April newsletter

Conservation Congress April 8

Wisconsin’s annual Conservation Congress hearings are coming up on Monday, April 8 at 7 pm. There is one event in each county. Check the link for the location nearest to you.

New this year - you may complete a ballot online. Find a copy of the Spring hearing questionnaire online or get one at the event. John Muir chapter encourages all Sierra Club members to attend. Issues include hunting and fishing, protection of natural resources, and other issues brought to the Congress through citizen resolutions.

The Sierra Club has highlighted a few issues for special attention, including 2. traps near beaver dams, 3. bag limit for river otters, 7. pellet gun caliber requirements, 50. agricultural buffer zones, 52. pilot CWD payment program, 56.deer baiting and feeding ban, 70. adequate budget for public lands, 76. minimum hunting license age, 77. mentored hunting proposal, 85. banning lead ammunition, 86. ban on lead fishing tackle.

You don’t have to stay the whole time - you can complete your questionnaire and leave if you’re pressed for time. If you have any other questions, please feel free to send us a message at crsierraclub@gmail.com.

April 13 Imaging Carbon Free

We started our Climate Conversation in January. Let’s continue by imagining our carbon free future. As La Crosse moves to committing to a 100% clean, renewable community wide energy, what will that mean for our systems, infrastructure, planning, buildings, neighborhoods, and transportation?

On Saturday, April 13, from 10:30 to noon at La Crosse’s South Community Library, we’ll share and imagine what changes we’ll see and what changes we can start making now for our carbon free future. We welcome your experiences, ideas, and visions. What have you done or experienced? What have you seen or read about? Let’s share and gather great ideas.

April 28 La Crosse Earth Fair

La Crosse’s 11th annual Earth Fair will be held at Myrick Park from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday, April 28. The Coulee Region Sierra Club will have a table at the fair highlighting our Ready for 100 initiative and other Sierra Club work. See more at earthfairlacrosse.com.

A Recycling Fair will be held from 10 am to 3 pm in the nearby Emerson Elementary School parking lot. Dynamic Recycling will accept most electronic items for a small fee. Cell phones will also be accepted for recycling. In addition there will be document shredding, flag retirement, scrap metal collection, and child car seat recycling.

The Sierra Club spring highway clean up, April 27 at 9 am is part of the Earth Day clean up. Meet at the pumping station near the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette. Gloves, bags, vests provided. A lunch for clean up volunteers will be available at Myrick at 11:30 am.

March meeting notes

Thanks to our March guest speakers David Bange and Sue Knopf who led us through the maps and details of the many and varied trails on land protected by the Mississippi Valley Conservancy in the La Crosse area. Their knowledge and experience of the trails along with the super maps Sue has created gave audience members a great overview, including how to get there, what to look for, and what kinds of plants and animals you can experience.

Maps of the trails were available at the meeting. You can find maps and info at mississippivalleyconservancy.org/land-protection/protected-land. If you have ideas for future speakers or meetings, please email us at crsierraclub@gmail.com.

April Budget Hearings

There are just four Joint Finance Committee (JFC) hearings this month and none is in the Coulee Region group area. You may email comments to BudgetComments@legis.wisconsin.gov. The governor’s budget includes a focus on clean air, safe drinking water, and action on climate change. Read more about Sierra Club endorsed budget proposals at tinyurl.com/jmc19budget. Wisconsin Conservation Voters has also outlined top environmental priorities at conservationvoters.org/news/clean-water-clean-energy-gov-evers-budget-is-a-bold-vision.

State Senator Jennifer Shilling and State Representative Jill Billings will host a state budget listening session on Thursday, April 4 at 5:30 pm at the Northside Policing Center, 713 St. James St. in La Crosse. Other state legislators may hold sessions in their districts. Contact your Senator or Representative to ask. Comments are especially important if your senator or rep sits on the JFC.

PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP!

Coulee Region Sierra Club will table at two large events later this spring. We need members to sign up for a shift! If you are able, help staff the CRSC table at April 28 Earth Fair at Myrick Park (sign up at tinyurl.com/crsc-earthfair) OR at the Driftless Outdoor Show, May 17-18 at Onalaska’s Omni Center (tinyurl.com/crsc-driftlesstable) or call Pat at 608 788-8831. Sign up with a friend and spend a great hour telling people about the Sierra Club and its opportunities and important work in our community!

May 11 - Wisconsin LOVES Parks

Join Coulee Region Sierra Club members for a day of appreciation for our fantastic public lands at Wyalusing State Park for hiking, paddling, conversation, and nature. More details in our May newsletter!

Political money in SW Wisconsin

As reported in The Badger Project (thebadgerproject.org), nearly $1.5 million was spent on last fall’s campaign for Wisconsin’s 17th Senate District. The incumbent, Republican Howard Marklein, raised a record amount - more than $900,000 - in his successful bid to retain this seat. The salary for this position is $53,000 per year. The article provides an detailed analysis of the district, the campaign to keep it, the role of “dark money” in Wisconsin campaigns, and the role of hyper partisan gerrymandering. Read more at tinyurl.com/wi17money

GCRS asks for Moratorium

Grant County’s Chapter 90 ordinance requires those wishing to build an animal waste storage facility in excess of 7,000 cubic feet to obtain a permit. Grant County Rural Stewardship supports a moratorium on new permits while the SWIGG (Southwestern Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology) study is being conducted. Final results are expected in 2020, but initial private well testing showed that 42% of 301 wells were contaminated with nitrates, coliform or E coli. Lead researcher, Mark Borchardt, has noted that the strongest statistical links are those connecting coliform-polluted water with nearby manure storage.

Grant County seems reluctant to slow permitting even as a new hog facility for 5,000 sows which will ship out 2,500 piglets per week at capacity, nears completion. Concerned residents would like study results before further pollution sources are allowed to operate. Read more: facebook.com/grantcountyruralstewardship

DNR Hearing on Babcock

Nearly 50 people attended the DNR’s public hearing on water discharge permitting for Babcock Genetics in La Crosse county on March 14. All but one speaker opposed the permit, noting that Babcock has consistently failed to meet permit standards over the past decade. Speakers also noted that new research and standards should be considered, the DNR itself did not complete the permit application properly, and the protection of the environment and public health is supposed to be the priority of the DNR. Governor Evers’ pledge to make this the “year of clean water” will be tested by the outcome of this process

Ready for 100 moves forward
At its March meeting, the Sustainable La Crosse Commission approved and recommended a resolution for the City of La Crosse to move that community to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2050 or sooner. The process now moves to the city level. Soon, we’ll ask local supporters to actively lobby for the resolution. Until then, please sign the petition: tinyurl.com/crsc100petition

The SLC will now pursue a county-wide process with similar goals. Ready for 100 is a Sierra Club initiative to help cities, towns, villages, counties, and states to pledge a transition away from fossil fuels and plan for that date certain move. If other Coulee Region communities are interested in Ready for 100 legislation, please email us at crsierraclub@gmail.com. Read more about the national project at sierraclub.org/ready-for-100/commitments

The SLC will host a public program - La Crosse’s Renewable Energy Future - on Thursday, April 18 at 5:30 pm in the basement of the County Administration building, 6th and State. The event will include a panel of experts, an overview of past progress, and information about next steps. It’s FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Sierra Club Water Outings!
Get your water gear out! This month marks the start of canoe/kayak outings in the Coulee Region and around the state. Here are a few of the many opportunities for canoe/kayak adventures in and near our area. Read more and learn how to sign up at tinyurl.com/jmc-rvrtrips

April 6-7: Robinson, Morrison, Halls Creeks (suit req’d)
April 27-28: Grant River, Class I, Car Camp
May 11: Baraboo River, Class I, Day Trip
May 19-20: Root River (Minnesota), Class I, Car Camp
May 25-27: Bois Brule River (near Superior but led by our
own Pat & Bobbie Wilson), varying sections
July 13-14: Black River FAMILY trip, boat camp
Sept. 15: Kickapoo River, Class I, Day Trip

Climate Action Now
Green New Deal legislation continues to gain support as the true costs of delaying action to immediately reduce carbon emissions or doing nothing become more clear. Two new books, The End of Ice, by Dahr Jamail and The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells, detail the terrible consequences already “locked in” by our failure to act. New research also shows that fossil fuel companies and the US government knew as far back as the 70s that our fossil fuel habit would cause catastrophic Earth changes. When someone tells you immediate strong action to reduce carbon emissions is too expensive, ask them to read these books.  

Drawdown Eco Challenge
Learn about reducing your energy use, different renewable energy sources, ways to support a move to clean energy and more by participating in the Drawdown Eco Challenge. La Crosse residents may join the La Crosse team or start your own community team. This challenge runs from April 3 through April 24. It’s the perfect way to involve lots of people around the community, inform, educate, and motivate! Read more about it at drawdown.ecochallenge.org or join the La Crosse team:

Learn to teach safe bicycling!
Teaching Safe Bicycling is a Train-the-Trainer workshop designed to provide adults with skills to host a youth bicycle rodeo or other event to teach good biking skills. The Wisconsin Bike Fed is offering FREE six hour training sessions around the state including one in La Crosse on May 2 from 9 am to 3 pm at the La Crosse County Administration Building, 6th and State. Pre-registration
is required. Visit tinyurl.com/bfw52training for more details and to register.

Future events!
Tuesday, May 28 is our next CRSC meeting. Watch for details about speaker in our May newsletter.
We’ll host a summer potluck on Tuesday, June 25, too. Details will be in our June newsletter. If you have suggestions for programs, activities, field trips, visits, speakers or anything else, please email us at crsierraclub@gmail.com.

Reminder! Regenerative Ag conference Saturday!

Equity and Inclusion Training March 31

John Muir Chapter Sierra Club is excited to announce that we are hosting our first, full-day equity and inclusion training for our Chapter's volunteers (like all of you). This is paired with a full day strategic planning meeting, which will help us think about our issues and begin to take actions  that are rooted in a long-term vision. 

Where: Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St, Madison 

When & What's on the agenda: Saturday, March 30 – 10 AM - 5 PM• Sierra Club structure and function
• Equity Training by August Ball, Cream City Conservation

We are very excited to have August since her trainings are highly regarded and have a special focus on conservation organizations, and will be ideally suited to our work. 

Sunday, March 31 – 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM• Breakfast
• Strategic Planning
• Strategic plan overview and discussion
• Understanding the components of our plan
• Breakouts to do real world application planning
• Next steps and moving forward

Food, accommodations and travel support: Breakfast, snacks and lunch will be provided each day. If you need overnight accommodations, please let us know and we can identify a Sierra Club volunteer who can host you or we can help you find other overnight accommodations. There are volunteers coming from all over the state, so we are happy to arrange carpools. We can also reimburse travel costs if that is a barrier for you.

Register by emailing Elizabeth as soon as possible.

Ready for 100 Wednesday, and progress on a La Crosse resolution

This #readyfor100 Wednesday, we're looking at how Madison is moving towards it's goal of 100% renewable energy. This recent article describes a proposed plan that would require a $95 million investment over 12 years but would deliver $78 million in cost savings, as well as health and societal benefits of $21 million to $162 million by 2030. In addition to being the right thing to do for the future of humankind, it looks like the financial benefits outweigh the costs!

Also, TOMORROW (March 21) the Sustainable La Crosse Commission will be discussing a draft resolution that would set an official goal for the city and county to transition to 100% clean, renewable energy community-wide by 2050. If the Commission votes to support the resolution, it will move on to the city and county legal departments for review, and then will be ready for consideration by the city council and county board. The Commission meeting is at 4:30 in Conference Room 1107 on the first floor of the County Administration Building (212 6th St.) - if you're able to attend, you could express your support for a renewable energy goal during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting!

Ron Kind listening session 2 pm Monday

Now's your chance to let Rep. Ron Kind know how you feel about his NOT (yet) co-sponsoring Green New Deal legislation . 

Rep. Ron Kind's
La Crosse County Listening Session

Monday, March 18

2:00 p.m.

Western Technical College
Integrated Technology Center - Room 401400 7th St North 
La Crosse, WI

Ready for 100 Wednesday

Happy #readyfor100 Wednesday! Did you know that farmers are starting to reap the benefits of renewable energy? Wind or solar installations on farms can provide a reliable, long-term source of income in an often unpredictable industry! Read more about it in this article from the Union of Concerned Scientists, or check out case studies from southern Minnesota farms, including a dairy near La Crescent.

March 2019 Newsletter

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 AT 7 P.M. Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House, 8th & Main in La Crosse MVC and hiking in the La Crosse Area with David Bange and Sue Knopf:  Representing the Mississippi Valley Conservancy, David Bange and Sue Knopf, will talk about several sites protected by conservation easements held by MVC. The presentation will feature visual images from each of the sites. Each site is open to the public for hiking and other recreational activities. David and Sue will also talk about habitat restoration and volunteer opportunities at MVC. Directions, brochures,and maps for most sites will be available. The meeting will also include updates on recent state and local Sierra Club activities and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to attend. You need not be a Sierra Club member.

MARCH 2 CLIMATE ACTION FESTIVAL   The Sierra Club will table at the fourth annual Climate Action Festival hosted by Coulee Region Climate Alliance, For more information visit the event page: tinyurl.com/laxcaf2019 

MARCH 30 REGENERATIVE AG Grant County Rural Stewardship and the Sustain RuralWisconsin Network will co-sponsor a program about enviromentally sustainable agriculture practices on March 30 in Platteville. SRWN is a statewide coalition of individuals and organizations working to preserve the environment while maintaining the health and economic vitality of rural communities. 

MARCH 14 PUBLIC HEARING ON BABCOCK GENETICS, INC CAFO LICENSE  Babcock Genetics, Inc., a La Crosse county hog CAFO, has applied for a renewal of its wastewater permit. There will be a public informational hearing about the permit request starting at 10 am at Town of Holland Town Hall. W7937 Cty Hwy MH on Thursday,
March 14. More at tinyurl.com/0314cafohearing

CRSC MEMBERS MEET WITH SENATOR JENNIFER SHILLING  On February 15, members of the Coulee Region Sierra Club and other local alternative transportation
advocates met with State Senator Jennifer Shilling to talk about the transportation budget.
The John Muir Chapter Sierra Club has five specific goals for this year’s transportation budget:
• No new highway expansion enumerations
• $36 million per year increase in transit spending
• 35% increase in local road funding
• Increases annually for special transportation
• Keep transit funding in transportation fund
In addition to these points, advocates expressed support for better bike/ped funding and
infrastructure. Senator Shilling was very open to the discussion and mentioned that the governor has reached out to a range of transportation “stakeholders” for input on the budget. She also reminded the group that the Republican led legislature will limit the scope of improvements that can be made during this budget cycle. We thank Sen. Shilling for meeting with our group and hope to support efforts to refocus the state’s transportation funding on local roads, public transportation, and bike/ped improvements. 

RAISE YOUR VOICE!  CRSC continues to work on a La Crosse Ready for 100% resolution.
Our January 26 Climate Conversations ended with a goal of better educating and informing our community about catastrophic global warming, the benefits of moving to renewables, and the ways individuals, neighborhoods, organizations, businesses and governments can take action. If you live in La Crosse county, please sign the PETITION supporting this initiative. If you live in another community, consider 1) asking your mayor or municipality leader to sign the Mayors for 100 pledge and 2) starting a Ready for 100 campaign where you live.

THANK YOU CS SHERIN  Living the Greener Life was the subject of a CRSC hosted
presentation by Chandra Sherin on Tuesday, February 5 at the Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House in La Crosse. Highlighting scientific evidence that our stuff filled lives are causing great harm to our planet, its oceans, wildlife, natural areas, and even to the future habitability of the Earth, Chandra shared many statistics and reports. She talked about plastic pollution in our oceans, inland waters, and lands, then noted that plastic production could actually increase by 40% over the next decade. Not only are plastics persistent and toxic, but they are also made from and/or with fossil fuels. As electricity production and
transportation seek to move to renewable generation, the oil industry is investing big in new production facilities. Chandra talked about changes she’s made and encouraged those in attendance to consider how we can lessen our adverse impacts on the environment. Some suggestions include being aware of and trying to limit or end plastic use, finding non-toxic alternatives to household and personal products, being aware of how our transportation choices affect greenhouse gas emissions that drive catastrophic global warming, and
learning about and advocating for more sustainable practices in our communities. She has even more tips and recipes in her book, Recipe for a Greener Life.



PLASTIC FREE GROUPS  Around the Coulee Region, local groups are working to bring awareness about and alternatives to plastics to their communities. Greener Cashton, a new group started by Jolly Joiners 4-H, will host a reusable bag making workshop on April
7 at 3 pm at Cashton HS. Viroqua Plastic Free  hosted a plastic film fest last fall and the film A Plastic Ocean in November. In La Crosse, a plastic group is forming with a meeting
on Monday, March 4 at 3 pm at Cabin Coffee (401 Jay Street) in La Crosse. Is there are plastic awareness group in your community? Let us know! crsierraclub@gmail.com.

ENVIRO LOBBY DAY MARCH 27  Wisconsin Conservation Voters is hosting an
environmental lobby day at the State Capitol in Madison on Wednesday, March 27. Citizens from around the state will hear from speakers, learn about issues, have a chance to meet with their legislators, and network with others about issues of clean water, clean energy and public lands. Some Coulee Region members may be able to take a bus to and from the day long event. See this link for bus availability (Eau Claire-Black River Falls-Tomah-Wis Dells-Madison and back) see https://secure.everyaction.com/7CT2CkaWZkGQuXJzBru49Q

VOICES FOR THE EARTH SPEAK AT WEF  In case you missed the forceful, moving statements of notable environmental activists and scientists at the January 2019 World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Switzerland, here are links to several videos from the
event.

• Special address by Greta Thunberg, 15 year old Swedish climate activist.
• Sir David Attenborough,The Garden of Eden is No More.
• What are the Top Ten Global Risks in the next Ten Years?
• Panel discussion led by Al Gore, Safeguarding the Planet.
• Panel discussion, Taking Action for the Ocean.

INCENTIVES FOR GOING GREEN  March 7 is the deadline for the MPower program
sponsored by the Sustainability Institute at Western Technical College. The MPower
program guides and supports businesses in assessing their current practices and making
changes that save money and energy.

Focus on Energy provides rebates and free stuff for residential households in participating utilities’ territories. Homeowners may receive $20 for recycling an old appliance, order $40 worth of free energy saving items, or qualify for hundreds of dollars back on updated heating, cooling, or renewable energy systems. Incentives are available until the funds for the year are exhausted so don’t delay.

RENEW Wisconsin’s Solar for Good initiative fosters the expansion of solar power among mission-based nonprofits and houses of worship in Wisconsin. In partnership with local philanthropists Cal and Laurie Couillard, RENEW Wisconsin awards grants to nonprofit
organizations to assist them in installing solar PV. Solar for Good also offers small grants for technical assistance and helps publicize funded projects to spread the word and educate Wisconsin about the benefits of solar. The Spring 2019 grant-funding cycle will begin Friday,
March 1, 2019. Completed applications, including proof of tax-exempt status and solar site assessments or proposals are due by 5:00pm Friday, April 12, 2019. Winning grantees will be announced on or before May 1, 2019.

PUSH IS ON FOR GREEN NEW DEAL  The Green New Deal (GND) is non-binding legislation that has been introduced in the US House and Senate. It calls for immediate bold action to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuel systems with renewable energy, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, and prioritize economic justice and protection of transitioning energy workers and vulnerable communities. GND is a response to decades’ of research summarized in a recent report by the International Panel on Climate Change warning we have about 12 years to make drastic cuts to carbon emissions or risk tipping the planet into climate instability that may affect the ability of humans to survive.

The US has been a leader in greenhouse gas emissions, per capita and by country, for most of the century. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that in the past ten years, the costs of global warming driven “billion dollar events” like fires, floods, and storms is more than $850 billion with more than 5,500 deaths. Recently, Morgan Stanley has  concluded that the costs of damages from similar events may be $54 TRILLION by 2040. As global warming increases, the frequency and severity of these storms will increase. And as sea levels rise, far more people living in heavily populated coastal cities will be affected.

The Sierra Club endorses the GND. “It would mobilize vast public resources to help us transition from an economy built on exploitation and fossil fuels to one driven by dignified work and clean energy. Climate change and inequality are inextricably linked. We cannot tackle one without addressing the other. A Green New Deal would take on both.

“GND would upgrade our infrastructure, revitalize our energy system, retrofit our buildings, and restore our ecosystems. In so doing, it would cut pollution while creating millions of family-sustaining jobs, expanding access to clean air and water, raising wages, and building climate resilience. To counteract inequality, those benefits would go first and foremost to the working class families and communities of color that have endured the brunt of the fossil fuel economy.”

GND legislation priorities include:

• swift transition to a clean energy economy
• replace lead pipes, clean toxic waste sites, and reduce toxic pollution from fossil fuel processing and use
• ensure quality jobs in weatherization, infrastructure upgrades, renewable installations, new businesses
• help climate-exposed communities rebuild and upgrade to meet climate change consequences already coming due to our failure to act so far
• lower costs for families, businesses, and governments

The Sierra Club encourages members to learn more about the climate crisis and GND legislation. Contact your US Senators and US Representative to talk about your concerns and ask what they will do to take real action on global warming. Learn more at https://www.sunrisemovement.org/gnd

Locally, GND supporters met with US Rep. Ron Kind’s La Crosse aide on Friday, February 8 to deliver a letter urging him to co-sponsor the GND (there are currently 84 House co-sponsors). Rep. Kind invited GND supporters to meet with him at UWL on February 22 but that meeting was canceled because of a snow storm. A rescheduled meeting is promised. We will post date, time, location as soon as it is arranged.

In the meantime, please call Senator Tammy Baldwin and Senator Ron Johnson. Call Rep. Kind. Talk to your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. 




(Also see the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication)

VOTE!  On Tuesday, April 2, Wisconsin voters will choose a new Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. This is a very important election for those concerned about everything from industrial agriculture to air and water quality to wetlands protection to access to public lands, gerrymandering, and more. In many Wisconsin municipalities, the “absentee in person” option allows voters to cast absentee ballots in their clerk’s office beginning Monday, March 18 This is useful for those who have a heavy schedule or may find it hard to travel to their polling place on election day. Contact your municipal clerk for details and hours.

You may register or update registration online (or start the process) up to 20 days before an election. You may register in your clerk’s office most other times and at the polls on election day. More details about registration, voting, clerk’s hours, absentee in person voting and more may be found at myvote.wi.gov. This site will also link you to your sample ballot. In addition to the Supreme Court contest, there may be non-partisan offices on your ballot. And in La Crosse County there is a question about fair maps: “Should the Wisconsin legislature create a nonpartisan procedure for the preparation of legislative and  congressional district plans and maps?”