Six Principles for Clean Air
by Lila Berge

The Sierra Club is a founding member of the national Clean Air Network (CAN). On December 2nd the John Muir Chapter Executive Committee signed on as our Wisconsin CAN website contact. www.cleanair.net

The following is a brief summary of the six principles and recommended action:

First Principle: Breathing clean air is a basic right and necessity for all life. We must clean up and prevent air pollution, which threatens the health of our families. Over 100 million Americans live in areas that do not meet the current health standards for ozone, smog, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead and particulate matter. In addition, cancer-causing air toxics exceed levels considered safe in many neighborhoods. Those most at risk of harm from air pollution are children, the elderly, and people with heart and lung diseases. We need to enforce all pollution limits, based on current science, and hold responsible those sources responsible for exceeding health-based air quality standards.

Second Principle: We have a responsibility to future generations to protect our natural environment from the harmful effects of air pollution and leave a legacy of clean air. In 1998 forty states issued fish consumption advisories because mercury levels in fish made them dangerous to eat. Mercury emissions come from incinerators, power plants and manufacturing. Carbon pollution is altering our climate. The hole in the stratospheric ozone layer allows in ultra-violet light which causes cancer, other human health problems and impacts ecosystems. We need to phase out chemicals that deplete the ozone layer, eliminate all mercury emissions, and continue reducing nitrogen and sulfur gases that cause smog and acid rain.

Third Principle: There is no inherent right to pollute. Decisions made by individuals, communities, businesses and government all contribute to the daily air pollution. No one owns the nation’s air or has the right to do as they please. We need to apply the Precautionary Principle, shifting the burden of proof to polluters to show that their emissions are safe, rather than making citizens prove that emissions pose a threat to their health. There should be no emission trading of toxic or bioaccumulative pollutants.

Fourth Principle: We have a right to know whether the air we breathe is clean and free of toxic pollution. Over 70,000 chemicals are currently being used by industry, but industry is only required to report their releases of about 600 of these chemicals to the Toxic Release Inventory. Some reportable thresholds are set too high. Some industries are exempt from report requirements. The cumulative impacts of multiple pollution sources and the persistence of some pollutants in the area’s environment are not part of the regulations. Better monitoring, public reporting and education are needed. 

Fifth Principle: We must seek interstate and international cooperation to ensure that we continue to make progress in cleaning up our air. Air pollution passes freely over governmental boundaries, so all must work together on air pollution. Local, state and federal governments must take responsibility. Individuals should take responsibility for their car, truck and fuel sources, and insist their legislators support regional and international agreements to control air pollution.

Sixth Principle: We must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and toxic chemicals to ensure the long-term health of our communities, our ecosystems, and the global climate which sustains all life. Coal, oil and petroleum products are the mainstays of our economy, but also the root of our most serious pollution problems. Thousands of new chemicals are introduced with minimal testing on the effect on our ecosystem. We need to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, alternative transportation, and alternatives to toxic industrial chemicals. All forms of energy have a cost to the environment… individuals need to develop a lifestyle based on conservation. Urban revitalization and recycling are important ways to reduce sprawl and wasteful consumption of natural resources.
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Calendar : February & March

February 8: SEGG Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine.

February 8: David Kuckuk will speak at the Golden Rondelle Theater at 7:00 p.m. about his hike along the entire length of the Ice Age Trail. This program, similar to that which he gave for our Group’s general meeting in January 2000, is sponsored by the SEGG, the Hoy Audubon Society, and the Conservation League.

February 9: Deadline for registration for the Conservation Campaign Training Retreat (see March 17-19 item below).

February 15: SEGG General Meeting with a video presentation on the Family Farming Bill and the effects of confined animal feeding operations (CAFO) followed by a discussion led by a workshop participant. The meeting is scheduled for the Kenosha Northside Library, starting at 7:00 p.m.

March 1: Deadline for the next issue of the Southeast Sierran.

March 8: SEGG Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine.

March 15: SEGG General Meeting with State Senator Brian Burke of Milwaukee and David Cieslewiez speaking on the "Smart Growth" legislation which they crafted and which was enacted as part of the 1999-2001 state Budget bill. The meeting will be at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine, starting at 7:00 p.m. See the article below for further details and cosponsors.

March 16-18: A Conservation Campaign Training Retreat sponsored by the John Muir Chapter and conducted by the Sierra Club’s Training Academy. This is not limited to officers of the Chapter or Groups but is intended to "identify, train and support activists’ efforts to carry out the Club’s local and national conservation campaigns". Starts with dinner on Friday and concludes no later than 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. See the article in the January-February 2001 issue of The Muir View.

March 31, 9:00 a.m.: Scuppernong Hike with the Ice Age Trail Association. Go to: Hwy 67 north to Eagle to Cty, ZZ, 1/4 mile east on Cty ZZ to first parking lot on the left. A State Park sticker required. Contact: June Wheeler at (262) 889-4240. We especially hope to see some of our Walworth County members on this hike.

April 12: SEGG Executive Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive in Racine.

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Hiking the Ice Age Trail with David Kuckuk

Program to be presented Thursday, February 8th at 7:00 p.m. at the Johnson Golden Rondelle, 1525 Howe St. This family-style program is free but reservations are requested by calling (262) 260-2154. Dave is the Director of the Maywood Ecology center in Sheboygan. He will discuss and show slides of his recent six week, 1000 mile backpacking hike along the full length of Wisconsin’s glacial moraine. We can expect to hear interesting stories and see some great pictures of the nooks and crannies of our beautiful state during the fall season.

State’s "Smart Growth" Leaders to Address March Meeting State Senator Brian Burke of Milwaukee and David Cieslewiez, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin are the speakers for the March 15 General meeting of the Southeast Gateway Group (SEGG) at Messiah

Lutheran Church in Racine. Senator Burke, co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee, and Cieslewiez crafted the "Smart Growth" legislation which was enacted as part of the 1999-2001 state budget bill. It is considered to be the strongest growth management legislation ever passed in Wisconsin and will be the subject of their presentation. The meeting will be jointly sponsored by SEGG, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, Sustainable Racine and the UW Cooperative Extension—Racine/Kenosha. 1000 Friends of Wisconsin is a statewide organization which develops and supports land-use policies which reduce sprawl and strengthen communities.

The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. at the church on the corner of Durand Avenue and Pritchard Drive. As all general meetings of the Sierra Club, this one is open to all, members and non-members alike. Bring your friends, neighbors and political representatives.

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Southeast Gateway Group’s Elections Longer Than Bush/Gore

At the time this article was first written, prior to the newsletter deadline, the election of officers for the Southeast Gateway Group had been running on longer than even the Bush/Gore election in Florida. And that is without any hanging or dimpled chads, no interference or directions from various supreme courts, Secretaries of State or teams of lawyers.

At the December Group Executive Committee meeting there were no ballots to be recounted because no one was willing to stand for the office of Group Chair. Several individuals were absent from the meeting, so after electing Nancy Hennessy as Secretary, Group Chair Lila Berge was authorized to contact a couple of the absent members to see if they would be willing to serve, and then to proceed with a telephone ballot.

Dana Huck agreed to continue as Treasurer, but still nobody agreed to be the Group Chair. Barry Thomas, retiring Secretary, reported that all candidates for the Executive Committee on the ballot were elected unanimously and both Bylaw questions were also approved. The ExCom is expected to be reduced to seven members by attrition or the next election cycle. Lila Berge expressed the thanks of the Group to Bruce Sedloff, Eric Howe and Barry Thomas who have completed their terms on the ExCom. They were replaced by the election of Nancy Hennessy, John Berge and Donna Peterson. Dana Huck was reelected to a second term. Lila Berge, Vera Boone, Millie Carlson, Frank Egerton and Stan Rosenstiel continue on the second years of their terms.

Fortunately for the future of the Group, at the Group Executive Committee meeting, which was held immediately after the January 13 Planning Retreat, volunteers came forward and an (almost) full slate of officers was elected. Dana Huck agreed to stand for Vice-Chair in addition to her position as Treasurer and to be prepared this year for becoming Group Chair next year. In addition, Nita Larson agreed to be Group Chair for the rest of this year once she can be returned to membership on the ExCom which is expected to take place at the February ExCom meeting. Until then, Lila Berge agreed to remain as Group Chair pro tem. The full slate of Officers and Executive Committee members for the Group are noted in the directory appearing on the back page of this and every issue of The Southeast Sierran. These are the people who are to be contacted with your questions and to whom you should volunteer your talents, time and money for the Group and the Sierra Club, or to use a famous Sierra phrase, "for our families and our future".

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2001 Programs for Southeast Gateway Group Set at Planning Session

At the January 13th Planning Retreat held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Racine, a number of plans, programs and priorities were agreed upon to start the Southeast Gateway Group’s 2001 Calendar. Other items will be added as the year proceeds, and all will be listed on the Calendar page of this and future issues of the Southeast Sierran. "Members are urged to post these pages in appropriate places or mark their engagement calendars so as to not miss out on these activities," said Editor Gary Zumach. "It is printed for your benefit."

Programs and speakers for general membership meetings (third Thursday of each month) through May were confirmed; the next two programs are listed in the Calendar on page 2. Donna Peterson, Membership Co–Chair, discussed some of the ways she hopes to increase attendance over that of recent years.

Highway 38 Clean-ups were scheduled for April 28, July 28 and October 6. They will start at 9:00 a.m. and generally will be followed by a pot-luck luncheon or a visit to a local restaurant. Volunteers are always needed—at least a dozen to make the work quicker and more enjoyable.

Outings include a hike through the Scuppernong Springs portion of the Ice Age Trail on March 31, a campout at Illinois Beach State Park on September 8-9 and some local area day canoe trips, the dates of which have not been set. But the biggest outing for the year is planned for Bayfield and the Apostle Islands from August 3-10. Camping and hiking on Madeline Island with kayaking to some of the outer islands are planned. Tentative plans were also started for two outings that won’t take place until next year: A cross-country ski and snow shoeing trip to Door Country in late January or February and a week-long flat water canoe trip along the Lewis and Clark Trail in Montana sometime in summer.

Support of a referendum on the establishment of stewardship funds for Racine and Kenosha Counties was voted the top Conservation Priority of the Group, followed by holding the Department of Natural Resources and other governmental bodies to proper enforcement of air and water quality standards, especially as they apply to such issues as industries in Pleasant Prairie and the mega-Casino in Kenosha. The Conservation Committee also expects to apply for grants so as to continue more wetland planting at the boat landing north of Horlick Dam in Racine and possibly the development of an asset map of the Pike River similar to that prepared for the Root River.

And finally, it was agreed that the Green Award would be revised to be an award to help defray the costs for one or more students to participate in environmental or ecological education during the summer. Awards Chair Barry Thomas will be presenting a formal proposal and plan to the February ExCom meeting so that the new award may by initiated this year.

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Paradise Key or Unwanted SPRAWL & Pollution

The Southeast Gateway Group ExCom has sent a letter to Lt. Governor Scott McCallum opposing the massive proposed expansion of the Greyhound Dog Track in Kenosha County. The creation of $600 million worth of entertainment and shopping structures, plus 34 impervious acres of parking, etc. to serve up to nine million customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year would seriously impact air quality, traffic congestion, and our quality of life.

For environmental/social impacts information, contact Dr. Duane Anderson, (262) 694-0320.

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From Your Legislative Watchdog
by Jean McGraw

There is no good news to report about the environment in the wake of the election. The worst news is that the new administration has every intention of destroying the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the search for ever more oil. The administration says it only wishes to open 8% of the Refuge to oil exploration; but even if it restricts its digging to that extent, the results could be devastating to that fragile ecosystem. That much disturbance will surely disrupt the breeding habits of most or all of the animals and birds who since time immemorial have found a safe haven here to raise their young.

After January 20 it is too late for you to phone or write President Clinton to urge him to protect the American Serengeti by declaring it a national monument. This would at least put obstacles in the way of Big Oil. I hope many of you remembered to make that call.

President George W. Bush promises to convert the $35 million "brownfields" restoration fund into a block grant. This could be good news for central cities.

The prospects are also good for the $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund. He has promised to release this money for important land acquisitions. Up to now Congress has refused to spend the money, which is already allocated, in order to make the budget surplus look better.

However, environmentalists need to gear up for battle just to keep the progress we made in the previous administration from being eroded.

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Welcome New Members

Bristol: Robert Sussenbach
Caledonia: Christine Jacobson, Randy Maller
Delavan: K. Fincutter
East Troy: Elizabeth Mccarthya, C. Rennick
Fontana: Jean Chanson, Anita Schalk
Kenosha: Margaret Capodarco, Matt Guptail, Valerie Heideman, Michael Lipka, Barbara Talbert, Tom Wiercinski, Michael Derwae, D. Klopstein, Sharon Pfaff
Lake Geneva: Diane Muzzy
Pell Lake: Mary Bowman
Racine: State Rep. John Lehman, Otto Sommerfeld, Cynthia Wanek, Sandra Bodna, Laura Gellott, Sandra Georges, Dennis Goff, Akabe Gulbankian, Sara Jakubiak, Mike Johnson,Tom Kexel, Sarah Mosley, Carrie Moyer, Kathy Samuelson, State Rep. Bob Turner, Marilyn Van Lanen
Salem: Bill & Lois Leonard
Trevor: Phillip N. Hoem, John Waldron
Walworth: Virginia Gibbons

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Powerline Hearings Resume

Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission has entered another phase of their review on the proposed Duluth-Wausau transmission line to bring electric power from Manitoba Canada. A series of environmentally destructive dams there is the source of this power. Just before the public hearings began in northern Wisconsin, the Wisconsin DNR and the National Park Service joined the Save Our Unique Lands (SOUL) environmental protesters in opposing this line. Stay tuned!

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50 Ways to Love Your Mother

At the November general meeting of the Southeast Gateway Group, The Rev. Tony Larson taught us a song, the music of which sounded suspiciously like Paul Simon’s "50 Ways to Leave your Lover" and the words sound a lot like a booklet we read. But the synthesis is all Rev. Larson’s. We can take the words to heart. They went something like this:

Well, Earth Day started only 30 years ago,
and now that it’s 2000, I surely want to know,
If someone, would help me out and show,
50 ways to love your Mother.
50 ways to love your Mother.

Start savin’ your glass, Cass; don’t use Styrofoam, Joan;
Recycle a can, Stan—don’t throw it away.
Cut your lawn high, Sly; gotta clean up the sky, Guy!
Try not to pollute, Klute—every day is Earth Day.

Well, there’s a limit to what we can throw away.
The landfill’s so full of garbage, getting worse every day.
And so it’s time that someone showed the way:
50 ways to love your Mother.
50 ways to love your Mother.

Well, go plant a tree, Lee; start ridin’ the bus, Gus;
Go easy on the water, Kotter—you know what I mean.
Don’t dirty the air, Cher; it goes everywhere, Lar’
Save on ‘lectricity, Felicity—help keep the air clean.

The world is warming up, the ozone’s got a hole;
The air is getting dirty as pollution takes its toll.
We’ve got to find a way to keep our planet whole,
And try the 50 ways,
And try the 50 ways.

Use a rechargeable battery, Slattery; turn down the water heater, Peter.
Go help save a whale, Gail—and the dolphins, too.
Don’t smoke up the breeze, Louise; and clean up the sleaze, Valdez.
Did someone put a hex on Exxon—whatcha you gonna do?

Learn to recycle, Michael; start to insulate, Kate.
Use fluorescent light, Mike—you won’t be alone.
C’mon, keep the sea clean, Jean; you know what I mean, Dean.
Take care of the Earth, Berth–a, and protect the ozone. Oh, yeah!

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Earthjustice Fights for Public Lands

Earthjustice, formerly Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, is backing President Clinton’s authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create or expand 11 National Monuments. These include the 1.9 million acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, 1 million acres of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument in Arizona, and others in Colorado and Oregon.

Right now opponents are pressing a radical reinterpretation of the Constitution that, if adopted by the courts, would fundamentally alter public lands management in the USA. Every president in the last century except Ronald Reagan has used his authority to protect our natural wonders, such as Alaska’s Glacier Bay, Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion, and California’s Death Valley. Now the extractive industries, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, and others are going to court to stop and reverse this protection. Other environmental organizations have joined Sierra Club in the court battle. Stay tuned!

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NAFTA's Seventh Anniversary: "Taking Away" Our Clean Environment

…from the Sierra Club Responsible Trade Program with George W. Bush about to take office, a nasty recent chapter of American history may be about to repeat itself. The first President George Bush launched trade talks in 1991 that established the North American Free Trade Agreement on January 1, 1994. Now George W. promises to expand NAFTA into a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) that extends from the Yukon to Tierra del Fuego.

But expanding this NAFTA is a potential disaster for the environment and for democratic rights. Under the FTAA, citizens could actually be forced to pay corporate polluters not to pollute our air and water.

NAFTA: Evil Spawn of the Wise Use Movement

Corporate polluters have long sought the right to compensation for government actions that might cause them any loss of profits. In the 1980’s, the Wise Use movement argued that constitutional protections against the "taking" of property without "just compensation" required government payments if pollution control laws hurt profits in any way, no matter how little. If implemented, the Wise Users "property rights" agenda would have throttled the ability of government to take virtually any action in the public interest.

Environmentalists repeatedly stopped the "takings" agenda in Congress by exposing it as nothing but an effort to make citizens pay polluters not to pollute. We stopped the "takings" agenda under the Reagan administration. And we stopped the "takings" agenda in Newt Gingrich’s "Contract with America." Environmentalists won the debate until the polluters got smart and inserted the "takings" agenda into a trade agreement called NAFTA.

Under NAFTA, foreign investors based in Canada, Mexico or the United States gained a brand new right to sue governments for laws adopted in the public interest that might cost them some money. The polluters have wasted no time in using their new legal rights to attack pollution control laws.

* In 1998, Canada was forced to settle a NAFTA "takings" complaint over an air pollution control law. Canada rolled back its ban on MMT, a gasoline additive known to damage the nervous system, and paid $13 million to the U.S. company that makes MMT.

* Just this year, a NAFTA tribunal ordered Mexico to pay $19 million in damages to a U.S. company after environmental officials in the state of San Luis Potosi blocked a planned hazardous waste incinerator that threatened the region’s water supply.

* This fall, a Canadian chemical company sued the United States for $1 billion after California banned a carcinogenic gasoline additive made by the company that is leaking from gasoline storage tanks and poisoning the state’s drinking water.

Son of NAFTA

The threat to clean air and to safe drinking water could grow under the proposed FTAA. Companies owned by any western hemisphere trading partner with investments in the United States could sue the United States over new pollution control laws, discouraging efforts to protect our environment. Venezuela-based Citgo could, for instance, sue over new standards that might tighten controls on pollution from gasoline stations. Alternatively, U.S. companies could do the same in Latin America. For instance, U.S. mining corporations hold billions of dollars in rights to mine for gold and other minerals beneath the Amazon rainforest. Under FTAA "takings" rules, these companies could sue for compensation if the Brazilian government moves to protect this precious natural resource or the indigenous people who live there.

Make Trade Clean, Green, and Fair

Trade could be a force for progress. But current trade rules are too often used to attack environmental protections and democratic rights in the name of new property rights for corporate polluters. Instead of trade agreements that knock down high standards, we need trade policies that lift standards up to the highest possible level. We need to replace "free" trade with trade that is clean, green, and fair.

Take Action

As a first step, the reality of the FTAA must be exposed. Yet the negotiations have so far been secret and no draft text has been released. Help us "celebrate" NAFTA’s anniversary by placing an article, letter to the editor, or opinion editoral in a local newspaper. Then fax a copy of what you publish to the United States Trade Representative. Use your letters and articles to:

* Educate the public about NAFTA’s toxic legacy on its seventh anniversary;

* Make a call to publicly release the text of the FTAA; and

* Propose how you would make trade clean, green, and fair.

Remember, keep letters to the editor short—less than 200 words if possible.

USTR Contact Information:
Email: contactustr@ustr.gov
Fax: (202) 395-4579

Further information:
www.sierraclub.org/trade
www.foe.org

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Population Funds

For the first time in six years, funding for international family planning programs was increased. In addition to the $50 million increase, Congress lifted harsh restrictions placed on the money last year, thanks to President Clinton’s veto threat. Rep. Paul Ryan voted against this measure.

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Ice Age Trail Events

Notes: Updates for some of the events may be found on the IAP&TF web site ( www.iceagetrail.org ) or at their monthly meetings, which are held in the FirStar Bank, 101 E. Walworth St., Elkhorn, WI.

The highway 12 parking lot is approximately 4 miles east of Whitewater, or 2-1/2 miles west of LaGrange (Cty. H). Please call the activity coordinator to let him/her know if you plan to participate, have questions or are concerned about the activity due to inclement weather.

Trail maintenance work may include grubbing to remove stumps, trimming back growth, painting blazes, installing erosion control bars, clearing new trail, litter control, etc. Bring water, lunch, work gloves, and (if you have them) work tools such as loppers or bow saws. Preferable clothing are long pants and long sleeves shirts, as well as suitable footwear. Depending upon conditions and seasonal conditions, insect repellent, sunscreen or raingear may be useful.

Contact Persons: Bill (Kangaroo) Knickrehm, (608) 883-2825; David Cash, (815) 943-5011; Gary Klatt, (262) 473-4973; Gerry Emmerich, (262) 642-5641; Ron Nacker, (262) 642-4372; Ingrid Larson, (262) 728-6661; Tom Pintar, (715) 228-2095; Vince & Nancy Lazzaroni, (262) 248-8247; June Wheeler, (262) 889-4240.

February 3, Saturday, 11:00 a.m: Hike to Lulu Lake. Meet on Cty. J, 1/4 mile east of Pickerel Lake Rd. Contact: Ron Naker.

February 10, Saturday, 4:00 p.m.: Candlelight Ski. Deerfield segment in Waushara County. Meet to carpool at the Converse’s. Samsel Sawmill, 4 miles east of Hancock on Cty V (Beechnut Dr.), W10420 Beechnut Dr. $3/individual, $8/family. Contact: Ton Pintar.

February 20, Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.: Meeting, speaker TBA. Contact: Nancy Lazzaroni.

February 24, Saturday, 9:00 a.m.: Trail Maintenance. Meet at Hwy 12. Contact: Gary Klatt.

February 25, Sunday, 9:00 a.m.: New Trail Work. Meet at Hwy 12. Contact: Kangaroo.

March 4, Sunday: Hike, Ski or Snowshoe at Lapham Peak. Meet to carpool at Hwy 12 parking lot (11:30 a.m.)or meet at the upper lot ( 12:30 p.m.) by the Lapham Peak Tower. State Park sticker required. Contact: David Cash.

March 20, Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.: Potluck & Meeting, speaker and slide show by Gerry Emmerich. Contact: Nancy Lazzaroni.

March 24, Saturday, 9:00 a.m.: Trail Maintenance. Meet at Hwy 12. Contact: David Cash.

March 25, Sunday, 9:00 a.m.: New Trail Work. Meet at Hwy 12. Contact: Kangaroo.

March 31, Saturday, 9:00 a.m.: Scuppernong Hike. Go to: Hwy 67 north to Eagle to Cty, ZZ, 1/4 mile east on Cty ZZ to first parking lot on the left. State Park sticker required. Contact: June Wheeler.

April: Prairie seed planting and prairie burning. Dates to be determined at March 20 meeting. Contact: Gerry Emmerich.

April 4, Wednesday: Deadline for making reservations for the May 11-13 camping trip to Peninsula State Park in Door County. Contact: Ingrid Larson.

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