Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline

You may not know about this giant pipeline that the government approved a few months ago, but as its construction continues near and through Native American tribal and sacred lands, a large contingent of protectors is try to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. Treaty rights, human rights and environmental rights are all in play as well as a government agency not following the law and big oil companies pushing for expedited permitting. Hundreds of tribal governments have sent support and representatives to take a stand along with many others concerned about continuing fossil fuel production in the face of ever increasing global warming.

The main protector encampment is in North Dakota near the home of the Standing Rock Sioux, but there is also a group trying to stop construction of this "black snake" in Iowa.

Several environmental and human rights groups are also supporting the protectors including the Sierra Club and 350.org who have called for a National Day of Action on Tuesday, September 13 to stop yet another Bakken oil pipeline.

If you haven't heard of this issue, it's not a surprise. There has been almost a total broadcast media blackout. For continuing coverage including interviews with tribal members, attorneys, historians, environmentalists, elders, scientists, and activists, check Democracy Now! or Indian Country Today.

If an event is organized for La Crosse, we will post details here. In the meantime, you may wish to learn more about this issue, let others know, donate to help the protectors continue, and connect with the broader picture like our own "black snake" troubles that threatens water with the mile long oil trains that still slither through our communities daily and the recent decision by the state Department of Transportation to only fund transportation solutions in our area that include more roads for more private cars. (By the way, today marks the start of the Citizen Climate Pledge.)

CR Sierra - September edition

We are mailing paper editions of this newsletter to those for whom we have no email address and to those who have requested a paper copy. We will email a .pdf of the newsletter to others. You may also read it online (click the newsletter icon on the right).

We welcome your feedback and input!

Member meeting and program
"Get on board the solar train" with Michael Vickerman, RENEW Wisconsin
Tuesday, September 27 at 7 p.m.
Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House (8th and Main, La Crosse)

Our program will focus on solar energy's journey from a boutique energy source to the preeminent source for new electric generation in most states. Despite a less than robust policy framework in Wisconsin, solar generation has exploded here on rooftops, brownfields and farmland. We entered the year with about 25 megawatts of solar generation online, and we'll likely finish the year doubling that capacity. Southwest Wisconsin has turned into a strong regional center for solar with large arrays serving Xcel (not yet built), Vernon Electric Co-op, Scenic Rivers Co-op, and Oakdale Electric. Vickerman will discuss customer-sited solar for businesses and residences, shared solar (Xcel Solar Connect), and utility solar (Dairyland's projects).

The board will meet at 6 p.m. - open to all members

======
Enviro-Education Grants

The Coulee Region Sierra Club is offering grants of $50 to $200 for environmental  education projects involving young people at the elementary and middle school level.

In keeping with the Sierra Club’s purpose of exploring, protecting, and enjoying our environment, teachers and leaders in all areas of study, as well as youth group advisors, are invited to involve tomorrow’s decision makers in making their world a better place in some small way.

Projects (to be completed during the 2016-2017 school year) should provide hands-on experience for students to learn about and explore our environment, promote a world in which all life forms can live and prosper, and show students that they can make a difference in their environment.
The application will be available after September 15 at our website (http://sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee)  and blog site (cr-sierra.blogspot.com). The deadline will be December 31.

Please spread the word about this opportunity!

Get Your 2017 Calendars!

Sierra Club 2017calendars, our group's primary fundraiser, are now available. These beautiful calendars (wall = $13.95/desk = $14.95) feature photos worth framing. Get your calendar at our September meeting, or, order from Maureen Kinney: 784-9324/784-5678 or maureen[at]johnsflaherty.com 

Autumn Assembly
October 7-9, 2016
Bethel Horizons Camp & Retreat Center, Dodgeville

The Wisconsin Sierra Club Autumn Assembly is a fun, one-of-a-kind event featuring indoor and outdoor environmental activities for Sierra Club leaders and volunteers or those who wish to get more involved. Hosted by the John Muir Chapter, Autumn Assembly 2016 will focus on campaign planning, communications and other activism skills with an eye toward building a stronger, more effective club. In addition to the hands-on workshops, we’ll celebrate some inspirational activists at the annual Awards dinner. Register for the whole weekend or just the Saturday sessions. More details/registration information at sierraclub.org/wisconsin/optional-outings-autumn-assembly.

======
Highway Clean Up

Seven Coulee Region Group members cleaned up River Valley Drive on Tuesday, July 5. Thanks to those who participated! Our next clean up will be on Tuesday, Oct. 4 from 5:30 to about 7:00 p.m. Meet at the city water well building at the intersection of Highway B (Gillette Street) and River Valley Drive. Wear old clothes and bring work gloves. Safety vests and bags provided. For more information, please contact Pat or Bobbie Wilson, 608 788 8831 or pbwilson@centurytel.net.

======
Canoe/Kayak Outing
On Saturday, Sept. 10, paddle through the sandstone cliffs of the Kickapoo Valley in the heart of the driftless area. We’ll also discuss the history of the Corps of Engineers Dam Project that was halted on this river with help from Sierra Club and other local efforts. Quiet water, with lots of turns and the ever-present possibility a downed tree. Contact Meg Nelson - prairiesmoke2[at]gmail.com or Carol Olson - olsonfam44[at]centurytel.net

======
Transportation Forum
Please join us at a La Crosse Area Transportation Forum on Wednesday, October 5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Southside Neighborhood Center, 1300 South 6th Street. Information about transportation options in our area will be available. In addition, we’ll discuss issues of transportation equity: how our transportation dollars - federal, state and local - are spent and how spending decisions affect different communities in our area. This is part of a statewide Sierra Club effort to address transportation planning and funding issues and empower people to advocate for more equitable and sustainable solutions.

======
State Council Representative Wanted
We are seeking a Coulee Region Sierra Club member to represent our group at the John Muir Chapter state council. The council meets every other month, sometimes online, to discuss national and state plans and programs. If interested, email pbwilson[at]centurytel.net.

======
2017 Sierra Club Calendars Available
Get your calendars at our next meeting!

Great News! Car Sharing comes to La Crosse!

Enterprise has expanded their UWL car share program to the wider La Crosse community starting RIGHT NOW!!

The link to join (special $1 join rate and annual fee waived for the first year!) is here:
https://www.enterprisecarshare.com/us/en/programs/university/uwlax/community.html

Scroll down to view the Enterprise videos that explain how the program works. Basically, you are able to rent a vehicle for short periods of time by reserving them online. You get 200 free miles per day, and the fees you pay include registration, insurance, etc. AND GAS. So basically you can own a car without owning a car and pay for it just when you use it.

(It's also possible that if you join this Enterprise plan you will be eligible to rent Enterprise car shares around the country - but this is not confirmed!)

This is a great excuse not to buy a car! And studies show that car share members usually drive less than their car-owning former selves or fellow community members. In addition, the vehicles are better utilized and a car share program reduces the need for parking infrastructure. More about the benefits to the climate of a car share program here: How car sharing accelerates sustainability
[UPDATE: Here's a new article that confirms car sharing is good for the environment.]
 
(And, this is a good video about our transportation options and which are better for the environment!)

We hope to set up a press conference about this new opportunity with Enterprise some time in September. If you join or plan to join this car share program, we hope you will consider participating when we get the event set up! Email couleeprogressive@hotmail.com if you'd like to be kept informed about this opportunity.

= cross posted at CRCAlliance.blogspot.com =

Nominate for gift Sierra Club membership

The state chapter has a limited number of gift memberships. Do you know of anyone in the Coulee Region we can nominate? If yes, please email pbwilson[at]centurytel.net ASAP!

Please notice, take action, tell others

The Standing Rock Standoff is the biggest climate change/environmental story you haven't heard about. The Sierra Club is encouraging members to sign a petition to block this dangerous fossil fuel highway now under construction in a critical environmental area of North Dakota.

Learn more about the issue from Indian Country and this recent Democracy Now! report. This is as dangerous and ugly as Keystone XL and it needs to be stopped.

Bicyclists needed for fest!

Please consider volunteering for the La Crosse Area Labor Day Bike Festival this year. Detailed information is provided below.

Help the La Crosse Area Labor Day Bike Festival September 2-5 by volunteering as a Ride Ambassador, a Shepherd, or greet and orient riders at the registration tent at Cameron Park. All volunteers receive a complimentary "Premium" registration, with discounts, drink and food specials, and thank-you gifts (including a volunteer t-shirt!)

Ride Ambassador:

Want a chance to show off your local road cycling knowledge as you introduce visitors to Driftless riding?  Volunteer for the Labor Day Bike Fest as a Ride Ambassador and you'll receive a complimentary "Premium" registration, with discounts, drink and food specials, and thank-you gifts (including a volunteer t-shirt!)

Volunteer to head out with one of the "featured road rides" on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday.  See the schedule at http://www.explorelacrosse.com/bikefest/.  Just choose a day you'd like to ride, choose a time you intend on leaving Cameron Park (probably between 7 and 9 AM), and estimate the average speed you'd like your group to roll (slow < 12mph, medium 12-16, fast > 16).  Then email those details to berg@explorelacrosse.com , or see the forms at the bottom of http://www.explorelacrosse.com/bikefest/

Some notes: Don't think of yourself as leading a tour; you are simply a local rider heading out with a group on that self-guided route.  Helping visitors get out of town is your greatest contribution.  The day's route will be available to all riders on printed maps and turn-by-turn directions through Ride with GPS at http://bicyclelacrosse.com, and Ride Ambassadors should probably ride their chosen route at least once before the Festival starts.  Festival participants can leave at any time they wish on these self-supported rides, but you will choose a time (probably between 7 and 9AM) to depart Cameron Park. We'll list your intended start time, distance, and speed in the festival schedule.  Show up around 15 minutes ahead of departure; sign in at the registration tent; announce to the crowd your intended start time and speed, and you're off!

Route maps are always available at http://bicyclelacrosse.com; we'll provide an emergency phone number at the registration tent for breakdown support, as well as water and fruit.  

Registration Tent:

Don't want to ride?  There's still plenty of ways to volunteer back in town; the Cameron Park registration tent is staffed throughout the day as groups depart on short, in-town social rides or on the longer road rides.  Volunteer to help set up on Thursday Sept 1, to tear-down 10 AM Monday Sept 5, or for any three-hour shift from 7AM to 7PM on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. 

Email berg@explorelacrosse.com to get on the list, or see the forms at the bottom of http://www.explorelacrosse.com/bikefest/

Shepherd:

Are you an experienced local rider who is comfortable in traffic? Want to help with the safety of the short, family-friendly guided interest rides (history tours, ice cream rides and social events)?  Then volunteer as a "Shepherd" and ride at the front or back of the groups (generally up to 20 or 30 riders).  Just choose one ride (or more) you'd like to do, and email berg@explorelacrosse.com with your name and chosen ride. On the day of the ride, show up at Cameron Park about fifteen minutes early, and meet the leader of the ride. Ride with the group or at the rear, keeping an eye out for stragglers and safety, follow all traffic rules and make sure all riders get back to Cameron Park.  Shepherds are encouraged to wear their helmet, and to have fun!

August Newsletter Published

Our August newsletter is now published online and available for viewing. You can see it at tinyurl.com/crsc816. Feedback is welcomed!

Get Involved!

Several state and national Sierra Club initiatives need our attention and help. Learn  more about these issues, talk about them with others, and take action! And not that there are several important primary races on the August 9 ballot!

We must stop the TPP to keep fossil fuels in the ground.  The climate movement has achieved critical wins recently. Protecting the Atlantic coast from offshore drilling, stopping fracking in New York, and defeating the Keystone XL pipeline to name a few. Yet, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), if approved by Congress, could undermine these and other climate victories. And the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) isn’t looking much better. We can’t let corporate trade deals hamper climate progress; we must defeat the TPP. Learn more about this issue (tinyurl.com/scnotpp) and contact your congressional representative to stop this dangerous agreement (Coulee Region group members should be aware that our group’s current Congressional representatives - Ron Kind and Sean Duffy - have both voted in favor of TPP fast track legislation and Kind has been one of the key advocates of TPP in Congress).

We Need The EPA To Step In And Protect Wisconsin's Clean Water!   The Wisconsin Legislature has tried to limit the DNR’s ability to appropriately manage our groundwater to ensure there is enough for everyone and that one person’s actions don’t harm their neighbors.  In particular, there has been a lot of push back on a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that said the DNR has to consider the cumulative impacts of high-capacity wells, or the impacts on a water source that has multiple wells taking water from it. And this week we learned that Governor Walker worked with ag industry lobbyists to make sure the DNR would scale back new regulations on manure handling by large farms. (tinyurl.com/walkermanure)  In addition, water wells in Perrot State Park now warn of high nitrate levels because of contamination from a nearby farm. (tinyurl.com/perrotnitrate)  The Sierra Club is supporting a suit by Midwest Environmental Advocates (www.midwestadvocates.org) requesting the  US Environmental Protection Agency step in to ensure Wisconsin’s water is protected from development and pollution. Sign to support at tinyurl.com/wiscepawater.

More actions and issues are noted at sierraclub.org and sierraclub.org/wisconsin  including moving from fossil fuels to renewables, protecting our National Parks, supporting and electing pro-environment leaders, and working globally with other organizations for a sustainable future.
===
Conservation Scorecard
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters recently issued it’s 2015-2016 Conservation Scorecard (conservationvoters.org/scorecard/scorecard-2015-2016/) for the Wisconsin Legislature. We can be proud that most area legislators scored well based on their votes on nine priority conservation bills that received a recorded vote by the full Assembly and/or Senate.

Three Assembly members and one Senate member representing portions of the Coulee Region Group area received 100% on the Scorecard – Chris Danou, AD 92; Steve Doyle, AD 94; Jill Billings, AD 95; and Kathleen Vinehout, SD 31. Jennifer Shilling, SD 32, received an 89% score. Julie Lassa, SD 24, received a 78% score. Please thank these legislators for supporting a clean, healthy environment in Wisconsin.

Unfortunately, five legislators representing portions of the Coulee Region Group area received a low score of 11% on the scorecard – Travis Tranel, AD 49; Ed Brooks, AD 50; Nancy VanderMeer, AD 70; Lee Nerison, AD 96; and Howard Marklein, SD 17. We need to continue to encourage these legislators to see the long term benefits of a clean, healthy environment.
===
Sierra Club Autumn Assembly
The John Muir Chapter invites you to attend the 2016 Autumn Assembly, October 7-9. This weekend of trainings and sessions on environmental activism will be held at the Bethel Horizons Camp and Retreat Center near Dodgeville, WI. Nestled in the wooded hills of the driftless area and located next to Governor Dodge state park Bethel offers an idyllic setting to remind us of what we work to protect. In addition to workshops, there will be optional outings, the Chapter awards banquet, and networking opportunities during meals and the Saturday evening reception. Visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/2016-autumn-assembly for more details.
===
Nature With Friends
The Perseid meteor showers are one of the most delightful and dependable natural WOWS of summer and a great chance for families and friends to set aside the digital, virtual, commercial world for a few hours. This year’s natural light show will peak on August 12. According to a July 29 article in the online edition of Sierra magazine,  “Some astronomers are predicting that 2016 will be an especially good year, with a possible outburst in the hours prior to the usual peak of activity.” Read more about the meteors and how to watch at tinyurl.com/sierraperseids


===
Share Your Transit Story!
The state Sierra Club is preparing a report on transportation equity in our state. Lack of adequate funding for transit leaves many non-drivers out of jobs, shopping, and everyday life. Car pollution is a top driver of climate change. Current policies favor road building over public transit. We need to change current unsustainable, unequal transportation policies. Please share your own transit story here: tinyurl.com/WITransitStories

If you would be interested in helping set up a public forum on transportation equity issues in late September as part of this Sierra Club initiative please email Cathy at cathyvanmaren[at]yahoo.com.  
===
Better By Bike Workshop Set
This year’s La Crosse Bike Fest (September 2-5) will include a “Better By Bike” workshop for those interested in doing more everyday trips using their bikes. Panelists will share bike commuting gear and tips and answer question in a discussion circle session on Friday, September 3 at 6 p.m. at Cameron Park. To participate as a rider or volunteer, visit www.explorelacrosse.com/bikefest/ and scroll to the bottom of the page.

If you use your bike for everyday trips - to work or school, shopping, appointments, visits, etc. - and you’d be willing to share your experiences and encourage others to “go by bike,” please email Cathy at cathyvanmaren[at]yahoo.com.
===
La Crosse Enterprise Car Share is a GO!
Enterprise Car Rental which runs the UWL car share program will welcome ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS 21 and older into the program this fall! We hope to have updated information later this month. Car share participants (even those who have or had private vehicles) drive fewer miles than private vehicle users. Car share services reduce costs or car ownership, increase transit ridership,  lower car-specific infrastructure demand (parking spaces/ramps), and reduce congestion and pollution. Read more about car share benefits at tinyurl.com/carshben