La Crosse County members - your action requested now!

Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Citizen Action, and NextGen members have signed petitions, emailed their local elected officials, and published letters to the editor calling for the La Crosse County Board to set a goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

The La Crosse County Board is listening!

On Monday, Aug. 3, the La Crosse County Planning, Resources, and Development Committee will consider a resolution to set a goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 and will offer the first opportunity for the community to show support for clean energy directly and publicly. 

We don't need to wait for the state and federal government to do something about clean energy. We can make change now in our local communities. Communities like Eau Claire and Green Bay have proven that real change can happen right now on the local level.

Here are the two ways you can show your support:

1. Speak up at the meeting for the public comment period at 5 p.m. at the county building (212 6th St. N., La Crosse) in the County Board Room (# 1700). Official testimony may only be given in person. See the agenda here. 
   
   
2. Email or call the committee members with support for the resolution before the meeting on Monday
   

Patrick Scheller, pscheller@lacrossecounty.org, 608-769-8502
Dan Hesse, dhesse@lacrossecounty.org, 608-797-4696
Peggy Isola, pjerome@lacrossecounty.org, 608-519-7365
Rick Cornforth, rcornforth@lacrossecounty.org, 608-781-0210
Kevin Hoyer, KHoyer@lacrossecounty.org, 608-786-0058
Karen Keil, KKeil@lacrossecounty.org, 608-385-0280
Dale Hewitt (La Crosse County Planning Staff), dhewitt@lacrossecounty.org 

Public speaking not your thing? Sign our petition here or send an email to the full County Board here. Or do both!

July Newsletter

Support Bold and Equitable Climate Action in our State   Wisconsinites can show their support and push for bold climate action at any of the upcoming virtual Climate Change Task Force meetings in July. Governor Evers created the task force last October with an executive order and more than 30 leaders from a variety of state organizations and groups were chosen to collaborate on drafting measures that will reduce Wisconsin’s carbon footprint and help communities statewide handle the effects of the climate crisis. The task force’s plans will play a vital role in determining Wisconsin’s climate future. Their actions could help us create green jobs, invest in public transit, and close coal plants statewide! But to achieve those goals, we have to lay the groundwork now, as the task force’s deadline is quickly approaching.

The task force is due to present its policy recommendations by August 31. Let’s push the task force towards effective, dynamic measures by showing up and voicing our support in virtual hearings and public comments!

All hearings will be held ONLINE from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Tuesday, July 7 - tiny.cc/CTF-0707
• Thursday, July 9 - tiny.cc/CTF-0709
• Wednesday, July 15 - tiny.cc/CTF-0715

Read the Sierra Club guide on SIX MAJOR ISSUE AREAS where we can push for policies that will make a climate difference. www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2020/06/support-bold-and-equitable-climate-action

July 8 Town Hall on Green Jobs with Senator Tammy Baldwin   On Tuesday July 8th at 11 a.m., Citizen Action of Wisconsin will host a major statewide ONLINE Town Hall, (via  Zoom) with Senator Tammy Baldwin. Participants will learn about the new program Baldwin is proposing that would enable states and local organizations to scale up or establish subsidized employment programs that meet the needs of their communities, such as directly employing subsidized workers in public service and infrastructure jobs. Please RSVP for this event at tiny.cc/BaldwinTownHall The Zoom link will be sent to your email after you RSVP.

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY was inspired by Indigenous example. By the time the first Europeans appeared in the hardwood forests along the Hudson River (Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk in Mohican), the Haudenosaunee peoples had already been organized into a self-governing commonwealth for some 15 generations. This living model of democratic decision-making made a lasting impression on the English colonists. "For all their government is by the Council or advice of the sages," Benjamin Franklin wrote. "Hence they generally study oratory; the best speaker having the most influence." - from The Fundamental Law by Jacqueline Keeler [www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2020-3-may-june/feature/native-americans-helped-invent-american-democracy-are-often-prevented-from-practicing-it}

July 30: The Story of Plastic   THE STORY OF PLASTIC takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing. Featuring interviews with experts and activists on the front lines of the fight, the film reveals  the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world, and the global movement that is rising up in response.

The Coulee Region Sierra Club is hosting a screening of this film in July with an online discussion (via Zoom) on Tuesday, July 30 at 7 p.m. Those who sIgn up for the screening will receive an emailed link to view. They will have until 5 p.m. on July 28 to watch the film on their own schedule in their own homes. A link to attend the July 30 discussion will be emailed by July 28. Sign up for the screening at tiny.cc/CRSC-PlasticFilm and view the film trailer at: https://youtu.be/37PDwW0c1so

Public Hearing - Enbridge Line 5     The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will host a virtual public hearing on July 1 relating to Enbridge Energy's application for a waterway and wetland permit for the proposed reroute of the Line 5 pipeline in Ashland, Bayfield, and Iron counties. The hearing will also cover the proposed scope of the Environmental Impact Statement that will be prepared for the overall project.

The current Line 5 pipeline runs through northern Wisconsin, bisecting the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In 2017, the Band chose not to renew the pipeline’s easements, citing the increasing risk of an oil spill and the severe environmental pollution that would occur as a result. This has resulted in an ongoing legal battle.

With the knowledge that the company will likely lose in court, Enbridge is seeking state approval for a new segment of the pipeline that skirts the edge of the Bad River Reservation. Any spill could still contaminate the watershed that feeds into the area’s many rivers. The health and prosperity of tribal members, the region’s wildlife and wetlands, and Lake Superior’s coastline are all at risk as long as Line 5 is allowed to continue its operation in the area.

Please attend if you can and tell the DNR this project should NOT be allowed to proceed! zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0tdOGprzsjHtVQOmLtxH3yisr8-h15i2-u 

July 7 Film Screening - 13th   Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 team is hosting a special screening of the documentary, 13th on Tuesday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. Combining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America. This piercing, Oscar-nominated  film won Best Documentary at the Emmys, the BAFTAs and the NAACP Image Awards.

RSVP to view the film’s trailer and share with others! addup.sierraclub.org/events/rf100-film-screening-13th

Locally Grown, Nationally Known  Celebrating Wisconsin food, drink & grassroots activism

Join us for an online, social event! Connect with others from the comfort of your home during this fun-filled, interactive event highlighting locally grown Wisconsin food and the grassroots work of the John Muir Chapter. Sierra Club members across the state will be settling in with their favorite snack and beverage to:

• Enjoy a cooking demonstration by our guest chef
• Follow along as Marty the bartender mixes up a signature cocktail
• Learn about the chapter's work and how it connects to the ingredients being used
• Interact with staff, leaders, and other guests
• Play chapter trivia
• Leave with fresh insights and some favorite recipes from past events
• Support the work of the chapter by making a free-will donation

Registration is required! Prior to the start of the event you will be sent an email confirmation containing a link for the zoom event. Attendance is free of charge. Signup here: tiny.cc/JMCFundraiser

Wisconsin Loves Parks 2020!  Hiking. Exploring a new park. Playing BINGO to identify the nature around you, to win prizes and to advocate for increased accessibility in our state parks. Wisconsin Loves Parks 2020 is a  family-friendly adventure that can be done any time between July 3-12.

We encourage you to enjoy this event with the people in your household.  maintaining a six foot distance from others and wearing a mask if needed. Event details will be provided on July 3 via email. You can participate in any state park near you!  Register at tiny.cc/WILovesParks20

---

State campgrounds have reopened with special conditions to ensure the safety of staff and visitors. Some of the changes that campers and park visitors will experience include automatic touchless check-in and new signs to educate visitors on recreating responsibly. Park offices will remain closed to the public.

Visitors should practice social distancing, refrain from congregating in large groups, travel only within their home communities, and follow all existing state park rules and guidelines. Visitors are also encouraged to wear masks in situations where social distancing is difficult. Please see dnr.wi.gov/covid-19/ for additional details regarding reservations, restrooms, firewood, and more.

La Crosse County Opportunities   The Coulee Region Sierra Club Ready for 100 team is teaming up with Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Citizen Action Driftless Rural-Urban Co-op, and NextGen Wisconsin to encourage the La Crosse County board to pass a resolution pledging the county to 100% renewable energy use community-wide by 2050 or sooner. If you live in La Crosse County, please consider signing the petition (tiny.cc/LaXCounty100) and contacting your County Board representative.

Grow Solar La Crosse continues to offer online information sessions (Solar Power Hours) for La Crosse County residents and business owners wishing to explore adding solar to their properties. After the information session, people may sign up to receive a free site assessment and estimate of costs and benefits. Those who choose to go solar will have their systems installed by the end of the year if they sign up by September 30. The more who sign up, the less the cost of panels. Learn more at GrowSolar.org/La Crosse. The Coulee Region Sierra Club will co-host the July 20 Solar Power Hour at 5:30 p.m. ONLINE. Sign up at tiny.cc/CRSC-GrowSolar720

“... for many Indigenous peoples in North America, we are already living in what our ancestors would have understood as dystopian or post-apocalyptic times. In a cataclysmically short period, the capitalist–colonialist partnership has destroyed our relationships with thousands of species and ecosystems.” - from White Allies, Let’s Be Honest About Decolonization by Dr. Kyle Powys Whyte [www.yesmagazine.org/issue/decolonize/2018/04/03/white-allies-lets-be-honest-about-decolonization]

Around the Region  The Crawford Stewardship Project has made its May webinar on karst geology and water quality monitoring available online at youtu.be/6IX0s04pi7I

+++

The Mississippi Valley Conservancy is hosting a virtual tour of the Kickapoo Caverns on Saturday, July 11. Check the event page for more details and a link to view the online tour: www.mississippivalley conservancy.org/events/kickapoo-caverns-virtual-tour-part-1

+++

The Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) is hosting a webinar at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 9 on the topic Transportation and Racial Justice. Transportation, racial, social, and environmental justice all collide in ways that are imperative to address if we ever hope to see an equitable, accessible and clean transportation system in Wisconsin's future. Register at tinyurl.com/CMRT-RacialJustice.

Elections   Fellow Sierra Club members - we have been called to action. A federal appeals court recently upheld Republican voter restrictions which will make it harder for many to vote. A recent Journal-Sentinel article reports, “Wisconsin Republicans look to flip 6 seats for veto-proof legislative majority.” (tiny.cc/WIElections) November elections will determine the future of mining and pipelines, CAFOs, fair maps, habitat protection, education priorities, carbon emissions, renewable energy, redistricting for the next ten years, clean water, transportation funding, and much more.

State elections are critical. The 32nd Senate District, the 94th Assembly District are both in our Coulee Region. Please get active now. Request an absentee ballot at myvote.wi.gov, donate to strong environmental candidates, volunteer for get out the vote and campaign efforts, talk to every person you know and encourage them to vote. We’ll have more information in our August newsletter, but please don’t wait to get involved.

CSP: Extend the Monroe County CAFO Moratorium - reposted from the Crawford Stewardship Project June 30 News and Actions.

Crawford County’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Study Committee work has been seriously delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is time for us to call for our county to utilize the CAFO Moratorium ordinance’s built-in option for a one year moratorium extension. This is the legal and responsible action to take at this time. The reason for enacting the moratorium and to take a pause on permitting CAFO’s was to give us time to use rational thought, scientific investigation, and collaboration to better understand and protect the health, safety, and welfare of our rural community.

Now is no time to rush the process and ignore the will of the people. The moratorium was passed so we could participate in the Driftless Area Water Study, which is delayed, with meaningful results not coming until 2021.

The CAFO Study Committee was supposed to listen to experts, examine evidence and then make policy and ordinance recommendations to the Crawford County Board. This task is next to impossible to complete in the current timeline, with the study committee report due in October 2020, and the moratorium expiring two months later.

Please Join Crawford Stewardship Project (crawfordstewardship.org) in this campaign!

•  Write a letter to the editor! (we are happy to provide newspaper contacts and support)
•  Contact Crawford County Conservationist Dave Troester: (608-326-0270) or dtroester@crawfordcountywi.org.
•  Contact CAFO Committee and Land Conservation Chair Dave Olson: 608-648-3676 or 63824 Marigaard Road, De Soto, WI 54624.

Protect Lake Superior and Copper Falls State Park!

As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.

Dear fellow Sierra Club member,

The Line 5 pipeline runs through northern Wisconsin, bisecting the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In 2017, the Band chose not to renew the pipeline’s easements, citing the increasing risk of an oil spill and the severe environmental pollution that would occur as a result. This has resulted in an ongoing legal battle.

With the knowledge that the company will likely lose this legal battle, Enbridge is seeking state approval of a new segment of the pipeline that skirts the edge of the Bad River Reservation, and any spill could still contaminate the watershed that feeds into the area’s many rivers. The health and prosperity of tribal members, the region’s wildlife and wetlands, and Lake Superior’s coastline are all at risk as long as Line 5 is allowed to continue its operation in the area.

RSVP to the Line 5 Hearing

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding a public hearing regarding a proposed new section of Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 crude oil pipeline. Our input is needed to make sure that the DNR doesn’t ignore some important harms that the pipeline could cause. Who: You and other concerned community members What: DNR hearing on the Line 5 pipeline When: Wednesday, July 1, at 4:00 PM Where: Your home! It's an online hearing! RSVP: here (we'll follow-up with more information) We can not allow the pipeline to put our special resources at risk.  These beloved and vital resources include the Kakagon Sloughs, a Wetland of International Importance.  They also include Copper Falls State Park, where the pipeline would cross the Bad River and Tyler Forks River just upstream of the iconic Brownstone Falls. The powerful waterfall would act as a chute during a spill, carrying the toxic oil downstream faster than any humans could muster a response. We need your help to ensure that the DNR understands the pipeline’s possible impacts on the Bad River Band, northern Wisconsin, and the climate as a whole, and that they recognize how many Wisconsinites oppose this project. RSVP today.

Thank you for everything you already do to protect the environment, Elizabeth Ward Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter

Grow Solar La Crosse

Reminder, the next Solar Power Hour (information session for Grow Solar La Crosse) will be held on Tuesday, June 30 and it's hosted by the Coulee Region Sierra Club. Sign up for the 6/30 3 p.m. session through this link: tinyurl.com/CRSC-SolarLaX

If you can't attend that one, find the full schedule of information sessions and lots more information at GrowSolar.org/LaCrosse.

And, if you aren't able to participate by installing your own solar system, you'll be able to contribute to help local nonprofits (Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Boys and Girls Club) and schools in La Crosse install solar.

Governor's Climate Task Force

Climate Task Force Hearings

Last year, Governor Evers issued an Executive Order to commit the state to going to 100% clean energy and created a Task Force on Climate Change to create the plan to get there.  Now the Task Force is hosting five hearings to get input on the plan.  Click below to sign up to attend a hearing to call for a bold, ambitious plan to stop climate change.  Hearings will be online:

Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Saturday, June 27, 2020, 12:00 - 2:00 PM
Tuesday, July 7, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Thursday, July 9, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, July 15, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 PM

Get more information about the Climate Task Force at https://climatechange.wi.gov/Pages/Home.aspx

June Newsletter

Sierra Club Statement on the Murder of George Floyd

Wednesday, May 27, 2020     Contact: Lina Francis, lina.francis@sierraclub.org

Minneapolis, MN -- Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune and Kamau Wilkins, the Executive Committee Chair of the Sierra Club's Minnesota Chapter, issued the following statement on the murder of George Floyd. Over the course of the last 4 weeks, the Sierra Club has also issued statements condemning police brutality and the violent, racist killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. In July of 2019, the Sierra Club joined forces with a coalition of environmental justice and national environmental groups to release a just and equitable national climate platform that centers racial, climate and environmental justice to improve the public health and well-being of all communities.

“We all deserve to thrive in safe communities, yet the inhumane, daily assaults on Black and Brown people directly threaten our ability to maintain a healthy planet. The cruel, public lynching of George Floyd is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  We cannot expect to come together to protect the planet if racism continues to tear us apart.

“The Sierra Club is committed to confronting the inequality embedded into our society that has allowed these tragedies to persist. If we want to create communities that are truly safe, just and equitable, we must continue fighting for the humanity and the dignity of all people.“

======================

On Wednesday, June 17 at 11 a.m., the  national Sierra Club will host an online forum, Solidarity and Racial Justice,  to discuss the intersectionality between the environmental and racial justice movements, and the mutual aid work happening to support Black communities. Chris Novaton, Training Coordinator of Sierra Student Coalition will lead the discussion. Sign up for the event at tinyurl.com/SCSolidarity

You can’t have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can’t have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can't have disposable people without racism.  - from Racism is Killing the Planet by Hop Hopkins [www.sierraclub.org/sierra/racism-killing-planet] 

June 30: Virtual Meeting   We will try an online meeting on Tuesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. Hear from members around the region and learn what the state Sierra Club is doing to prepare for the very important presidential and state and local elections in the fall. Anyone in the Coulee Region group is welcome to join. Details have not yet been finalized but will be emailed (or given by phone) to those who sign up on this form: tinyurl.com/CRSC-630meeting. If you would like to report on an environmental project or initiative in your community, use this link, too. If you are not online, please call 608-315-2693 and leave a message. We’ll contact you with the phone number to call to participate in this online meeting. We will use a platform that will allow people to join with their computer, tablet, smart phone, or “dumb” phone. 

Toni Morrison said it best, in a 1975 speech: “The very serious function of racism … is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being.” As a marine biologist and policy nerd, building community around climate solutions is my life’s work. But I’m also a black person in the United States of America. I work on one existential crisis, but these days I can’t concentrate because of another. - from I’m a Black climate expert. Racism derails our efforts to save the planet. Stopping climate change is hard enough, but racism only makes it harder by  Ayana Elizabeth Johnson [www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/03/im-black-climate-scientist-racism-derails-our-efforts-save-planet]

SOLAR SUMMER IN LA CROSSE    

Grow Solar La Crosse   Residents of La Crosse County may learn about a new solar panel group buy program being offered this year through the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. An online Solar Power Hour will be hosted by the Coulee Region Sierra Club from 3 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30. A solar group buy program offers:

•  information and education about group buy process
•  free, no-obligation solar site assessments and estimates for costs and savings
•  discounts on solar panels (the more participants, the greater the discounts) for those who move forward
•  professional installation and system education.

To sign up for the June 30 presentation, please go to tinyurl.com/CRSC-SolarLaX. If this time doesn’t work for you, find other sessions at growsolarlacrosse.org 

Solar on La Crosse Schools (SOLS) is a new group forming to work with the La Crosse School District and parents, students, educators, and residents of the city to press for putting clean renewable energy on school property. The group is just getting started and is currently mapping out its plan and strategy. If you are interested in being connected and helping with this effort, please call 608-315-2693 and leave a message..

The City of La Crosse will begin installing solar panels on some public buildings this summer. 

Two La Crosse County School Districts are installing solar this summer thanks to the Solar on Schools program offered by the Couillard Foundation. West Salem Middle and Hamilton Elementary in La Crosse are each installing solar panels through this program this year. visit www.couillardsolarfoundation.org/solar-on-schools for more information. 

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is working to help Wisconsin homeowners save money on utility bills, reduce carbon emissions, increase the value of their homes, and build green sector jobs across the state.  Their green bank partners offer homeowners financing for energy efficient upgrades such as new insulation, air sealing, new windows/doors, new HVAC units, and solar panels.  This program is a very important first step in building a better, greener economy in Wisconsin. They hope to upgrade 100 homes before the end of the year with 25 currently in process.  Learn more at https://secure.everyaction.com/2KONh-lotUOmscFkKV5kAw2

The City of La Crosse offers housing rehabilitation and renovation assistance which can be used to upgrade a home’s energy efficiency. Reducing energy needs is a first step in transitioning to renewable energy. Visit www.cityoflacrosse.org/your-government/departments/community-development-and-housing/housing-rehabilitation to learn more about the program and eligibility.

Even today there are places where there are rules, that might be for legitimate reasons (it’s not, like, Jim Crow segregation) but they still sort of send a message about who belongs and who doesn’t. ... I’m thinking of this pool just up the street in D.C. .. It’s a public pool and there’s this big sign out in front that basically says what you can and can’t wear. And one of the things you can’t wear to the pool is jeans shorts. I get that there’s a reason for that, right. If you’re wearing your jeans all day, you can’t go into the pool with them. But, if you ever go to a pool in southern California, lots of Latino kids are in the pool wearing their jeans shorts. So, if you see a sign like that, it’s kind of saying, ‘Oh, this isn’t really for you.’ - from Code Switch Podcast, Episode 2: Being 'Outdoorsy' When You're Black Or Brown [www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/06/08/480932447/the-code-switch-podcast-episode-2-made-for-you-and-me]

PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
Viroqua Plastic Free is kicking off a summer letter writing campaign to stores, local organizations, manufacturers of products, and producers of plastic to encourage their use of recyclable and sustainable products instead. Visit viroquaplasticfree.org for simple instructions, sample letters, and facts about plastic pollution.

GROW La Crosse and Local Food Group encouraged people to start garden seedlings this spring. More than 600 bedding plants were handed out at school lunch stops and community gardens in May. GROW also supervises volunteers at several school gardens  over the summer. The City of La Crosse has set up four new Community Victory Gardens around the city. Volunteers plant and maintain with weekly produce giveaways planned through fall. These projects will increase availability of healthy and accessible food for city residents and improve community resilience.

The Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT) is hosting a series of webinars to discuss state transportation challenges and ideas. On Thursday, June 18, a webinar on The Last Mile Challenge will look at gaps in communities’ transit systems. Register (free) at tinyurl.com/CMRT-LastMile. On Thursday, July 9, the topic will be Transportation and Racial Justice. Register at tinyurl.com/CMRT-RacialJustice. Both webinars will begin at 6:30 p.m.  

“Dudley Edmondson has long had to deal with people calling the police on him while out in nature. As a black birdwatcher and professional nature photographer, his presence with a camera can arouse suspicion among white people. He has had people accuse him of being drunk, or on drugs, or taking photos of people's homes in order to come back later and rob them.” - from The realities of being a Black bird-watcher by Eric Levenson   [www.cnn.com/2020/05/27/us/birdwatching-black-christian-cooper/index.html]

STEWARDSHIP BUSINESS ALLIANCE   Crawford  Stewardship  Project has launched the  Stewardship Business Alliance;  a  network  of  farmers,  businesses,  entrepreneurs,   and   job creators united in stewarding  water, soil, and  a  healthy  environment. “The  foundation  of  a  diverse  rural  economy  is  a  sustain-able  and  profitable  relationship with our eco-systems and  the natural world.” If  your  business  is  interested in being  a  part  of  this  initial  phase;  please reach out to Eli Mandel, 608-632-4213,  or emandel@crawfordstewardship.org,  

It seems that almost anywhere researchers look, there is more evidence of deep racial disparities in exposure to environmental hazards. In fact, the idea of environmental justice—or the degree to which people are treated equally and meaningfully involved in the creation of the human environment—was crystallized in the 1980s with the aid of a landmark study illustrating wide disparities in the siting of facilities for the disposal of hazardous waste. Leaders in the environmental justice movement have posited—in places as prestigious and rigorous as United Nations publications and numerous peer-reviewed journals—that environmental racism exists as the inverse of environmental justice, when environmental risks are allocated disproportionately along the lines of race, often without the input of the affected communities of color. - from Trump's EPA Concludes Environmental Racism Is Real by Vann R. Newkirk II [www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/the-trump-administration-finds-that-environmental-racism-is-real/554315] 

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Contact: 

Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org

Washington, DC -- Last night, peaceful protesters outside the White House were violently attacked for demanding that Black lives matter. Last year, the Sierra Club joined with a coalition of environmental justice and national environmental groups to release a just and equitable national climate platform that centers racial, climate, and environmental justice. And in the past month, the Sierra Club has issued statements condemning police brutality and the violent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd as our community continues its efforts to grow to meet this moment.

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement: 

"Protesters across the country are marching to affirm the humanity of Black people and expose the racism and hatred embedded into a system that relies on Black inferiority. Yesterday, we witnessed the Commander in Chief issue an assault on our First Amendment rights, but this attack is only a fraction of the pain and trauma that Black people have endured since the founding of this country. 

“Donald Trump declared he would arm the military to prevent peaceful protests, yet he failed to arm frontline workers to combat COVID-19. He boasts of upholding law and order, but fails to demand law and order when white supremacists employ militarized intimidation tactics. And in the midst of civil unrest, he poses in front of historic places of worship, but fails to comprehend the golden rule. 

“We can't fulfill our mission to ‘enlist humanity’ to protect the planet while racism continues to divide us. There can be no climate justice without an end to the anti-Blackness and white supremacy that empowers polluters to create environmental sacrifice zones.

“Our collective humanity is deeply connected and racism in our society is a direct threat to our environmental progress. The Sierra Club refuses to idly stand by as our Black and Brown neighbors and friends are murdered by racist policing.”

 ===

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

More From This Press Contact: 

Jonathon Berman

Related Press Releases: 

environmental law program