January newsletter

“CAFOs generate large quantities of manure, both liquid and solid. The bacteria, phosphorous, nitrates and other substances in manure can contaminate water supplies. The management and disposal of this manure is the source of many of the problems that can arise from one of these facilities. To put the amount of manure generated in context, a dairy CAFO with 2,500 cows generates the same amount of waste as a city of 410,000 residents. Unlike cities, however, CAFOs do not treat the sewage they produce.” - from CAFOS: A Threat to Water in Wisconsin, John Muir Chapter Sierra Club, June 2017 (https://tinyurl.com/jmsc-CAFOpaper)

Please join us at this important regional conference organized by individuals and organizations concerned about the size and number of industrial agricultural operations moving into the sensitive Driftless region. If you can, please print and post flyers, share the FB event, share on Twitter
or other social media, organize a carpool. With former Wisconsin DNR Secretary Kathy Stepp soon to head the regional EPA office, clearly communities need to become more creative, more organized, more determined, and more self-reliant to protect our environment.


Save the date! Tuesday, March 27 Our next Coulee Region Sierra Club meeting will feature a talk on From Copper to Conservation in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park by Margot Higgins. Margot has lived and conducted research in Wrangell-St.Elias Park for the last decade. Having graduated from the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management Program at UC Berkeley in 2015, she is currently a lecturer in the Environmental Studies Program at UWL. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us!

Outings   The John Muir Chapter hosts some amazing outings every year. Some are so popular that it doesn’t hurt to reserve a space well in advance. Annual favorites locally include Black and Kickapoo River trips. Watch the calendar for new outings, too (www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/outingsevents)

These summer events are on the calendar now:

• July 12-15 Women’s Namekagon Canoe & Camp
• July 27-August 5 Women’s Quetico Canoe/ Portage
• August 3-12 Anglers’ Quetico Canoe/ Portage
• August 31-September 9 Paddlers’ Quetico Canoe/ Portage

Here’s a photo of participants in last September’s outing on the Kickapoo River (view the video at youtu.be/xwXryHDsEfI) Thanks to John Sullivan for producing this video and sharing it with us.

Enviro Education Grants  There’s still time to apply for 2018 Environmental Education grants of up to $200. to help make sure
students learn about our environment. The application for 2018 grants is available at tinyurl.com/crsc-2018grantapp. Teachers and organizations who work with
elementary and middle school children in the Coulee Region (Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon county) may apply. Deadline is January 5, 2018

CR Sierra Club Board  Your 2018 Coulee Region Sierra Club Board members will be Kathy Allen, Bill Katra, Maureen Kinney, George Nygaard, Avery Van Gaard, Cathy Van Maren, and Pat Wilson. Thanks to those who voted. If you have suggestions for 2018 programs, projects, events, or activities, please feel free to contact the board at crsierraclub at gmail.

Thank you Barb and Don Frank for hosting our December 19 Winter Gathering!

Looking back, looking forward. The Coulee Region Sierra Club was active during 2017 both in hosting events and actions and providing opportunities for members and friends to experience the outdoors. In 2018 we will continue to seek ways to include more members in events held around the region.

Transportation
* The Coulee Region Group joined many other La Crosse area organizations in opposing a new highway through the La Crosse River marsh. At the end of the year, the state DOT dropped its effort to construct a new road.
* Our March 2017 program included Mayor Tim Kabat, along with Professors Chuck Lee and James Longhurst (UWL History Department) discussing The City of La Crosse Transportation Vision - A Plan of Action.
* We continued road cleanups on River Valley Drive, the Coulee Region Group’s adopted highway, with two cleanups this year and a darned good try at holding a third (twice defeated by inclement weather!)

Activism
* Coulee Region Group members attended April Conservation Congress meetings to talk about and vote on policies from water quality and DNR permitting processes to frac sand and other mining policies.
* Our members commented on proposed DNR changes and some attended Conservation Lobby Day in March
* Our club joined with other organizations to host a screening of the film, SUSTAINABLE, as a fundraiser for Midwest Environmental Advocates

Water Quality
* Coulee Region Sierra Club members joined others in Madison on February 8 for Citizen Water Lobby Day hosted by the Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network. Attendees networked, heard from speakers, and visited with their state representatives and senators.
* In March the Club held a well-attended media event at the Myrick Park Center to highlight World Water Day and local and state water quality issues.
* In October, the club hosted a water quality forum in Town of Holland to discuss contamination issues in north La Crosse County. We were fortunate that local officials volunteered as panelists for the event.

Environmental Education
* The Coulee Region Group supported and had a booth at the Progresstival in January, the Coulee Region Climate Alliance Climate Action Fair in March, the La Crosse Earth Fair in April, and the Open Streets event in September.
* We continued our environmental grant program, providing three grants totaling $600 to elementary and middle schools in Holmen, La Crosse, and Cuba City. These grants support environmental education projects in the schools.
* At our September meeting, we heard from Judson Steinbach of Coulee Region Ecoscapes

Climate Change/Renewable Energy/Sustainability
* Our club screened the film DISOBEDIENCE: The Rise of the Fossil Fuel Resistance
* We sponsored a tour of the sustainable features of the new UWL Student Union
* At our March meeting we welcomed members of UWL’s Students for Sustainability

Green Spaces
* The Coulee Region Group co-sponsored a canoe outing on the Black River in July and on the Kickapoo River in September.
* The Coulee Region Group is represented by Pat Wilson on the La Crosse Park Department Environmental Leadership Forum.

Coming in 2018 Local and global environmental challenges will continue into 2018. How can each Sierra Club member get more active to strengthen our protection of our natural resources, public lands, and clean air and water. We are still seeking club members from around the Coulee Region to help report on issues and events and to help bring the Sierra Club to local events. If you would like to help - by reporting on local happenings or volunteering to table at a local event (for example, the January 20 event in Boscobel), please contact us at crsierraclub at gmail.

Important events in January!

On Tuesday, January 9, the Sustainability Institute at Western TC will host its MPower Summit highlighting local businesses who are working to move to renew-ables. Anyone is welcomed to atted the free event. Please register/Get more info here.

On Thursday, January 18, RENEW Wisconsin will hold its 2018 RENEWable Energy Summit in Madison. There is a registration fee for the event, but students and elected officials receive a discount. Organizers say the event will provide the opportunity to:

• Learn from experts, Wisconsin companies, and policymakers
• Network with peers, both new and old
• Honor Wisconsin's renewable energy leaders and best projects from 2017
• Get re-energized and motivated for a successful 2018!

On Saturday, January 20 a conference on INDUSTRIAL AG IN THE DRIFTLESS: How Do We Protect Our Communities? will invite citizens concerned about industrial-scale operations, especially hog CAFOs to gather, learn from panelists, ask questions, hear from an expert on rural economics, and network with others to explore actions communities can take to regain control of their communities, vital resources, and local economies.

The conference will be held from 1 to 5:30 p.m. at the AmericInn, 1700 Elm Street, in Boscobel. Organizers are trying to work out some streaming or online video of the event, but in person networking is a major component. Attendance will be FREE and OPEN TO ALL, but donations will be gratefully accepted at the door to help pay for the space, speakers, publicity and other event-related expenses.

The keynote speaker, John Ikerd, has had a distinguished career in agriculture, economics, higher education, agricultural consulting, and activism aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life in rural communities and the sustainability of farms, food systems, and local rural businesses. His topic will be DEFENDING RURAL COMMUNITIES FROM ECONOMIC COLONIZATION.  

The program will include a panel of local, state, and national experts and citizens who will give a brief overview of some of the conflict points and challenges brought by industrial ag operations in our rural communities and will discuss what citizens and local governments and organizations are doing to address the problems. So it will provide education and tools for action.

Details are still being finalized and a flyer will be available soon. Please plan to attend this important grassroots event.

Co-sponsors include the Crawford Stewardship Project, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Preserve Grant County Farmland, Socially Responsible Agriculture Project, Concerned Citizens for Smart Growth, St. Croix County Defending our Water, Coulee Region Sierra Club, Farms Not Factories, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network, South Central Wisconsin Farmers Union, Family Farm Defenders, Green County Defending our Farmland, Echo Valley Hope, Wisconsin Network for Peace, Justice and Sustainability; Upper Mississippi River Region Intereague Organization-League of Women Voters; Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Stte Riverway.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE DETAILS!

December newsletter

You need not be a Sierra Club member to attend! (But why not join?)

Directions: This home is in Wedgewood Valley. From the intersection of State Road and Losey (Java Vino corner) head EAST on Highway 33 for about a mile. Just past Hagen Road on the right, turn immediately LEFT onto onto Wedgewood Drive West. Stay on Wedgewood Drive West to Valley Drive.

SAVE the DATE: Jan 20 - Conference for concerned citizens on Industrial Ag in the Driftless Site TBD  Many Coulee Region residents are experiencing adverse effects of industrial operations moving to their rural communities. Groundwater pollution, toxic runoff, fish kills, air and sound  pollution, high capacity wells, degraded roads, heavy traffic, and deteriorating quality of life and property values are some of the problems.

Our October Water Contamination Public Forum highlighted CAFO contamination in La Crosse  county. Vernon County residents have experienced recent manure spills resulting in thousands of fish deaths and contaminated trout streams and are now facing the possibility of a high capacity industrial hog slaughter facility. Crawford and Grant counties are also in the midst of industrial ag struggles.

Several state and regional organizations are planning a January 20 conference for concerned citizens. The site is yet to be determined (somewhere in the Coulee Region). Besides speakers, the conference will include opportunities for citizens from different areas to come together and share ideas about best ways forward. There are some exciting grassroots possibilities to discuss. Co-sponsors include the Crawford Stewardship Project, Concerned Citizens for Smart Growth, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network, the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project, and the Coulee Region Sierra Club.


 Coulee Region Environmental Education Grants The Coulee Region Sierra Club awards grants every year for environmental education projects. Three $200 grants were awarded in 2017. In October, we reported on two of the recipients. Here is news from the third:

Dear Coulee Region Sierra Club,

Thanks to the Sierra Club environmental education grant, outside our classroom window, we anchored a six foot wrought iron bird feeder stand and on it we have four hanging feeders. We also have a window mount.

It is so exciting to watch the beautiful finches perch and eat right before our eyes. My little people friends are getting better at standing quietly when they see a bird. Sometimes our excitement gets the best of us and we frighten the birds away. We have learned about the finches, cardinals and chickadees and of course the blackbird. We have also enjoyed watching the squirrels, bunnies and the mourning doves eating the seeds off the ground. I have kept the feeders filled all summer, this fall we will chart the birds we see and which feeders they enjoy.

I am so happy to watch the excitement and the interest the students have as they observed these little creatures, thank you for giving us this opportunity!

Thank you,
Cheri Oglesby, Pre-K Teacher, St. Rose of Lima School, Cuba City, Wisconsin

The application for 2018 grants is available at tinyurl.com/crsc-2018grantapp. Teachers and organizations who work with elementary and middle school children in the Coulee Region (Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon county) may apply. Deadline is January 5, 2018.

Ready for 100 Team  If you are interested in helping to push for renewable energy in the City of La Crosse and across the Coulee Region, please join our team. Our first meeting will be late in November or early in December. The main goal will be to find ways to work with the mayor and city to set ambitious and specific goals to move to use renewable energy as quickly as possible. But people who live outside La Crosse are also welcome. This team could also provide support for those who live in other Coulee Region communities to request support for the Ready for 100 program from their own municipal leaders. We will try to work with others in our community and state to come up with a process others can use in encouraging a move to renewable energy sources.

John Muir Chapter Water Team  The John Muir (Wisconsin) Chapter Sierra Club has a statewide water team which will begin meeting by internet/phone in January to prioritize water issues around the state. The team will also seek ways for the state club to support and be a resource for communities working to protect threatened water resources and preserve and enhance waterways. In addition, the Water Team will look for ways to partner and cooperate with individuals, organizations and agencies so our efforts and reach will be amplified. If you would like to join the Water Team, please email crsierraclub-at-gmail.com and we’ll connect you with the January conference call and local efforts. More participants from more areas will help the team bring
more issues to the public for attention and action.


Sierra Club 2018 Calendars  Again this year, your purchase of Sierra Club calendars will benefit our club and environmental programs and protection activities. The calendars cost $14.95 for the wall calendar and $15.95 for the engagement book. Get your calendar at our December gathering or order from Maureen Kinney: 784-9324/784-5678 or email maureen at johnsflaherty -dot-com. SIERRA CLUB NOTE AND HOLIDAY CARDS are available at the online store.

Board Elections  This December, we recognize and thank Danny Foote for two decades of service, most as treasurer, on the Coulee Region Sierra Club board. Thank you, Danny!

Candidate Kathy Allen holds a Master's Degree in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from UW-Madison. She currently works as a Natural Resource Specialist for GeoSpatial Services (GSS), a project center of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona. Through GSS, she has contributed to Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) reports for at least 25 National Park Service properties (national monuments, historic sites, seashores, etc.) all across the country. Kathy is very concerned about climate change and is an active member of Citizens' Climate Lobby. She is a co-founder of Coulee Region Climate Alliance which hosts a Climate Fair annually in La Crosse. In her free time, she enjoys biking (on roads and trails), reading, and seeing new things in nature. 

Your ballot is in your mailed newsletter OR, if you don't get a mailed newsletter (thank you!) you can print one from this link or print the ballot page from your emailed newsletter. Please mail it to 620 South 23rd Street, La Crosse, 54601 BY DECEMBER 15 OR bring it with you to the winter gathering. Normally, four seats of seven would be open for election to two year terms. But this year, we have a fifth seat, for a one year term, also open for election. This will even out our two-year alternating terms for future years. 

Environment Topic of League of Women Voters Lunch  Join the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse area for the Mayor's Perspective on Water Conservation and Climate Change as a Member of the Executive Committee of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative. This is the group's December “Lunch and Learn” program. Lunch at 11:30 a.m. is available for those who register by December 6. Anyone is welcome to attend the mayor’s talk which will begin at noon at Moxie’s in La Crosse (1835 Rose Street). You don't need to be a LWV member to participate! 

HELP US REACH EVERYONE!  We’re still looking for CR Sierra Club members around the region to email with news of events and issues in their communities so we can get more people involved. Email crsierraclub-at-gmail-dot-com.

Leader Training, March Program for 2018  Eric Uram, John Muir Chapter Outings Chair, will do outing leader training in early 2018. Those who complete one day of training would be qualified to lead day trips. Those who complete a second day would be able to lead overnight trips away from cars (canoe camping, backpacking, etc). If you might be interested in doing a one- or two-day training session, please email crsierraclub-at-gmail-dot-com or call Pat at 608 788-8831.

Mark your calendar for our March 26, 2018 program: From Copper to Conservation in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park with Margot Higgins. Margot has lived and conducted research in Wrangell-St.Elias Park for the last decade. A 2015 graduate of the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management Program at UC Berkeley she is currently a lecturer in the Environmental Studies Program at UWL.

And, if you have suggestions for other programs or group events, please email us! We are considering a trip to the La Crosse landfill and possibly a SMRT bus day trip but would love to include events in the wider Coulee Region.

November Newsletter

GROUNDWATER POLLUTION FORUM: About 70 people attended an October 24 Coulee Region Sierra Club forum on groundwater pollution in La Crosse county. Manure spills from a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) in the Holmen-Onalaska area as well as runoff from lawns, farm chemicals, and faulty septic systems have caused problems for well owners.

Lax enforcement of water quality regulations, poor oversight of CAFOs, an “open for business” atmosphere, and reduced funding and staffing at the DNR have added to the problem.

We are very grateful to forum panelists for volunteering their time: State Rep. Steve Doyle, La Crosse County Board member Mike Giese, and La Crosse County Health Department director Jen Rombalski. Each addressed a different aspect of the problem and then took questions from the audience. The DNR could not spare a representative for the event.

Watch for more details in our December newsletter. In the meantime, if you have a private well, get it tested! And view handouts, maps, and other forum materials at 
cr-sierra.blogspot.com/p/groundwater-pollution-forum-october-24.html

INDUSTRIAL HOG SLAUGHTER FACILITY FORUM: As Holmen-Onalaska residents gathered to learn about water pollution from an industrial hog farm, concerned citizens
from the Westby-Viroqua area met to discuss a proposed industrial hog slaughter facility in their region. The meeting was hosted by the new group Concerned Citizens for Smart Growth with presenters from the Cornucopia Institute (cornucopia.org), and the Crawford Stewardship Project.

Gayle Nielsen (CCSG) gave a presentation on the potential impact of Premium Iowa Pork locating in the Town of Viroqua, in Vernon County. This included the impact on jobs, businesses, community, and tourism, with the focus on the proliferation of industrial, factory farms (CAFOs) that will be required to locate to the region and the ensuing contamination of groundwater, air quality and general health of the population. Forest Jahnke (CSP) spoke about the susceptibiity of water contamination in a sensitive karst area. Members also heard about some of the health impacts of industrial farming.

A video of the meeting is available on youtube. And a copy of the petition is available at www.citizensforsmartgrowth.com/petition/

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS: Again this year, the Coulee Region Sierra Club is offering grants of up to $200 for environmental education projects involving young people at the elementary and middle school level.

The application and more detalis are available online OR email crsierraclub at gmail and we can mail you an application. The application deadline is JANUARY 5, 2018. Please spread the word about this opportunity available to those in Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon counties.

In September, we highlighted two of three 2017 grant recipients. Look for a report from the third recipient in our December newsletter.  

SIERRA CLUB CALENDARS:  Again this year, your purchase of Sierra Club calendars will benefit our club and environmental programs and protection activities. The calendars cost
$14.95 for the wall calendar and $15.95 for the engagement book.

Get your calendar at our December gathering or order from Maureen Kinney: 608 784-9324 or 608 784-5678 or email maureen at johnsflaherty -dot-com. SIERRA CLUB NOTE AND HOLIDAY CARDS are available at the online store. 

PLEASE HELP!  There are major environmental issues happening in the Coulee Region that require our attention and action, from air and water quality to protection of sensitive wetlands and recreation areas. We really need YOUR HELP to work on the water team or the Ready for 100 team or a team near to your heart. These issues need our attention now.
Please consider what is most important to you - why you are a member of the Sierra Club - and volunteer to help by emailing us at crsierraclub at gmail. Please indicate which issue you want to work on.

READY FOR 100:  As we reported in August, La Crosse mayor Tim Kabat signed the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 pledge to transition the city to 100% renewable energy. 

The Coulee Region Sierra Club is seeking members for a Ready for 100 team to help prepare suggested steps the city of La Crosse, and possibly others in the Coulee Region, can take to move quickly from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Recent developments in Minneapolis and Madison, where agreements with utilities target renewable transitions, and Winona, where an ambitious citywide solar garden plan has been finalized, have provided real life area examples of what La Crosse could do. Please email by November 20 if you can help! crsierraclub at gmail

 COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB WINTER GATHERING: Club members Don & Barb Frank will host our winter gathering/potluck at their home, N1965 Valley Road, La Crosse at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19. Bring some food to share if you wish. The Franks will provide beverages. Their home is in Wedgewood Valley, just off Highway 33 (a little east of Schmidty's). From La Crosse, just past Hagen Road (on the right) turn LEFT into Wedgewood Valley onto Wedgewood Drive West and stay on Wedgewood Drive West to Valley Drive. Phone 608 788-3914 with questions. You DO NOT NEED TO BE A SIERRA CLUB MEMBER TO ATTEND.

Environmental Education grants

Once again the Coulee Region Sierra Club will offer grants of up to $200 for environmental education projects involving young people at the elementary or middle school level or in a community organization. 

The local group, in keeping with the Sierra Club's purpose of exploring, protecting, and enjoying our environment, invites teachers or 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 in some small way. 

Projects must:

• Provide hands-on experience for students to learn about and explore our environment
• Do something to promote a world which allows all life forms to live and prosper
• Show students that they can make a difference in their environment, whether urban or rural
• Be completed within the 2017-2018 school year. A follow up report will be due upon completion of the project

Project may:

• Consist of environmental displays or other creative works
• Benefit the land, water, air, plants, animals, and/or birds
• Be a new project with lasting value or the potential for ongoing activity

Applications are due January 5, 2018 via email: maureen[at]johnsflaherty[dot]com. Grant recipients will be notified shortly thereafter.

Call Maureen Kinney with questions: 608 784-5678.

Application form is available at: https://tinyurl.com/crsc-2018grantapp

 

Report on groundwater pollution forum

[Please view the event page for display files and links to sites, resources, and groups mentioned during the program.]

About 70 people attended the groundwater pollution forum hosted by the Coulee Region Sierra Club on Tuesday evening, October 24 at the Holland Town Hall in Holmen. CRSC board president, Pat Wilson, provided a short introduction, noting that pollution of drinking water is among Americans'  top concerns in Chapman University's 2017 Survey of American Fears.

The state Sierra Club (John Muir Chapter) has been very active in water quantity and quality issues, producing five water white papers this year. The CRSC would like to be a resource for those seeking ways to connect with others around the state advocating for better enforcement of existing water protections and better staffing and funding for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Thank you to our panelists and to the Town of Holland for letting us use their wonderful facility (which produces more power via rooftop solar than it uses).

State Representative Steve Doyle, whose district includes the area where high levels of contamination from a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) and other sources have been found in La Crosse county wells provided a background of CAFO development in the state; information about the DNR's spotty record of inspecting, regulating, and enforcing state laws; and recent legislation dealing with water quality.

La Crosse County Board member and chair of the county's Health and Human Services committee, Mike Giese, discussed the background of the county's long and difficult quest to get accurate information from the DNR about CAFO contamination. The county was forced to resort to Freedom of Information Act requests in order to learn how much contamination had been present (thaough the latest data was dated April 2016) and for how long. Mr. Giese noted that some important data is still not available.

La Crosse County Health Department director, Jen Rombalski, talked about well testing, trying to serve the public with partial information, and health effects of different kinds of contamination including nitrates and bacteria.

There were many audience questions and at 8:30 p.m. many stayed to continue the discussion. We hope to have an audio or video of most of the session up by October. 27.

In the meantime, view the event page for links to display information and websites mentioned during the program.

Thank you to all who participated. We will have more about this issue in our November newsletter.

For immediate release

October 3, 2017

Forum on Groundwater Pollution in La Crosse County
October 24 forum to examine priorities & policies that allow pollution without accountability

La Crosse, Wisconsin - The Coulee Region Sierra Club is hosting a public forum on La Crosse County ground water pollution on Tuesday, October 24 from 7:00 to 8:45 p.m. at the Holland Town Hall, W7937 County Road MH, Holmen. The forum is free and open to the public.
Panelists include Wisconsin State Representative Steve Doyle, La Crosse County Board member
Mike Giese, and La Crosse County Health Department Director Jen Rombalski. Those who attend
will be encouraged to ask questions, share their concerns, and find out how to join with others to
work on local and statewide water solutions that prioritize the health of Wisconsin’s people and
environment.

La Crosse County joins a growing list of counties around the state whose clean water supplies are
being threatened by unchecked contamination. A water quality health advisory issued by the County
Health Department in April 2017 warned some Holmen and Onalaska area residents that nitrate and
bacteria levels in their wells might exceed state health limits. Those whose wells test high for
nitrates are advised to use bottled water for drinking and cooking because of potential serious
health consequences including miscarriage, thyroid disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has faced criticism for failing to communicate with
the county or with residents living near a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) where test wells have shown excessive levels of contamination for several years, and for failing to properly
regulate that operation. A DNR spokesperson told the La Crosse Tribune in July of this year that, “The DNR doesn’t have a policy regarding notifying municipalities or private well owners in the vicinity when a CAFO violates a permit.”

“Somebody at the DNR needs to read their own mission statement,” said Pat Wilson, President of
the Coulee Region Sierra Club. “Their stated goals include protecting and enhancing our natural
resources, providing a healthy, sustainable environment, and ensuring the right of all people to use
and enjoy these resources. Letting polluters violate their permits without penalty does not protect
our natural resources nor provide a healthy environment.”

This year the John Muir (Wisconsin) Chapter of the Sierra Club released a series of white papers
about water quality and access in Wisconsin. The chapter’s state-wide water team is working to
empower citizens and municipalities through legislation and activism.

October newsletter

THANK YOU, COULEE REGION ECOSCAPES! Thank you, Judson Steinbach of Coulee Region Ecoscapes for your wonderful presentation at our September 26 meeting. Judson detailed, in slides and story, the beginnings of the business, its commitment to sustainable and environmentally sound practices, and its “side business” - creating and connecting diverse communities to make lives better.

Judson talked about CRE’s work on the Community Food Forest at the La Crosse YMCA and their recent completion of an outdoor classroom/memorial at Myrick Park. He talked about changes in design and plant selection as effects of global warming grow. And he offered plants to those who attended.

We will post a link to the slideshow presentation as soon as it’s available. In the meantime, you can view a portfolio of the organizations work and services at their website: www.couleeregionecoscapes.com/

REMINDER - Our HIGHWAY CLEAN UP will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3. Meet at the pumping station just west of the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette Street to get vests, gloves, and bags. Questions? pbwilson-at-centurytel-dot-net 

TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN ACTIVISM  The Sierra Club and other state and national organizations need all of us to step up and get more involved as our natural resources and environmentally sensitive gems are under assault from all directions.

If you are a member of the Sierra Club, that’s a great first step. Now, it’s time to do more. Here are a important actions that need your support.

MINING  Senator Tom Tiffany has introduced a sweeping Mining Give-Away Bill that removes Wisconsin's prove-it-first protections, undermines our wetland laws and sidesteps many of our existing safeguards. As our Mining Chair put it, "These giveaways to the mining industry are nothing more than direct subsidies that reduce operating costs while putting Wisconsin's sustainable tourism and agriculture at risk from pollution.” Learn more about the issue and call your representatives to stop this destructive bill. sierraclub.org/wisconsin/issues/mining

CAFO MORATORIUM  The Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network is leading efforts to pass a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) moratorium. “Wisconsin’s industrial animal factories generate more manure than crops can safely use as fertilizer leading to excess phosphorus and nitrate levels in the soil and groundwater. As a result, our local streams, lakes, and waterways are quickly becoming damaged beyond repair.” Learn more and join with SIerra Club and other environmental groups’ members to push for a moratorium. sustainruralwisconsin.org/advocate-for-a-cafo-moratorium/

GLOBAL WARMING  The Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 initiative is a way for mayors and communities to target a quick move to renewable, non-polluting energy use. Start a Ready for 100 push in your community, or, if your leaders have already signed on, offer to meet with them to help plan and implement a transition to renewables. Climate scientists say we have about 10 years to change! Learn more: sierraclub.org/ready-for-100/cities-ready-for-100
 

September Newsletter

NEXT MEETING:  7 pm Tuesday, September 26  Ho-Chunk House 8th & Main, LA CROSSE  SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING with Coulee Region Ecoscapes, LLC    Join us as we hear from Judson Steinback, co-owner of COULEE REGION ECOSCAPES,LLC about the work CRE has done in our community and why sustainable landscaping is important in this age of global warming. From the food forest at the YMCA in La Crosse to community gardens around the region, from prairies and rain gardens to classes and workshops, CRE has been a leader in educating about and promoting sustainable ways of working with the land.

We will also discuss next steps our club can take to support Mayor Tim Kabat of La Crosse who has signed on to the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 initiative.

Please come a bring a friend! You don’t need to be a Sierra Club member! Light refreshments and coffee/tea will be served. For more information, please contact us at crsierraclub-at-gmail.com.  The Board will meet at 6 p.m. before the general meeting.

OCTOBER 24: WATER QUALITY FORUM IN LA CROSSE COUNTY  Our state’s clean water resources are being threatened on many fronts. In La Crosse county, waste from a 4,000 pig CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) operated by Babcock Genetics has contaminated many wells in the Holmen area. Worse, the state DNR did not notify anyone affected until nearly three months after the County’s formal request forced them to release six years’ worth of well tests revealing the widespread contamination. And even worse, records show the DNR did not cite Babcock for these egregious violations.

Join the Coulee Region Sierra Club at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24 at the Holland Town Hall (W7937 County Road MH, Holmen) to learn more about how lax regulation of CAFOs combined with budget and oversight cuts to the state’s DNR have contributed to this situation and how we can fight against it. Our panel will include

• Jen Rombalski from the La Crosse County Health & Human Services Department
• Mike Giese, La Crosse County Board of Supervisors Representative for District 17
• Steve Doyle who represents this district in the State Assembly
• Also invited - a resident of the area whose well has been contaminated.

The DNR’s Remediation and Redevelopment Program for private well users affected by fecal bacteria contamination from livestock may provide some clean water and/or well compensation gransa (paid for by state taxpayers). But the DNR continues to not follow its own rules for enforcement and a recent audit found that ”notices of violations were issued to polluters in just 33 of 558 instances serious enough for such citations under DNR policies.” (tinyurl.com/laxh20regs)

Mark your calendar now so you can attend this important forum. It’s free and open to everyone.

COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS  In December, the Coulee Region Sierra Club award three $200 grants to area organizations for environmental education projects. Here are reports from two recipients. (This year’s application will be available in October).

Hello Sierra Club Members!

We wanted to extend our sincere gratitude for the grant money that the Sierra Club gave Evergreen Elementary School. We used the money toward our school-wide Environmental Education day. Students were able to touch and hold animals, learn about forestry and survival in wildlife, and even skype with a Sea Turtle at an aquarium in North Carolina.
Students were engaged and learned several ways they can help do their part to keep our Earth healthy and strong. Your money helped us to secure the presenters and allowed them to have an incredible day of hands-on learning.

I'm attaching some photos of the day. Thank you, again, so much!

Christy Wopat & Evergreen Environmental Ed Committee


Dear Coulee Region Sierra Club,

Thank you again for the $200 grant award for Lincoln Middle 7th Grade this past school year. Your funds helped pay for bussing costs. Students were able to travel to Camp Salem near Black River Falls, WI for an overnight Outdoor Educational Experience that focused on Bird Banding, Water Monitoring, and Llamaology.

In addition, students were able to go on a "Waterfall Hike" in the Robinson Creek as part of the monitoring portion of the event. Students gained a personal experience that connects
them to the environment and has created a foundational learning base for all future environmental education and personal recreation in our wild places.

Sincere Thanks,
Tim Sprain and the entire teaching team at Lincoln Middle School and The 7th grade students of Lincoln

HURRICANE HARVEY  In addition to the unbelievable toll Hurricane Harvey has taken on the people of the Gulf Coast, the environmental disasters continue to mount. To help hurricane survivors, the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club has set up a #HarveyHelp page (tinyurl.com/lonestarscharveyhelp). One hundred percent of funds raised will go toward relief efforts for people and the environment. Listen to an interview with Bryan Parras, organizer for the "Beyond Dirty Fuels" campaign with the Sierra Club in Houston, Texas and co-founder of the environmental justice group t.e.j.a.s. at www.democracynow.org/2017/8/28/as_catastrophic_flooding_hits_houston_fears

PRESERVE MINING MORATORIUM BILL  [from Muir Musings, August 21, 2017] Last week Sen. Tom Tiffany, R- Hazelhurst, introduced draft legislation designed to repeal the law and sweetened the deal for the mining industry by loading his bill with giveaways that
further reduce protections that threaten public health and our environment.

Acid Mine Drainage is sulfuric acid and metal pollution produced when sulfide minerals in mines and mining wastes are exposed to air and water. AMD is toxic to fish and wildlife due to dissolved metals and contaminants such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, zinc, copper and many others that damage surface water and groundwater resources. The sulfide ores that companies are interested in mining in Wisconsin will produce AMD if developed into mines.

The Prove It First law is not a ban on mining, but has helped protect Wisconsin from unsafe metallic sulfide mining for many years. The Flambeau mine was permitted before the passage of the law, but the concerns about pollution from the mine were part of the reason the law was approved. Not surprisingly, the mine has been found to be violating the Clean Water Act by polluting a tributary of the Flambeau river at the mining site and groundwater is
highly contaminated from mining wastes buried in the former open pit.

This law has been in place for years for our safety and our planet’s safety. We must keep the Prove It First law in place for the good of everyone. It is common sense to choose
safety first. Show your support, sign this petition by the Sierra Club at www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/issues/mining.  

THE FOXCONN CON  As of this writing, the state senate is set to pass a version of a Foxconn incentive package worth more than $3 billion, the largest ever granted in our state and one of the largest in the nation. Many analysts have warned that the state may never
recoup the costs of the incentives, but Republicans are determined to pass it with little public comment or scrutiny.

Former state representative Spencer Black, current vice president of the National Sierra Club, notes that there are serious environmental give aways in the Foxconn bill. In his August 15 Cap Times column, Black notes, “The plant will locate close to Lake Michigan and will be a very heavy water user. Foxconn has a very bad record of pollution at its other manufacturing plants. In China, Foxconn has been reported to have polluted nearby rivers with high levels of heavy metals. There have been major complaints about air pollution as well from Foxconn plants.” An even bigger concern is the precedent this will set.

Other special environmental exemptions for Foxconn, according to a July 28 Wisconsin Public Radio report, include being able to change the course of a stream, discharge dredge materials, or fill wetlands without a permit; not having to create new wetlands to replace filled wetlands; being able to build on a lake or stream bed with no permit, not needing pre-construction environmental impact statements; and allowing public utility projects for
Foxconn to go ahead without Public Service Commission approval. And the bill would borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the southeast Wisconsin interstate.

With federal protection agencies now in the hands of climate change deniers and regulation opponents, we cannot hope that we will be saved by the feds. The state legislators who support waiving environmental regulations for favored businesses no matter how many pollutants are discharged, wells contaminated, or habitats destroyed, must be challenged and replaced.

We are the only ones who can save or not save. We are the ones who can act or not act. We can run for office, email and visit elected representatives (over and over if needed), write letters to the editor, talk to neighbors and community groups, and work and vote for
candidates who believe in environmental protections.

FALL HIGHWAY CLEAN UP  The fall highway cleanup on the Coulee Group’s adopted
highway – River Valley Drive in the La Crosse River marsh – will be on Tuesday, October 3 starting at 5:30 p.m. (Contact Pat to confirm if weather conditions are iffy). Meet at the city water well building at the intersection of County Highway B (Gillette Street) and River Valley Drive. Wear old clothes and bring work gloves. Safety vests and bags are provided. For more info, contact Pat or Bobbie at 608 788-8831 or pbwilson-at-centurytel.net.

OPEN STREETS: PEOPLE > CARS  On Sunday, September 3, several streets in downtown La Crosse will be closed to motor vehicle traffic and open to walkers, dancers, vendors, hopscotchers, hula hoopers, musicians, eaters, bicyclists, yogis, chalk artists, rain barrel painters, shoppers, and more. It’s the first annual (we hope) Open Streets La Crosse where participants can appreciate all the space normally taken up by cars and now
available to people. Included in the event is a sample woonerf (shared street) and a Protected Bike Lane demonstration. Many businesses, organizations, and community
groups will hand out information and host events and activities. If you can, attend. If you have a food truck or organization and want to get a spot along the route, see the event Facebook site: www.facebook.com/events/1937856956496160

DECEMBER BOARD ELECTIONS  We will hold board elections in December. If you are
interested in helping guide our club next year, please nominate yourself by emailing us with a short paragraph description of your experience and interest at crsierraclub-at-gmail-dot-com.

HELP US COVER THE WHOLE COULEE REGION!  We’re still looking for CR Sierra Club members around the region to email with news of events and issues in their communities so we can get more people involved . Email crsierraclub-at-gmail-dot-com.

August newsletter

AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER WILL BE SHOWN AT THE MARCUS THEATER (Ward Ave. La Crosse) BEGINNING ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 11. This film drew two standing ovations when it was screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s an update, including the election of Donald Trump, to the award winning film, An Inconvenient Truth.

If you can, please attend (and take your friends, family, and neighbors). Find show times and get tickets at tinyurl.com/aislax (Friday before 5, seniors are $5)

OPEN STREETS IN LA CROSSE SEPTEMBER 3   As part of the annual Labor Day weekend La Crosse Bike Fest, the City of La Crosse will host its first OPEN STREETS event on Sunday, September 3 from noon to 4 p.m. La Crosse Open Streets is a partnership between the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation and Explore La Crosse with support from Downtown Mainstreet, Inc, the City of La Crosse and the La Crosse City Vision Foundation. The Coulee Region Sierra Club is also a sponsor.

Open Streets events create car-free spaces where people and families can exercise and play; at the same time, neighborhood businesses and vendors can engage the community and visitors in new ways. In La Crosse, the closed area will include Main Street from Ninth Street to Fifth Avenue South, Fifth Avenue from Main Street to King Street, and King to Fourth. The park-to-park event (from Burns Park on the East to Cameron Park on the west) will include artists, musicians, food vendors, retail activity, non-profit organizations and neighborhood groups. (And the Coulee Region Sierra Club!)

In addition, there will be a PROTECTED BIKE LANE (PBL) demonstration on Main (between Ninth and Seventh Streets) where people can see why PBLs are increasing in popularity around the world by providing bikes-only street lanes buffered from motorized vehicles by posts, blocks, planers, parked cars and/or other barriers, (This project is seeking
volunteers! Please email lacrossebybike-owner-at-yahoogroups.com) 

Open Streets is a worldwide movement modeled after Ciclovia, which began in Bogota, Columbia. Closing streets to car traffic promotes biking, walking and active living in the communal spaces that are otherwise dominated or made unsafe or unhealthy by moving and parked cars. Open Streets events are designed to be recurring and we hope that
this will be the first annual La Crosse Open Streets. 

If you would like to be involved as a volunteer, vendor, or sponsor, please contact Carolyn Dvorak (608 709-2945). You can follow updates at the event’s Facebook page: tinyurl.com/laxopnstrts

STILL Seeking BRF area members to help host Sierra Club display at the September 9 Green Life Expo in Black River Falls. Email crsierraclub-at-gmail.com! 

JOHN MUIR CHAPTER EXECUTIVE BOARD REP  Dave Wulf volunteered to represent the Coulee Region group on the state’s executive board but has had to step back temporarily due to health issues. Avery Van Gaard has stepped in to represent our group for now. The position may be shared once Dave gets back on his feet. Thanks to both for volunteering for this important position.

OCTOBER WATER ISSUES PROGRAM  The state Sierra Club  Water Team has released five papers highlighting Wisconsin’s most serious water problems (find them at sierraclub.org/wisconsin/protecting-water-resources). The Coulee Region group is working on a water quality program in October. More details in our September newsletter.

JULY'S BLACK RIVER CANOE TRIP  Thirty-eight kids and 'kids at heart' paddled, played, swam, camped on a sandbar, hiked up a waterfall, swam again, rolled down a sandbank, saw an eagle, learned a few things, paddled, swam, and played some more. Perfect weather. Fine water levels ranging from 1400 cfs to 1100 cfs. Sing-a-long, s'mores, and dramatic cloud displays, too. Thanks to Pat and Bobbie for organizing and leading this trip!!

COULEE REGION GROUP APPLAUDS MAYOR'S READY FOR 100 SUPPORT  In an August letter to Mayor Tim Kabat of La Crosse, the executive board of the Coulee Region group thanked the mayor for his support of the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 initiative and offered total support to help make La Crosse a 100% renewable city as quickly as possible. We hope the mayor will work with the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations and agencies in the area to work out an action plan and timeline.

CONNECT WITH US! online at tinyurl.com/crsierra, cr-sierra.blogspot.com, or crsierraclub-at-gmail.com. If you know of an environmental event or outing in your area of the Coulee Region group, please let us know so we can include it in our calendar. If your area needs support for an environmental issue, please contact us so we can activate our members.

MREA Energy Fair in St Paul September 9-10

Dear Friend, We are thrilled to announce an inspiring lineup of speakers & film screenings for the new Minnesota Energy Fair, September 9-10, with a Solar Professional Day Sept. 8. By popular demand, we will be screening the June 2017 Energy Fair address by JB Straubel, Co-Founder of Tesla, on both Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. See speakers below, and stay tuned for the music lineup coming soon! Devon Cupery Engagement Manager, MREA

Announcing the Keynote Speakers! (All Access Pass required - Adult $15/day. Order here)

Tara Houska National Campaigns Director, Honor the Earth Saturday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m. Tara Houska (Couchiching First Nation) is a tribal attorney based in Washington, D.C., the National Campaigns Director of Honor the Earth, and a former advisor on Native American affairs to Bernie Sanders. Learn more

Michael Noble Executive Director, Fresh Energy Sunday, September 10 at 1:00 p.m. Michael Noble is a 30-year energy leader, well-known for shaping and driving the major public policy innovations that are speeding Minnesota and the Midwest’s transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. Learn more

Jason Edens Director, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance Saturday, September 9 at 1:00 p.m. Jason Edens is the founder and Director of the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting energy poverty with solar power and ensuring that solar energy is accessible to all. Learn more

Special Film Screenings! (All Access Pass required - Adult $15/day. Order here)

Screening of JB Straubel, Co-Founder of Tesla Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Watch a video of the keynote address by Tesla Co-Founder JB Straubel from our Custer, Wisconsin Fair in June 2017! JB Straubel is the Chief Technical Officer and co-founder of Tesla Motors. Learn more

'Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry' Sunday, September 10 at 3:00 p.m. LOOK & SEE is an award-winning Sundance documentary and powerful cinematic portrait of Wendell Berry—farmer, activist, and undoubtedly one of America’s most significant living writers. More

'Sweet Land' movie America's first carbon neutral film! Saturday, September 9 at 4:00 p.m.  Sweet Land is the first carbon neutral film in the U.S., produced locally in Minnesota! It's a story of unlikely immigrant lovers whose struggle for integration in 1920’s America. Learn more

Workshops are now online! FREE Admission to 80+ Workshops and 60+ Exhibits Access to 20+ Solar Professional Workshops with All Access Pass

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80+ Free Workshops Sustainable Living, Solar, Community Resilience, Electric Vehicles & more! 20+ Solar Professional Workshops  NABCEP and DLI Credits*Approval Pending All Access Pass required ($15/day) Order here

All Access Passes include Keynote Speakers, Film Screenings, Music & Entertainment, and Solar Professional Workshops

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Adult rate: $25/weekend or $15/day Senior/Student rate: $18/weekend or $10/day Become a member or Hardcore Volunteer and receive a free All Access Pass!