May Newsletter

OUR NEXT MEETING - WHY GRAZING?  On Tuesday, May 28, the Coulee Region Sierra Club welcomes Mary C. Anderson who will talk about the DNR Grazing Program, grazing management objectives, and how agency personnel and farmers can work cooperatively to restore and improve DNR owned and managed grasslands. Mary C. is the first Conservation Agriculture Specialist hired by the Wisconsin DNR to help manage its growing grazing program. The DNR manages more than 80,000 acres of grassland and is adding grazing to its management toolkit.

Mary C. was raised on a small family dairy farm near Pigeon Falls. She earned a degree from UW Eau Claire in Land Use Geography. As a certified grazing planner, she has worked on western Wisconsin planning, assistance and educational services for more than 20 years. Her passion for environmental, animal, and human health, drives Mary C.'s commitment to promoting conservation planning and education. At home, Mary C. and her husband Bruce operate an organic beef cow calf operation (grass fed and grass finished) and sell their products directly to consumers. (We will try to record the talk and post at our website.) Tuesday, May 28 at 7 p.m. at the Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House, 8th and Main.

GREEN NEW DEAL TOWN HALL May 7 The Sunrise Movement is on a roll! They are touring the country to spread the news about the climate crisis we face and the opportunity the Green New Deal provides to change the course of history. The Sierra Club supports
the GND and the more than 300 town halls being held around the country including the La Crosse GND Town Hall on Tuesday, May 7 at 6 pm at Hackberry’s Bistro, above the co-op, at 315 Fifth Avenue South (food is available in the co-op). We’ll hear from experts and GND
supporters, discuss local actions, and find ways to make GND one of the top issues of the 2020 election. Readmore at tinyurl.com/57laxgndevent.

WISCONSIN LOVES PARKS, MAY 11  The Sierra Club has launched a campaign, Wisconsin LOVES Parks, to restore and enhance state park general revenue funding to the level of five million dollars per year, allowing the parks to increase staffing and make up for years of neglect.  Restoring $5 million costs less than a dollar per resident and is well worth it.

Join Coulee Region Sierra Club members and the Bold Betties womens outdoor recreation group for statewide Wisconsin LOVES Parks day at Wyalusing State Park on Saturday, May 11. Meet at 10 a.m. at the main pavillion at the top of the bluff. To get there: show or purchase a state parks pass at the gate, head straight up the main road and look for the pavilion and bathrooms on your right. (If you get to the campground, you’ve gone a little too far!)

The hike starts at 10:10; please arrive on time! Bring  comfortable shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, Wisconsin Bike Fed and Wisconsin DOT will host a FREE training on Teaching  Safe Bicycling on Thursday, May 2 from 9 am to 3 pm at the La Crosse County Administrative Building, 6th & State Street. Bring a bike and helment and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Lunch is on your own. Register at tinyurl.com/laxtchbiking52

SIERRA CLUB WATER OUTINGS  Here are a few of the many opportunities for canoe/kayak adventures in and near our area in May.  (The Grant River outing was delayed from April to May due to bad weather.)  Read more and learn how to sign up at tinyurl.com/jmc-rvrtrips

• May 11: Baraboo River, Class I, Day Trip
• May 11-12: Grant River, Class I, Car Camp
• May 19-20: Root River (Minnesota), Class I, Car Camp
• May 25-27: Bois Brule River (near Superior but led by
   our own Pat & Bobbie Wilson), varying sections

CLEAN WATER FORUM MAY 16 The Sustainable La Crosse Commission will host a public information session focused on water quality issues in La Crosse County on Thursday, May 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the basement auditorium of the County Administrative Building, 6th & State. The event is free and open to all.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED  We’re still looking for Sierra Club members to take a shift at our  table at this year’s Driftless Outdoors Festival at the Onalaska Omni Center on May 17 and 18. Shifts are short, you get in free, it’s a fun event. Please sign up to help at tinyurl.com/crsc-driftlesstable.

We are also seeking a few volunteers to table for CRSC at this year’s OPEN STREETS event - Sunday, June 9. The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. and our booth will be on Main Street between 7th and 8th. It’s easy and fun! Please sign up for a shift at tinyurl.com/crsc-openstreets19

REGENERATIVE AG WORKSHOP  About 70 people gathered on Saturday, March 30 at UW-Platteville to learn about Regenerative Agriculture.  Sponsors included Grant County Rural Stewardship, UW-Platteville School of Agriculture, UW-Platteville Sustainability, Crawford Stewardship Project and Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network The event targeted farmers and students, but it was open to the public.

Regenerative Ag practices such as no-till planting, perennial cover crops and rotational grazing help to decrease runoff of nutrients and soil to surface and groundwater, improving water quality while at the same time offering benefits to the farmer.

“Farmer to Farmer – Regenerative Agriculture:  healthy soils, clean water and increased profits” opened with keynote speaker, Dan Shelliam.  Dan and his wife, Kristie, farm near Hazel Green and using a series of slides, Dan described the changes he implemented for crop and beef production at Windy Hill Ranch.  Shelliam said he uses many conventional practices and standard equipment, but Windy Hill Ranch switched to more thorough plans, in-depth analysis of outcomes, increased use of no-till practices, and rotational grazing in 2012. The original goals included erosion control, soil nutrient cycling, and the forage supply. Soybean, corn, and winter wheat fields are planted with one or more cover crops (radish, oats, rye, peas, and others) to keep soil in place, boost soil fertility, and enhance grazing nutrition.

Following the keynote presentation, a five-person panel took questions and offered additional insight and experience for the audience.  The panel included another farmer using RA, a UW-Extension educator and three instructors representing UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.  An evaluation completed by attendees indicated everyone had learned something new and were interested in pursuing additional, related topics in future events.

Grant County Rural Stewardship received a grant from the Food, Faith & Farming Network to support the event.  For information on future events or items of interest to rural Grant County, people can visit www.facebook.com/grantcountyruralstewardship

MAY 2 BIKE EDUCATION WORKSHOP  Wisconsin Bike Fed and Wisconsin DOT will host a FREE training on Teaching  Safe Bicycling on Thursday, May 2 from 9 am to 3 pm at the La Crosse County Administrative Building, 6th & State Street. Bring a bike and helment and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Lunch is on your own. Register at tinyurl.com/laxtchbiking52

GROW La Crosse seeks SCHOOL GARDEN volunteers! Help children learn about gardening and nature! Visit GROWLaCrosse.org/volunteer 

THE ENERGY FAIR, JUNE 21-23  The 30th Annual Energy Fair will be held in Custer, Wisconsin (near Stevens Point) June 21-23. The mission is, “to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability through education and demonstration.”  Discounts for camping and tickets are available until May 17. See theenergyfair.org for more details.

HIGHWAY CLEANUP On Saturday, April 27, we had a successful spring cleanup of the Coulee Region Group’s adopted street - River Valley Drive in La Crosse. We picked up 16 bags full of trash along with an old door, a discarded ink jet printer, a couch cushion, a throw pillow, and various pieces of metal. Bud Light was by far the most popular beer of can tossers. It would be good to find the Bud Light fan doing the drinking and littering. We had some snow during the last half of the cleanup, but nothing accumulated.

This event was part of the general La Crosse River Marsh cleanup during Neighbors Day. Thanks to Sierra Club members John Papenfuss, Sue Knopf, Mike Martin, Pat Wilson, and Bobbie Wilson, as well as Mark Neumann who was part of the general marsh cleanup, and two Kwik Trip employees volunteering to help because the nearby Kwik Trip facility is probably a source of some of the litter.

The Coulee Region Sierra Club hosts a cleanup along River Valley Drive three times per year. Our next cleanup is scheduled for early July.

WATER QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES On May 4 there will be a public forum on What’s in Your Water?  from 3 to 5 pm at the Gotham Town Hall in Richland County. The program, sponsored by Richland Stewardship Project, will welcome Dr. Norlene Emerson, Emeritus Professor  of Geology at UW-Platteville Richland; Scott Laeser, Water Program Director for Clean Wisconsin; and Melissa Luck, Richland County Supervisor, Land Conservation Commission. The event is free and open to all. More at RichlandStewardshipProject.com.

On May 8 the Speaker’s Water Quality Task Force will hold a public hearing in Lancaster. The hearing will be held at the Youth and Ag Building Auditorium, 916 E Elm St. Beginning at 10:30 am, the following panels will present testimony:  Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater and Geology Study (SWIGG), Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance, Wisconsin Pork Producers Association, UW-Platteville Pioneer Farms, and Discovery Farms. Following scheduled testimony, the committee will take testimony from members of the public. More public hearings will be scheduled around he state by the task force which has been asked to make recommendations on assessing and improving the quality of surface water and groundwater. Read more at tinyurl.com/WIWaterTaskForce

Baseline Monitoring Training is available to Water Action volunteers on Saturday, May 11 at Esofea Park in Vernon County. “This training will equip you to become part of the Wisconsin Water Action Volunteers program.” Training and equipment are provided free of charge by Valley Stewardship Network. After training, monitoring duties take about one hour per month and contribute to a region-wide database. Get more info at valleystewardshipnetwork.org


 
 

UPDATE: Ready for 100 Resolution in La Crosse

The City of La Crosses Judiciary and

Administration Committee will take up a resolution "adopting sustainability goals transitioning to carbon neutrality and 100% renewable energy by 2050" at it's Tuesday, April 30 meeting. If you live in the city of La Crosse and would be able to attend the meeting - 6 pm in the Council Chambers, La Crosse City Hall - to register in support of the resolution (we do not need people to speak at this meeting, just to come and demonstrate support), please come on down. If you can't attend, stay tuned for updates!

Budget week of action

April has been the month of budget hearings! Last week we were in River Falls and the week before we were in Oak Creek.  Yesterday in Green Bay, we talked to the hundreds of people who came out to testify.  The budget is the most important piece of legislation that passes each session.  The budget contains important programs that allow create clean water and clean energy in Wisconsin and investments in public transit and public lands.

Now it's your turn.

Write to the Budget Committee today. The Budget Week of Action, which will occur next week, will be full of opportunities to support these important programs.  Each day will focus on different, important part of the budget and you can write and call your legislators, tweet or Facebook them, and encourage your friends to join as well.  Click on a photo below to RSVP to join in!

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

Renewable Momentum Growing

Did you know that it's not just cities, now entire states are setting renewable energy goals? This #readyfor100 Wednesday, we're sharing an article on Washington state's new 100% clean electricity bill - at least six other states have established or are considering 100% goals! Hawaii led the way, followed by California, the most populous state in the country! Can we get Wisconsin on board??

EV future

From school buses to public transportation to private vehicles, the transportation sector is responsible for nearly 30% of annual US greenhouse gas emissions. Electrifying transportation and then "decarbonizing" electricity is one of the quickest ways to make a very big impact.

With moves by some European countries to phase out fossil fueled vehicles and by China and India to develop and subsidize home grown EVs, the road to electric transportation is looking bright.  (Now, if someone would only develop an electric chassis retrofit so we could keep our beloved gas vehicles and easily transform them to EVs . . .)

For many, the dilemma now is when, not whether, to take the plunge. Used EVs can be had for less than $10,000 but their ranges are limited compared with newer models. If you mostly use your car for commuting relatively short distances to work and back, you can go fossil free right now and rent a vehicle for occasional longer trips. Or you can get a dual fuel plug in hybrid that will allow for commute-range electric only trips but alleviate "range anxiety" and allow for longer trips with its gasoline engine.

If you are shopping for a used vehicle, you need to check electric range by model year and trim level.  Battery size improvements from one to the next can make a big difference in range and sometimes charging time. Sites like Carvana.com, autotempest.com, and vroom.com can give you an idea of what's available around the country, not just in one region.

The Sierra Club's new EV Buying Guide lets shoppers take a quiz about their vehicle needs and then suggests which might be best new EVs or hybrids plus which subsidies and rebates are available.

With news that Governor Evers, a Democrat, is competing with the Republic state legislature for best renewable energy supports in the budget now being debated, including grants for EV charging stations along interstate corridors, the possibility that our state could topple a whole carbon footprint sector into the clean energy column is very heartening.

For now, though, while you shop for your family's next clean energy private vehicle, know that moving out of a fossil fueled single occupant vehicle to a car pool/ride share, bicycle, pedestrian plan, and/or public transportation vehicle is one of the quickest ways to reduce your personal transportation carbon footprint.

Recycle those old blue jeans!

If you can't wear them, make them into a purse, bag, or planter, or otherwise repurpose your blue jeans, you can recycle them into insulation!

Blue Jeans Go Green - www.bluejeansgogreen.org - recycles ratty old jeans into insulation. Various retailers are periodic collection points. American Eagle (Valley View Mall) is accepting jeans for recycling through the end of April. They will give a coupon for $10 off a new pair of their jeans - expires April 30, 2019.  Can be used online. (Thanks, Kitty!)

Ron Kind Green New Deal session

The Sustainable La Crosse Commission hosts a public program on Clean Energy Plans in La Crosse - past, present, future on Thursday at 5:30 pm in the basement auditorium of the La Crosse County Administrative Building, 6th and State. 

The Green New Deal discussion with Rep. Ron Kind is back on. He will meet with constituents on Thursday, April 25 at 4:30 pm [UPDATE LOCATION] in Room 3214 Centennial Hall, UWL.

We hope you will make every effort to attend and push for the immediate meaningful change that is required at the city and national levels.

As the environmental crisis accelerates, and as protest movements like YouthStrike4Climate and Extinction Rebellion make it harder not to see what we face, people discover more inventive means of shutting their eyes and shedding responsibility. Underlying these excuses is a deep-rooted belief that if we really are in trouble, someone somewhere will come to our rescue: “they” won’t let it happen. But there is no they, just us. - George Monbiot, Only rebellion will prevent an ecological apocalypse, The Guardian, April 15, 2019

Our Climate Resolutions - Part 2

We had a lively and diverse group for our second Climate Conversation on Saturday, April 13. At this event we imagined what our future selves did right now to get to a clean energy future where fossil fuels were gone and the catastrophic effects of global warming averted.

Check out the event page for our list of personal, neighborhood (and work and school) , and community actions we all can do right now to start reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate Conversation: Imagining our Carbon Free Future

SATURDAY, April 13 , join a Sierra Club Climate Conversation, 10:30 am to noon, at the South Community Library: Imagining our Carbon Free Future. 

What will a community powered by 100% clean renewable energy look like? How will our transportation and food systems change? What will our neighborhoods look like? How should we be preparing now to make the transition smoother? Bring your ideas and actions, things you are doing or plan to do, and great ideas you've experienced or read about. We'll build on the January Climate Conversation event and compile and prioritize an "action list" for the coming year.

April newsletter

Conservation Congress April 8

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

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

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

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

April 13 Imaging Carbon Free

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

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

April 28 La Crosse Earth Fair

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

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

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

March meeting notes

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

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

April Budget Hearings

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

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

PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP!

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

May 11 - Wisconsin LOVES Parks

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

Political money in SW Wisconsin

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

GCRS asks for Moratorium

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

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

DNR Hearing on Babcock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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