June newsletter

NEXT MEETING: POTLUCK! 6 pm Tuesday, June 27 at Rick & Julia’s: (3703 Brook Lane ONALASKA)  Join Sierra Club friends for food and fun on June 27 at Rick and Julia’s. From La Crosse, drive north past Menards on Hwy 53. Turn right on OT and left (north) onto Sand Lake Rd. Just past Coulee Life Church (on left) turn right onto Hanson Rd and immediately right again onto Brook Ln. Look for two story white house at end of cul-de-sac. Park on the large driveway or along the street.

Please bring a dish to pass and plan to relax on the deck with good conversation and some bird watching. Some wine, tea, and soda will be provided. Please bring a guest! If you can, RSVP (RandJ2010-at-charter.net) to help with food and seating. Call 608 783-7778 with questions. Ride sharing is always encouraged.

--  Sierra Club on Paris Agreement withdrawal: “A Historic Mistake” --

Communications Update:  Quick and efficient communication with members is one way the Coulee Region Group increases the effectiveness our actions. We have been moving to
email and social media communication to increase speed and efficiency, save resources, and cut costs. This is one of four newsletters that we mail annually to members who don’t receive electronic communication.

We’ll be mailing 361 paper newsletters and emailing 457 newsletters. If you’re receiving the newsletter on paper instead of by email, there are three possible reasons. First, we don’t have your email address. Second, though we have your email address, you’ve asked that the Sierra Club not send you email. Third, we have your email, and national and state Sierra Club sends you email, but you’ve specifically requested that the Coulee Region Group not send you email. We respect all these requests. 

But if you’d like to receive all the local Coulee Region Group newsletters plus other reminders we send on occasion, we’d be happy to make that happen. If we don’t have your
email address, you can send it to Pat Wilson at pbwilson-at-centurytel.net. We don’t share email addresses. 

If you’ve indicated you don’t want any email from the Sierra Club, you can change this by calling Sierra Club Member Services at 415-977-5653. If you want to change your preference not to receive email specifically from the Coulee Region Group, contact Pat Wilson at the above email address.

Online resources include our web page at www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee and our blog at cr-sierra.blogspot.com. Subscribe to the blog to get new posts automatically emailed to you. Our newsletter is published online every month at issuu.com.

Mayors for 100% Clean Energy  Local leadership on clean energy is more important than
ever. That's why the Sierra Club's Ready For 100 Campaign is launching Mayors For 100% Clean Energy -- an initiative calling on all mayors -- regardless of political party, from big cities and small towns – to support a vision of 100% clean and renewable energy in their cities, towns, and communities, and across the country. La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat is a signatory and now needs support to make it happen. To urge your mayor to sign, please visit tinyurl.com/mayor100.

Sierra Club Membership is Up!  Sierra Club membership is showing a marked upward
trend since Trump’s election, both nationally and locally. While we’re happy with the increase, we wish the cause weren’t so threatening, both at the national and state level.
Household memberships for the Coulee Group are up about 20%, from 685 last year to 818 households at the end of May. This shows increased concern for the environment and faith that the Sierra Club can be effective in advancing environmental protections, or at least slowing the degradation. Thank you to our new members and supporters. We will continue to fight for environmental protections for our air and water in the state.

Help wanted  The Coulee Region group stretches from Black River Falls to Sparta/Tomah and all the way down to Platteville! If you know of or hear of something that other Coulee Region group members would be interested in, please email crsierraclub-at-gmail.com.

Better yet, if you would like to submit a blog post and/ or an article about an environmental or outdoor activity happening in your area of the Coulee Region Group, please do! We can set you up as a regional correspondent on our blog site. Please email!

New and continuing members are also encouraged to email to learn how you can serve on an important Sierra Club committee or work group!

Family-Friendly Black River Canoe Camping Trip July 15-16  This favorite kid-friendly paddling trip is being resurrected to encourage young families, families with kids, and the young-at-heart to join us on the water. We’ll take it slow, stop to play/explore as frequently as desired, cook-out and sleep in tents on a sandbar and engage in creative outdoor play.
We’ll paddle from Irving to North Bend. The river is sand bottom with many sandbars for stopping. Contact: Pat or Bobbie Wilson at 608-788-8831 or pbwilson-at-centurytel.net.

State Transportation Budget Doesn't Match Citizens' Plan  [some excerpts from the John Muir Chapter blog]

The results of a survey highlight how the state’s transportation budget priorities are increasingly out of step with Wisconsinites’ needs and preferences. The informal survey,
conducted by Sierra Club and its partners in the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation, asked more than 500 people across the state to create their ideal
transportation budget.

The “Citizens’ Transportation Budget” would give 40% to local roads, 30% to state highways, 20% to transit, and 10% to “other” (bike/ped infrastructure and special transportation projects).

The state’s 2015-2017 transportation budget spends 66% on highway projects, 32% on local roads and “other” and only 2% on transit.

Transit is the only option that can serve everyone regardless of age, income, or ability. In addition, switching from a private car to public transportation is the most effective way for an individual to reduce her or his carbon footprint. Thankfully, planners in the Coulee Region understand the importance of regional transit for employers, workers, and residents of the area. The SMRT (Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit) bus that goes from Prairie du Chien to La Crosse, Viroqua, and other southwest Wisconsin communities has been very successful. Plans are now under way to replicate this service from La Crosse to Tomah and from La Crosse to Arcadia. Look for these new routes in 2018.

Read more about the transportation budget survey at sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2017/05/state-transportation-budget-doesn-t-match-wisconsinites-priorities. Sign the Sierra Club petition telling our legislators to support clean, accessible transportation now at
sierraclub.org/wisconsin

La Crosse Car Share Ends  Less than a year after it began, the Enterprise Car Share
program in La Crosse has ended. There was little publicity, there were glitches in transitioning from a UWL-only to a community car share, and the cars were kept on the
UWL campus (not particularly convenient for many). With the Uber and Lyft making their way into our region and the possibility of driverless cars in the near future, there will be other ways for people to rely less on private automobiles and reduce their climate impact.

Happy Birthday to us!  On May 28, the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization celebrated its 125th birthday. Founded in San Francisco in 1892 by Scottish-born, Wisconsin-raised conservationist John Muir, the Sierra Club's original mission was to protect California's Sierra Nevada mountains from excessive mining and logging. Among its first major achievements were protecting Yosemite National Park and
establishing Sequoia National Park, home to the giant trees that are the largest living things on Earth.

Arguably the Sierra Club’s most renowned preservation victory was leading the fight to prevent the Grand Canyon from being dammed in the 1960s. The ensuing years saw
the organization broaden its mission to protecting clean air, clean water, and endangered species, and in the 21st century it is spearheading the effort to transition the United
States from climate-disrupting fossil fuels to clean, renewable sources of energy. The Sierra Club today counts 3 million members and supporters in 64 chapters, in every state plus Puerto Rico.

Sierra Club Water Report  The John Muir (Wisconsin) Chapter of the Sierra Club has
released its third water related white paper, Water for All, Now and Into the Future 

Wisconsin is not living up to its water use goal to “Sustainably manage the quantity and quality of water in the state to ensure that water is available to be used to protect and improve our health, economy, and environment now and into the future.” 

The white paper highlights the threats of overconsumption of water resources in Wisconsin.

• In 2015, WIisconsin used over 2.04 trillion gallons, roughly the volume of three Lake Winnebagos
• Increasing concentrations of pollutants in drinking water due to groundwater over-pumping is putting thousands of Wisconsinites at risk
• Since 2000 there has been a six-fold increase in state CAFOs, which often require multiple high-capacity wells
• The sensitive Central Sands region is now home to over 3,000 high-capacity wells: in the 1950s there were fewer than 100
• The Little Plover River was listed in 2013 as one of America’s ten most endangered rivers
• 94,000 Wisconsin households already have unsafe levels of nitrate in their drinking water
• Waukesha County found increasing radium levels in their drinking water as wells were drilled deeper to reach groundwater

Energy Fair Rides:  Xcel Energy is sponsoring a FREE BUS to the Energy Fair on June 17 from Menomonie/Eau Claire/Osseo. Register at theenergyfair.org/ec-bus-registration/
Try WISCONSIN RIDE SHARE (tinyurl.com/wirideshare) to search for a ride from your area. 

Highway Clean Up  The spring highway cleanup on the Coulee Group’s adopted highway – River Valley Drive in the La Crosse River marsh – will be on Tuesday, July 18 starting at 6:00 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. We’ll visit Rudy’s Drive-In after the event! For more info, contact Pat or Bobbie at 608 788-8831 or
pbwilson-at-centurytel.net.

Wisconsin Bike Week and More!  National Bike to Work week is in May, but the Wisconsin
Bike Fed has designated June 1 - 11 as Wisconsin Bike Week (the weather’s a bit more settled). There are events scheduled around the state including several in the Coulee
Region (Sparta, Holmen, La Crosse, and Onalaska). On June 6, you’re invited to Bike with Community Leaders including Mayor Tim Kabat of La Crosse and Dave Cieslewicz, the Executive Director of the Bike Fed.

For more details, please visit the event overview page at tinyurl.com/0606laxbike.

On June 25, there is a Bike (or Bus) the Barn event in Viroqua which will take participants to two local CSA farms for food and fun. (tinyurl.com/6-25bbtb)

Reminder - informal get together tonight!

For Sierra Club members and friends - board member, Bill Katra is hosting an informal get together at his home (1008 Avon Street) tonight at 7 p.m. Bring some snacks and/or beverages to share. Questions? 785-2031--but no need to RSVP.

Bike/Ped Public Input in La Crosse

Public Input Sought for Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements on Avon Street

City to host workshop for potential neighborhood greenway along 1.7-mile corridor

(LA CROSSE, WIS. - May 18, 2017) – The City of La Crosse is looking for public input on a neighborhood beautification and improvement project to make Avon Street greener, more walkable, and more bicycle-friendly. Citizens identified this route for potential improvements as part of La Crosse’s 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Those interested in learning more about this project and providing design guidance during the initial concept plan are invited to the public workshop:

Black River Beach Neighborhood Center (1433 Rose Street) in the Maplewood Room

Wednesday, May 24th at 5:30 pm

City planners and Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee will host this public workshop, providing background information about neighborhood greenways and the City’s bike plan. The workshop will consist of an open house display about the city and how other cities have implemented neighborhood greenways, followed by a visual preference survey. The workshop will wrap up with a presentation and interactive discussion about what steps may be taken next in the planning process.

The visual preference survey breaks down neighborhood greenways into their various elements, including pavement markings, speed humps, curb extensions, miniature traffic circles, traffic signals, refuge islands, or even partial roadway closures. The intent is to communicate how these measures can be implemented on a sliding scale depending on how much traffic speed or volume reductions would be desired by the community.

Workshop participants will be invited to review different treatments, vote for those they like, and identify potential locations for solutions. The materials from the public workshop will be made available on the City’s website, as well as opportunity for additional comments. City Planners will prepare a memorandum that summarizes the public workshop for approval by the Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

###

For more information, please visit www.cityoflacrosse.org/neighborhood-greenways or contact Lewis Kuhlman at kuhlmanl@cityoflacrosse.org or 608-789-7361

Stewardship Program at risk

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program is at risk. Please call your legislators before this Thursday, May 11, and urge them not to sign on as co-sponsors to bill (LRB-1803/1) and ask them to vote against the bill if it comes up for a vote. See the press release below for more information. 

LAND TRUST COMMUNITY DISAPPOINTED BY PROPOSAL TO CUT STEWARDSHIP FUNDING TO PURCHASE LAND ALREADY OWNED BY THE PUBLIC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 9, 2017

Contact:           Chris Danou, Government Relations Director

 Gathering Waters Conservancy, Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts

                        608-251-9131 or chris@gatheringwaters.org

Madison, WI - Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts is disappointed by the bill (LRB-1803/1) introduced by Representative August and Senator Nass that proposes to cut 78% from the Knowles-Nelson grants to counties for land acquisition and 43% from the Knowles-Nelson grants to non-profit conservation organizations for land acquisition. Ironically, this proposal takes this money from the highly popular and successful stewardship program to purchase land that the state already owns!

Mike Carlson, Executive Director of Gathering Waters: Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Trusts, said "This bill is not in the best interests of the people of Wisconsin, it is fiscally imprudent, it literally is using money that is allocated for land acquisition grants to counties and non-profit conservation organizations to buy land that is already state owned. It will do nothing to add to the stock of lands available to forestry industry, as the lands proposed for purchase are already being actively managed for forestry where appropriate.  What this bill does is to reduce the funds available for grants that are used to increase public access and land conservation."

Wisconsin's $12 billion outdoor recreation industry, including our $4 billion hunting and fishing industry, is directly supported by the Stewardship Program's protection of our land resources. So is our state's $20 billion forestry industry - through working forest conservation easements and land purchases.  A strong, well-funded Stewardship Program continues to be important because:

• Wisconsin ranks last among our neighbors Minnesota and Michigan in state-owned public land and our tourism industry also trails these neighboring states.
• With Wisconsin's population projected to grow 15% in the next twenty years, so will the demand for public recreation opportunities in all corners of the state.
• Lack of public access is cited repeatedly as a significant threat to our state's sporting heritage.
• Lack of available timber is a major concern in some areas of the state, as is fragmentation of forestland.  The Stewardship Program helps to ensure that large blocks of timber remain in sustainable production, keeping raw material available for pulp and saw mills.

"The Stewardship Program contributes to the high quality of life that makes Wisconsin a desirable place to live, work and play. That's why close to 90% of Wisconsin residents support investing in Stewardship to protect our land, water, and wildlife habitat and recognize that the program should not be pitted against other programs."

We urge all members of the public to contact their legislators and urge them not to sign on as co-sponsors and to vote against the bill if it comes up for vote either in committee or on the floor.  We also urge that the bill not be included in the upcoming state budget.

Tell your Mayor - 100% Renewable NOW!

A year ago, the 8th largest city in America, San Diego, lead by a Republican mayor, committed to getting 100% of the city’s energy from clean and renewable energy sources by 2035. In September, the 2nd largest city in America, Los Angeles, took the next big step by commissioning a study to map its pathway to 100% clean energy. While these U.S. cities may be some of the biggest, they’re certainly not the first, and they won’t be the last. International cities, like Vancouver, Paris, and Sydney, and now 26 other U.S. cities, including Abita Springs, LA; Georgetown, TX; and Salt Lake City, UT; just to name a few, have all made similar commitments. Proving that 100% clean and renewable energy is important for all cities and all communities -- big and small, red and blue, locally and globally. Why?

Because cleaner, cheaper, healthier energy is here! Wind power generation has more than doubled in the past four years, and over the past six years has plummeted in price. Solar power generation has increased by a factor of five, making solar one of the fastest-growing industries in America, and the fastest-growing industry in the world! Which means that supporting clean energy is not just about leadership, it’s also about supporting our local economies, jobs, and the health of our communities.

#ReadyFor100 is a movement of people working to inspire our leaders to embrace a vision of healthier communities powered by 100% clean energy. We are asking mayors, CEOs, pastors, principals, civic and community leaders, parents and students to commit to solutions that help us achieve 100% clean, renewable energy across the United States by the year 2050.

Already, #ReadyFor100 campaigns are springing up in cities and states all around the country -- from Cleveland to Colorado, Oakland to Idaho, Arlington and Alexandria, Hanover and Florida -- and all led by local folks who want good jobs, clean air and a better quality of life in their communities.

Are you ready for 100% clean energy for ALL? Tell your mayor and local leaders that you're ready for 100% clean and renewable energy now!

May Newsletter - Updated

May 5-6 Water Conference  The League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Region (LWV UMRR) will host a conference in La Crosse at the Lunda Center on the Western Technical College
campus (319 7th St. N.) on May 5 and 6 on water quality: "Navigation Tools for Uncertain Waters"
(www.lwvumrr.org)

May 19 Active Transportation  UW-La Crosse, in partnership with Urban Connections, will
host the second annual Conference on Active Transportation, “Accelerating Effective Approaches for Engaging People in Active Transportation,” on Friday, May 19 at the UWL New Student Union.

Dr. James Longhurst, author of the book, “Bike Battles: A History of Sharing the American Road,” will open the day with a talk about Why History Matters for Active Transportation. Several breakout sessions will cover planning and advocating for better active transportation (bus, bike, walking) infrastructure, design, funding, and participation. Also included is a lunch at the Southside Neighborhood Center.

Active transportation is any self-propelled, human-powered mode of transportation, such as walking or bicycling, including public transportation which begins or ends with a walk or bike ride. While physical inactivity is the cause of many health problems in the US, many Americans believe
walking and biking in their communities is not safe due to inadequate infrastructure and car-centric policies and laws.

This conference will provide information, studies, ideas, and tools for active transportation advocates from rural areas and cities. For registration information, please visit www.uwlax.edu//conted/active-transport/

Sierra Club Outings
Root River Canoe and Kayak Outing, May 20-21  Enjoy a day or a weekend paddling the Root River in unglaciated Southeast Minnesota near Lanesboro. Dolomite cliffs overlook the valley which has many spring-fed tributaries and abundant wildlife. Learn about the region’s early history and its effect on the river valley. Camping is free if you want to camp and do the weekend. Leaders: Sue O’Brien and Carol Brewton of Winona. Contact: Sue O’Brien, 507-858-5290, sueob1[at]gmail.com
or Carol Brewton: 507-454-7187, cbrewton[at]smumn.edu.

Bois Brule River Canoe and Kayak Outing, May 27-29  This is Class I-II whitewater paddling. Car Camp in Brule River State Forest. Three day-trips on the Bois Brule. Saturday: County S to Hwy 2. Sunday: Pine Tree Landing to Hwy 13—(includes a series of Class II rapids that can be portaged).
Monday: Hwy 13 to Lake Superior (includes fairly constant Class I rapids). We’ll learn about the work done to protect this trout stream. Helmets required for rapids. Camping available at the DNR Campground south of Brule WI in Douglas County. Campsites can be reserved online through the DNR website. This is a busy weekend so please share your site with fellow paddlers. Contact: Pat & Bobbie Wilson of La Crosse: 608-788-8831, 608-397-2531, pbwilson[at]centurytel.net or Kevin & Carol Olson of Baraboo: 608-963-2678, olsonfam44[at]centurytel.net.

Bird Walks  Pat Wilson will lead five bird walks in May. Meet at the Lower Hixon Forest parking lot at the end of Milson Court at 6:30 a.m. on May 4, 11, and 18 or, on May 9 and May 16, meet at 6:30 a.m. at the La Crosse River Marsh trailhead in Myrick Park. These are easy walks. Bring your binoculars and stay as long as you like. For more information, see links above or contact Pat.

April 27 MEA Fundraiser  On Thursday, April 27, the Sierra Club joined several area environmental organizations and concerned individuals in hosting a screening of the new documentary, Sustainable to benefit Midwest Environmental Advocates, a nonprofit environmental law center.  Following the screening, filmmaker Matt Wechler joined Mark Kastel, founder, Cornucopia Institute; organic beef grazing farmer Jim Munsch; and moderator Jim Goodman
of Northwood Farm for a panel discussion.

If you weren’t able to attend the event, please consider supporting MEA as they work to help protect our clean air, water, and land for future generations at midwestadvocates.org.

May 30 Sierra Club Get-Together  Bill and Marta invite all to their house for a Sierra Club Get-Together, Tuesday, May 30 at 7:00 p.m. If you can, bring some veggies or chips or other appetizers (or liquid refreshments). We’ll have no agenda other than sharing company. 1008 Avon St. (two or so blocks from the historical train engine in Copeland Park, La Crosse). 785-2031--but no need to RSVP.