has already made history," says Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune.

Read on—and take action to support the Standing Rock Sioux.

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Voices From the Camp

For five months, Standing Rock Sioux tribal members and other native allies have been camped alongside the Missouri River in a show of resistance against the Dakota Access pipeline. "There are two kinds of laws," says indigenous activist, writer, and economist Winona LaDuke. "The white man's law and the Creator's law."

Read about how the indigenous climate justice movement is working to stop the pipeline.

Photo by Sunshine Velasco

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Stop the Delisting!

Greater Yellowstone's grizzly bears are already facing the loss of traditional food sources due to climate change, diminishing habitat due to development, and an uptick in preventable conflicts with hunters and ranchers. Stripping them of Endangered Species protections, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed, could be the proverbial straw that breaks the grizzlies' back. Many of the state-level leaders who would take over management of this magnificent apex predator are uninterested or outright hostile to grizzly bear recovery. Some state plans even advocate culling—one might say "trophy hunting"—of essential female bears.

Take action by October 9 to help protect Greater Yellowstone's grizzlies.

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Speaking Out for the Arctic

When Emmy-nominated actress Keri Russell was in her early 20s, she landed the title role in a major TV series. "We'd work 18 hours a day five days a week," she recalls. "I had a binder for my scripts, and on the cover I put a photo of Alaska. It was my solace. I'd look at it and think, 'I'm going to go there.'" And go there she did, to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—one of the nation's last great wilderness areas, which nonetheless faces threats from drilling and fossil fuel development.

Hear what Russell has to say in this video, and take action to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

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Waiting for Winter

Do the first hints of cooler weather make you crave snowy adventures? Yeah, us, too. The crisp air and hush of winter are the perfect companions to invigorating activities. Here are a few trips that will make you want to dust off the snow gear:

• Cross-country ski the remote northern Maine woods
• Winter backpack from hut to hut in California's High Sierra
• Dogsled through untamed Alaskan wilderness
• Snowshoe the wonderland of Grand Teton National Park

Dreaming of a different type of getaway? Search our full roster by activity, location, date, and budget.

Photo by John Kolman

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Dirty Power Plan

Big Coal may be going the way of the dinosaurs, but it's still fighting tooth and nail to stop advances in clean energy. That's where ALEC—"a kind of dark-money dating service, matching wealthy corporations with compliant politicians"—comes in. Underwritten by fossil fuel interests like Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy, and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (say what?!), ALEC crafts templates for bills that reflect the desires of its funders and puts them in lawmakers' hands. "ALEC's overarching goal," says the Center for Media and Democracy, "is to prevent the regulation of carbon emissions."

Read more about ALEC's battle against clean energy.

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How to Clean Up Our Polluted Political Ecosystem

According to Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig, we need to first fix our democracy if we're to stand a fighting chance of addressing the challenges facing our environment. "The environmentalism that inspired Roosevelt may well have given us America's first great fight against the corrupting influence of money in politics," he says. "But we have allowed our republic to be captured by special interests ... and the way we fund political campaigns corrupts democracy."

What's the remedy?

Illustration by David Plunkert

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Nasty-Ash Sludge

Heather Moyer, a writer on the Sierra Club's staff, took a sabbatical earlier this year to report on an array of subjects including fly-fishing, the intersection of the faith and environmental communities, and the travesty of mountaintop removal coal mining. Back in July we brought you Part 1 of Moyer's in-depth look at mountaintop removal in West Virginia. We now bring you Part 2:

What Does 7.8 Billion Gallons of Toxic Coal Sludge Look Like?

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The Envelope, Please...

A Native American environmental leader, a U.S. congresswoman who has championed clean energy, and the man who guided the National Park Service through its 100th birthday celebration were among those honored at the 2016 Sierra Club Awards ceremony in Oakland, California, on September 10.

Read about all the winners and what they did to earn their awards.

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Backcountry Bookshelf

Backcountry adventure and book reading aren't exactly the most compatible of pastimes. Paper books are heavy, and e-readers can lose their charge. Still, most backcountry adventurers insist on jamming a paperback into their backpack. But what about before your trip? Smart planning is a prerequisite for a successful sojourn, and to that end we've rounded up the best books of the season on parks and the outdoors—some geared for pre-trip planning, others better suited for the coffee table.

Check 'em out.

Photo by Lori Eanes

Sierra Club Holiday Cards Are Here

Our online store has a great selection of new designs and customer favorites to choose from. But don't delay! The most popular cards—holiday and blank—and boxed assortments sell out quickly.

Check out this year's selection.

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Will You Be a #ClimateVoter in November?

There's so much at stake in this year's election, and the latest polls suggest it's going to be a horse race. The Paris Climate Agreement, the president's Clean Power Plan, basic safeguards for our air and water, the future of the EPA, the balance of the Supreme Court for perhaps a generation, and countless other critical fights hang in the balance. Each election, the Sierra Club releases a Voter Guide to help members pick the candidates who will protect our environment. This year, we've added some new features, including ways to make climate a key issue in this election.

Be among the first to check it out!

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Don't Let the EPA Get Exhausted

Thanks to standards set by the Obama administration, the fuel efficiency of our cars is improving every year, cutting oil use and carbon emissions while saving drivers money at the pump. But—surprise!—Big Oil is putting its profits before public health by trying to roll back these rules. We mustn't let that happen. Now is the time for the EPA to strengthen, not weaken, these critical standards. The deadline for public comments is September 26.

Urge the EPA to stand strong and strengthen tailpipe pollution standards.

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Summer of Success

Summer's almost over—this Thursday it will officially be autumn. But while the end of summer is always a tad wistful, the last three months brought great progress in the ongoing (we think inevitable) transition from dirty fuels to clean energy. In case you missed any of the big news while you were spending time at the beach or by the campfire, Sierra Club Beyond Coal campaign director Mary Anne Hitt has put together a list of summer highlights.

Check out Hitt's Top 10 hits.

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Let's Make a Good Thing Even Better

The U.S. Forest Service just released its long-awaited management plan for the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. While it contains many good ideas, including a transportation plan that will greatly improve access, it lacks critical detail and planning in several areas. Now is the time for the public to help shape the future of "L.A.'s backyard" by demanding better recreational amenities and naming specific lands, waters, wildlife, and habitat that need explicit protections in the final management plan.

Take action: Support the strongest, most inclusive plan for the San Gabriels.

La Crosse Transportation Forum - October 5

Please plan to attend and bring your friends and neighbors to the October 5 La Crosse Area Transportation Forum from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Southside Neighborhood Center, 1300 South 6th Street. This event is one of several around the state hosted by the Sierra Club to inform people about transportation funding issues and invite people to voice their concerns, priorities, hopes, and ideas.

For a more detailed explanation of transportation equity and why it's important, please see the Sierra Club's blog post, Community Forums on Wisconsin's Transportation System

Because we have other challenges unique to our area, including the ongoing issues with the DOT's Coulee Region Transportation Study,  the forum in La Crosse will include information about current transportation options, input from the public about their ideas for improving transportation in the region, and more information about regional and state plans and initiatives.

As part of its study of the Wisconsin system, the Sierra Club is collecting Transit Stories from people who drive for, ride with or would like to ride with public transit. Please share your story and share the link so others can, too.

Please spread the word about this important event! A flyer will be available soon, but for now, please make sure people mark their calendars!

NO DAPL SOLIDARITY - DAY OF ACTION

UPDATE: The truck of supplies will leave on Friday. Take donations to Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House. For suggested donations, see sacredstonecamp.org/supply-list/.  The protectors also have a wishlist at Amazon. Another good site for ways to help the protectors is gozamos.com/2016/09/12-ways-you-can-support-the-dakota-pipeline-protestors-at-sacred-stone-camp/

Here are more suggestions from that site:

Call the executives of Energy Transfer Partners, the corporation that is building the pipeline:

a. Lee Hanse
Executive Vice President
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
800 E Sonterra Blvd #400
San Antonio, Texas 78258
Telephone: (210) 403-6455
Lee.Hanse@energytransfer.com

b. Glenn Emery
Vice President
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
800 E Sonterra Blvd #400
San Antonio, Texas 78258
Telephone: (210) 403-6762
Glenn.Emery@energytransfer.com

c. Michael (Cliff) Waters
Lead Analyst
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
1300 Main St.
Houston, Texas 77002
Telephone: (713) 989-2404
Michael.Waters@energytransfer.com

7. Call North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple at (701) 328-2200 to demand protections for protestors and and end to hosilitites against them.

8. Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414. Tell President Obama to rescind the Army Corps of Engineers’ Permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline.

9. Call the Army Corps of Engineers and demand that they reverse the permit for DAPL: (202) 761-5903

To follow up on the Sierra Club's (and 350.org's and others') call to show solidarity with the No DAPL Protectors in North Dakota (and Iowa), please consider donating to the support effort planned by Bronson Koenig and his brother, Miles.

Here's the La Crosse Tribune article describing their project:
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/uw-star-bronson-koenig-brother-to-aid-n-d-sioux/article_a94d9d84-7a32-57ca-9b9a-8ac95a7f64bb.html

Plans are under way to have something more substantial later this month, but for the Tuesday DAY OF ACTION/SOLIDARITY, please consider dropping off donations of food, clothing and or money at the Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House (please call Miles first! Anyone who wants to donate can call Miles at 608-433-8521)