Coming up this week

[From Coulee Region group chair, Pat Wilson]

There are three important events this weekend in La Crosse that are all well worth attending.

La Crosse River Marsh Cleanup:

The La Crosse River Marsh cleanup day as part of Earth Fair is Saturday, April 29, starting at 9 a.m. The Coulee Region Sierra Club participates in this cleanup effort by doing the spring cleaning of our adopted highway, River Valley Drive in the marsh. I moved the starting time to 9 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. so people who also want to attend the Climate March at 11 a.m. can do that. Feel free to still show up at 10 a.m if desired. Meet at 9 a.m. at the city water well building near the intersection of County Highway B and River Valley Drive on the north side of La Crosse. Wear old clothes and bring work gloves. Orange vests and garbage bags are provided. We’ll work for an hour to 90 minutes. After the cleanup, we’ll head for Myrick Park for the free lunch for cleanup volunteers - or to the Climate March for those who desire. For more information contact Pat or Bobbie Wilson, 608 788 8831 or pbwilson@centurytel.net. 

La Crosse Climate March:

PLEASE JOIN US with your family and friends on Saturday, April 29th at 11:00 am at Cameron Park at 418 King Street (between 4th St. S & 5th Ave. S) in Downtown La Crosse. We will hear from people representing many diverse communities and then march together to beautiful Riverside Park and back with chants. At the park, we can join hands in a circle to sing part of a few songs* and publicly or privately share some words of thanks for our planet and then circle back for final pix and a lunch spree at approx. 12:30 pm to support local restaurants. All ages welcome! To comply with city requirements, "we will only walk on sidewalks and footways, in which persons move not more than two abreast and which does not substantially hinder normal use of the sidewalk or footway and conforms with traffic control devices and other traffic regulations."  For more information, please go to

La Crosse Climate March

La Crosse Earth Fair:

Please join us Sunday, April 30th, Myrick Park and Myrick Park Center, 789 Myrick Park Drive, La Crosse, 11 am to 5 pm.  This annual event is a great way to celebrate the earth.  For more information, please go to the Earth Fair web site at  

La Crosse Earth Fair

Also, don't forget the April 27 film and fundraiser for Midwest Environmental Advocates!

May 6 Water Quality Conference in La Crosse

The League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Region (LWV UMRR) will host a conference in La Crosse on May 5 and 6.

"Navigation Tools for Uncertain Waters" is the theme of LWV UMRR's Annual Meeting http://www.lwvumrr.org/

There are many threats to water quality in our region. Our water and our river are in peril.  The public is invited to join the LWV La Crosse with other Leagues from Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois working together to meet the challenge through an inter-league partnership, the LWV Upper Mississippi River Region.

The LWV UMRR Annual Meeting and Conference will explore

1) partnerships by local leadership and action in the Upper Mississippi River basin agricultural watersheds so that farms and fish thrive together,

2) ways to make environmental progress at the state and local levels as the U.S. EPA Is stepping back,

3) opportunities to give voice to citizens when government won't or can't address serious environmental issues, and

4) safeguards for our ground water and public health.

The event will be held at the Lunda Center on the Western Technical College campus (319 7th St. N.)

See agenda for list of topics and speakers – the afternoon session will focus on threats to strong environmental protection in our current administrations (state and federal), and will be moderated by WXOW Stormtracker 19 Chief Meteorologist, Dan Breeden.

+ Heidi Keuler, Fish Habitat Biologist for US Fish and Wildlife Service, Fishers and Farmers Partnership Coordinator, Upper Mississippi River Basin.

+ Howard Learner, Director: Environmental Law and Policy Center

+ Kim Wright, Executive Director of Midwest Environmental Advocates:

+ Mark Borchardt, Laboratory for Infectious Disease and the Environment, Microbiologist for United States Department of Agriculture

The public is also invited to join planned social events:

+ La Crosse Queen Cruise: May 6th, 5:30 - 8:00pm (optional - $50)

+ Tour of Julia Belle Swain: May 7th, 10am  (Free to conference participants)

Conference registration costs $45.

UWL building earns gold

On February 28, Dr. Larry Ringgenberg provided a tour of UWL's new student union for Sierra Club members and friends. The tour focussed specifically on the many sustainable features and processes incorporated in the design. At the time, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status of the new building had yet to be determined.

According to a recent La Crosse Tribune story, the building has earned LEED gold!

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/uw-l-s-new-student-union-gets-the-gold/article_d721834d-ec94-599a-a831-e414667d4fdf.html

April Newsletter

Since we are publishing April’s online only newsletter a little early, we have included a couple of late March events of interest to Sierra Club members.

TUESDAY, MARCH 28 at 7 p.m.  Member Meeting & Board Elections for Coulee Region Sierra Club. Program: A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE STARTS TODAY! with UWL Students for Sustainability. Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House (8th & Main, La Crosse)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 CONSERVATION LOBBY DAY On Conservation Lobby Day (Wednesday, March 29), conservation voters gather from every corner of the state to share our natural resources values and expectations with our state legislators  Wisconsin is facing unprecedented threats to its drinking water and public lands. When we stand together, natural resources win!

There may still be room on the buses. Register here (tinyurl.com/17wicld)  Whether or not there’s space on a bus, you can meet at Monona Terrace, Exhibition Hall A, 1 John Nolen Drive in Madison at 10 a.m. to participate in this important activity.

SEEKING COULEE REGION GROUP MEMBER TO JOIN STATE’S GENERAL SIERRA CLUB COUNCIL. Right now we don’t have a rep on this important committee. Contact Pat (pbwilson[at]centurytel.net).

CONSERVATION CONGRESS APRIL 10 Every spring, the DNR  hosts a Conservation Congress 'Spring Hearing' where people provide feedback to  CC delegates about important statewide issues. Attendees may also introduce resolutions  with some resolutions ending up on the following year’s Conservation Congress survey. Every county will host a hearing. Find yours here:  tinyurl.com/17wiconscong

This year, there are a number of very important issues on the questionnaire including questions about our water policy, the DNR permitting process, state parking funding, frac-sand mining, repeal of the Bad River Destruction Act, and more.

You can show up and fill out the questionnaire and leave. If you stay, you can stand and speak to any of the questions. You will also vote for a CC delegate. You must bring your ID to show you are a resident of that county if you want to vote for delegates for your county.

Please RSVP with the Sierra Club (tinyurl.com/wisccc410) if you plan to attend!

BIKE FED LOBBY DAY APRIL 13 You’re invited to join bicyclists from around the state for
Lobby Day on April 13th in downtown Madison. The day will begin at the Madison Concourse Hotel with a presentation on the 2017 Legislative Priorities and a networking lunch. Spend the afternoon visiting with your legislators and finish with a reception (from 4 to 6 pm) for a debrief and camaraderie.

This year the Wisconsin Bike Fed urges lawmakers to provide more funding for local roads - especially fixing potholes and paving shoulders - and to support the Vulnerable Users bill which would stiffen the penalties for moving violations that kill or injure cyclists, pedestrians
or other vulnerable road users. Given that motorized vehicle emissions account for about
one-third of US greenhouse gas emissions, making bicycling safer, more convenient, and more appealing is imperative. Register here (you don’t need to be a Bike Fed member): wisconsinbikefed.org/events/lobby-day/

MARCH 22 - WORLD WATER DAY The Coulee Region Group held a very successful World Water Day media event in La Crosse Wednesday March 22, highlighting worsening water quality and water availability problems in Wisconsin. This was one of four World Water Day events that the John Muir Chapter sponsored around the state calling on citizens to take action for clean water and on our state leaders to act to protect water. About 40 people attended the event at Myrick Park Center, which was covered by two television stations, a radio station, and the La Crosse Tribune.

I want to thank Alysa Remsburg and Susan Corbisier for taking on the large task of organizing this event. I also want to thank the speakers at the event, Colin Belby, UWL Geography and Earth Science; Kris Rolfhus, UWL Chemistry and Biochemistry; Ana Skemp, Deep Roots Community Farm; Jill Billings, 95th Assembly District Representative; and Lucy Slinger, FSPA and Viterbo University. 

World Water Day was established by the United Nations in 1992 to call attention to water supply problems around the world. - Pat Wilson, board president, Coulee Region group 

WATER QUALITY WHITE PAPER On March 22, for World Water Day, the Sierra Club’s John Muir Chapter released a new report, Water Quality and Health Impacts in Wisconsin (tinyurl.com/lmu9sxy) showing that we don't have to look far to find polluted water and places where access to safe, clean drinking water is threatened. This report covers water quality issues due to contamination by phosphorus, bacteria, nitrate, radium, and pharmaceuticals. This is the first of four water white papers to be released in the next two months. Others will cover water availability and high capacity wells; lead pipes and lead in the water; and CAFOs and agricultural runoff.

HIGHWAY CLEAN UP The spring highway cleanup on the Coulee Region Group’s adopted highway – River Valley Drive in the La Crosse River marsh – will be on Saturday, April 29,
starting at 10 a.m. This will be part of the Earth Fair marsh clean up day and will include free lunch at Myrick Park afterwards. 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. 

Our summer clean up will be on Tuesday, July 18 at 6 p.m. followed by a trip to Rudy’s Drive In.

For more info, contact Pat or Bobbie at 608 788-8831 or pbwilson[at]centurytel.net.

Please support local World Water Day event!

Wednesday, March 22 from 3:30-4:00 p.m. at Myrick Park Center: 

The Wisconsin John Muir Chapter Sierra Club will release a white paper that outlines water quality issues in Wisconsin and suggested steps for improvement. A few local experts, concerned citizens, and our state assembly representative will speak briefly with press representatives about the significance of Wisconsin water quality. Please come to show support for media coverage of water issues.

Ride the bus to March 29 Conservation Lobby Day

 Ride the Bus to Conservation Lobby Day!   Register for your seat today! Join Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters at Conservation Lobby Day on Wednesday, March 29th!  

There will be a bus from Western Wisconsin at no cost to riders. There are fewer than 45 seats on the bus and space is filling up fast, so register for the bus to Conservation Lobby Day today! 

The bus will arrive at Monona Terrace in Madison at 9:45 a.m. There will be one stop along the way. Please note which location you will be joining us at when you register. 

Scheduled Bus Stops: 
1. Eau Claire - 6:30am - Walmart 3915 Gateway Dr, Eau Claire, WI 54701  
2. Tomah - 7:45am - Walmart 222 W McCoy Blvd, Tomah, WI 54660 

The bus will return after Lobby Day events have concluded. 

Contact Western Organizer, Kate Beaton, with any questions at or 715-252-2544 or kate[at]conservationvoters.org.

If you can't attend the Lobby Day, support the league's work to hold legislators accountable and protect Wisconsin's natural resources and donate today.

Help needed for World Water Day event

World Water Day is coming up next week. A local event is being planned to highlight the importance of clean water and the Sierra Club's water initiatives. If you are interested in getting in on the planning,  please contact Alysa by email or phone 207 465-6260. The planning group is seeking ideas and speakers.