VOLUME XXVVVII, NUMBER 1 S P R I N G 2 014 Big Challenge: Protecting Indiana’s Waters Water quality in Indiana is not what it should be. Most of the state’s streams and rivers are listed as impaired for one or more pollutants, most commonly mercury and E. coli. Many lakes experience toxic blue-green algae blooms as a result of excess nutrients. Since the state regulates point sources of pollutants, most water pollution is the result of unregulated, non-point sources. For example, mercury pollution is largely a product of coal combustion for electricity generation that releases mercury to the atmosphere, which eventually finds its way into surface waters. E. coli contamination comes from leaking septic tanks, pet and wildlife droppings, and livestock manure applied to cropland that runs off into waterways. In response to these and other water pollution issues, the Hoosier Chapter has developed a program called Protecting Indiana’s Waters. The overall goal of the program is to educate the public about water quality and ultimately reduce pollutants in our waterways. We will do this by training volunteers around the state to take monthly water samples of rivers and streams, identifying the major threats to water quality, creating public awareness of these problems and mobilizing public pressure on policy makers to correct the problems. We began in March last year in central Indiana, looking at nutrients in the White River and Fall Creek. We now have a year’s data on phosphorus and nitrogen, providing a baseline for comparison with future results. We have added more sites on the White River and Fall Creek, and also have volunteers sampling Cool Creek in Carmel, Mud Creek in Fishers, Prairie Creek in Pendleton and White Lick Creek in Plainfield. Continued on page 2. W H AT ’ S I N S I D E 2 Sierra Club Art Exhibit to Advocate for the Environment 4 Inner City Outings program nears lift-off 5 A Look at the 2014 Indiana General Assembly Session 6 Hoosier Chapter Needs YOUR Support! SIERRA CLUB OFFICERS INDIANA SIERRAN Hoosier Chapter Office: 1100 W. 42nd St., Suite 140 • Indianapolis, IN 46208 (317) 822-3750 • hoosier.chapter@sierraclub.org Web Site • http://hoosier.sierraclub.org Big Challenge... continued from page 1. Chapter Director: David Maidenberg, (317) 822-3750, david.maidenberg@sierraclub.org Conservation Director: Bowden Quinn, (317) 822-3750, bowden.quinn@sierraclub.org CHAPTER OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Steve Francis, (574) 271-9394, sierrasteve@comcast.net Vice Chair: Dick Miller, (317) 251-1591, rwmiller@butler.edu Secretary: Dave Ellis, (219) 730-7913, david.ellis@hoosier.sierraclub.org Treasurer: Mary Beth Wert, (812) 378-0400, mbwsplace-sc@yahoo.com Executive Committee At Large Members: John Blair, (812) 464-5663, ecoserve1@aol.com Richard Hill, (812) 273-6015, rhill@cinergymetro.net Mike Mullett, (812) 376-0734, MullettGEN@aol.com Glenn Pratt, (317) 253-7061, pratt8460@gmail.com Grant Smith, 317-924-4034, gssmith5123@gmail.com Paul Steury, (260) 799-5869, paulds@goshen.edu CHAPTER COMMITTEE CHAIRS Bylaws & Standing Rules: Mike Mullett (see above) Conservation: Dick Miller (see above) Energy Committee: Mike Mullett (see above) Finance: Richard Hill (see above) Legislative: Grant Smith (see above) Outings: Dick Miller (see above) Personnel: Dick Miller (see above) Political: Steve Francis (see above) Newsletter Graphic Designer: Paula Richards, (317) 596-9180, paula@pernadesign.com I N D I A N A B EYO N D C OA L S TA F F Campaign Rep.: Jodi Perras, (317) 296-8395, jodi.perras@sierraclub.org Organizer: Megan Anderson, (317) 222-1146, megan.anderson@sierraclub.org To train our volunteers, we provide a workshop to learn the techniques of sampling and analysis, based on a manual developed by chapter Conservation Director Bowden Quinn and on Hoosier Riverwatch sampling protocols. Riverwatch trainer and chapter member John Ulmer conducts the training, which explains why and how to sample and analyze for E. coli and such chemicals as dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrate/nitrite. We held the first workshop at Butler University in March and will hold a second one in the Bartholomew County library in Columbus on May 24. Another significant expansion of our efforts took place this spring, when chapter representatives traveled to Mackey in southwest Indiana to test Smith Fork, which runs through the Somerville South Mine, an open pit coal mine. With the help of a local resident who has property surrounded by the mine on three sides, we identified and sampled two locations on the stream, one above and one below the mine. Possible pollutants released from coal mining include heavy metals, such as iron, and extreme acidity. Again, we provided the community members with water sampling kits and training so they can continue to monitor the impacts of mining on their waters. We are also training volunteers around the Bear Run Mine in Sullivan County. Further efforts related to the coal industry will focus on the coal ash ponds at the Indianapolis Power and Light’s Harding Street plant in Indianapolis. Two plant neighbors have volunteered to help monitor the water in Lick Creek, just above the coal ash ponds, and in the White River by the Sunshine Gardens neighborhood, just below the ponds. We enter the data the volunteers collect into the Hoosier Riverwatch database and one being developed by the chapter. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is preparing guidelines for volunteer data to be added to their databases, which will help increase its impact on regulatory decisions. To meet our objective of improving the quality of our waters in measurable ways, we must translate the energy and concern of our volunteers into concrete actions that target sources of pollution and eliminate them. This remains the big challenge for the future of the Protecting Indiana’s Waters program. Organizer: Matt Skyua, (317) 222-1189, matt.skyua@sierraclub.org G RO U P C O N TAC TS Bloomington Area: Tom Mooradian, thomas.mooradian@att.net Dunelands: Dave Ellis (see above) Heartlands: Lori Adelson, lmadelson@gmail.com and Clarke Kahlo, ckahlo@toast.net Michiana: Hazel Stevens, michiana-sierra@comcast.net Wildcat: Gerry VanHorn, vanhorng@gmail.com Winding Waters: Charlie Mitch, cmitch01@comcast.net 2 Dr Richard (Dick) Miller sunday a.m. (before Tornado warnings) at Fall Creek checking water temp and chemistry. He monitors this site and others monthly. S P R I N G 2 014 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK WINTER 2007 Groups on the Rise By David Maidenberg, Director, Sierra Club, Hoosier Chapter As usual, there is much going on here for Indiana Sierra Club supporters. Current priorities like mapping out a clean energy future for the state,monitoring our rivers and streams,working with legislators and others policymakers, are just a few of the matters on which we are focused. Here are a few others items you may wish to be aware of. Sierra Club Groups in Indiana Sierra Club groups are active is several parts of the state including Columbus, Bloomington, Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Northwest Indiana. Groups function as mini-chapters. They organize hikes, service projects, conservation activities and often engage in activism. This year we are planning to expand our groups. Creating & maintaining groups requires a team of Sierra Club volunteers. Our current priorities are to explore group building in the southwestern part of the state, in the New Albany/Clarksville are, and in northeastern Indiana. Can you help? If so, please let us know by emailing or calling the Hoosier Chapter office. Outings Leader Training We need individuals to lead hikes and other outings throughout Indiana. Some training, including basic Red Cross, is required. We plan on having one or two training sessions later this year. Are you interested? If so, please let us know! It is likely that at least one of the trainings will take place the weekend of September 19th. Chapter Excom Elections Thank you for voting in the most recent election for positions on the chapter executive committee. Elected to two year terms were John Blair, Grant Smith, Glenn Pratt, Steve Francis, and Richard Hill. Four additional seats will be on the ballot for terms starting next year. For information, see the article elsewhere in this issue. Our Web Site Additions A page for new members of the Sierra Club in Indiana was recently added to the chapter's website (hoosier.sierraclub.org). The page serves as a guide that may be useful to veteran members as well. Also, at our “Volunteer” link, we've added a few specific volunteer tasks in addition the the volunteer submission form. Online Events Calendar We try to keep our online calendar updated with hike, meetings and other events that might be of interest to you. Be sure to check it regularly at: hoosier2.sierraclub.org/events. SIERRA CLUB ART EXHIBIT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Sept. 5 – Oct. 24, 2014 The Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter invites amateur and professional artists—even non-artists—to create and submit new art for its annual exhibit at the Indiana Interchurch Center this fall. The Catalyst for Change: Seeing Indiana’s Environmental Issues through Art exhibit will feature art that explores the vital need for stewardship, sustainability, awareness and advocacy for Indiana’s environment. One of the goals of the exhibit is to broaden participation by including people who do not have an extensive art background but who would like to express themselves on an environmental issue they feel passionate about. Entry information and ideas on potential subject matter for the art will be posted at hoosier.sierraclub.org. A 2013 People's Choice Award Winner- Pinetree - Jean Salzmann 3 INDIANA SIERRAN Inner City Outings program nears lift-off By Scott Breen Sierra Club Inner City Outings provides safe and fun wilderness trips for people with limited access to the outdoors through 52 chapters across the country. The Bloomington Chapter of Sierra Club Inner City Outings (Bloomington Chapter) will be the first modern-day program in Indiana. It will also be the first in the country to be student-run with an Indiana University student organization, Sierra Club Inner City Outings at Indiana University (ICOatIU), running the Bloomington Chapter. The vision for the Bloomington Chapter is to work with local community partners to do both 1) an environmental education series led by Indiana University environmental science students and 2) a related, immersive, and engaging outing with local youth. Students will be hired and paid a small stipend to be environmental education fellows planning out and conducting the environmental education series. Students and community members will be trained as Sierra Club Outings Leaders to lead the related, immersive outings. Another way to get involved is students and community members can volunteer on the outings as an additional chaperone after passing a background check. An example of the programming would be an environmental education series with several one-hour sessions on how caves form, what lives in caves, what threatens those that live in caves and the formations in caves, etc. The environmental education series on caves would then be followed with a caving adventure near Bloomington. The Bloomington Chapter has already established relationships with Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc., and Banneker at the View in Bloomington to provide access to youth. Partnerships have also been established with Indiana University Outdoor Adventures and Caving Club at Indiana University to help with the outings and help provide the necessary equipment and expertise. Right now the Bloomington Chapter is in need of funds, as well as volunteers or outings leaders from the community. Tax-deductible donations can be made out to The Sierra Club Foundation with Bloomington ICO written in the memo line. Aside from money, the Bloomington Chapter also needs outdoor equipment such as lifejackets, paddles, and hiking shoes for youth who may not have any. E-mail bloomingtonico@gmail.com to coordinate on in-kind donations. Also, if any members can provide or know of anyone who can provide first aid certification and/or training at low cost, that would be exceptionally useful so please send us an e-mail if you can help us in that regard. The training to be a Sierra Club Outings Leader and the first outings will take place in fall 2014. All are welcome! The training will be for those who want to lead general Sierra Club outings and those who want to lead ICO outings. There are a few additional components to the training that are only required for ICO leaders, such as child abuse recognition and prevention. Those additional components will be part of the all-inclusive training taking place one day in the fall. Details with exact dates will be posted as soon as they are available on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com /bloomingtonico (one does not need to be a member of Facebook to view it). Also, an e-mail can be sent to bloomingtonico@gmail.com to get on the Chapter’s listserv. Those on the listserv will receive periodic e-mails with important information and dates. The Chapter appreciates any support you can give as we get the first ICO Chapter in Indiana off the ground! DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS PUBLICATION ACCEPTS ADVERTISING? THE SIERRAN CAN BE AN IDEAL, COST-EFFECTIVE MEDIUM FOR APPROPRIATE ADS. CONTACT THE CHAPTER OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION. 4 S P R I N G 2 014 A LOOK AT THE 2014 INDIANA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION People concerned about protecting Indiana’s environment can celebrate several victories from the 2014 session of the Indiana General Assembly. This includes he passage of mass transit funding for central Indiana, removal of the most harmful provisions in the “Ag Gag” bill, and stopping proposed legislation that would have prevented environmental regulations stronger than the federal safeguards. WINS: raising up to 10 percent of the transit • Defeating Ag Gag (Farm property trespassing): As initially proposed, Senate Bill 101 would have criminalized the act of documenting animal abuse, unsafe working conditions, and environmental and public health violations at industrial system's operating costs from the business community. Since 2008, transit advocates have sought legislation authorizing cities and counties to establish regional transit systems and enable new, local funding sources for improved public transit. livestock operations. The bill passed both chambers, but only after the removal of a controversial provision, known as "ag gag," that would have made felons out of whistle-blowers who cause monetary loss to a farm's business by exposing unethical or illegal activities. • Overcoming SOME SETBACKS: • Energy efficiency: Senate Enrolled Act 340 shuts down the two-year-old Energizing Indiana program, under which energy auditors visit homes and businesses and recommend ways to reduce energy Anti-Environmental consumption. Funded by a fee on electricity Legislation: HB 1143 would have made it bills, the program was established under the illegal for Indiana’s Executive Branch to pass Daniels administration, and was Indiana’s policies tighter for public health than what most significant clean energy program. This the U.S. EPA does. After passage in the multi-utility energy efficiency initiative has House the bill was heard in the Senate saved more than 1 billion kilowatt-hours of Environmental Affairs committee but no electricity since its inception. Despite a veto vote was taken, killing the bill for the 2014 campaign, Governor Pence allowed SEA 340 legislative session. In other legislative to become law without his signature. The action, language that would have put into Governor has vowed to seek legislation in law a moratorium on new environmental 2015 to establish a new energy efficiency regulations was stripped from House program to replace Energizing Indiana Enrolled Act 1005— ensuring that the environmental rules board retains the authority to enact new safeguards. • Mass transit breakthrough: • The Right to Farm: Although lawmakers recognized the danger of enshrining Right to Farm in the Indiana Constitution, they Senate did pass a statute which provides Enrolled Act 176 allows six central Indiana unprecedented legal protections for counties to have voter referendums on factory farms. The new law—Senate whether to fund mass transit projects, Enrolled Act 186 — requires environmental primarily through income taxes. The bill regulators, planning and zoning officials, excludes light rail projects and sets up a and judges to construe laws and rules in non-profit that would have the goal of favor of big agri-businesses. 5 INDIANA SIERRAN NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR HOOSIER CHAPTER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES The Hoosier Chapter is accepting nominations for club members to run for the Chapter Executive Committee (ExCom). The Executive Committee governs the Hoosier Chapter. Four ExCom positions are available this time, with newly elected members serving a two-year term. Please submit your nominations by September 1,2014, to the nominating committee by sending the information listed below via one of the following ways: • By mail to Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter, Attn: Nominating Committee, 1100 W. 42nd Street, Suite 140, Indianapolis, IN 46208 • By an e-mail message to hoosier.chapter@sierraclub.org Include the nominated member’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address and any information you would like the nominating committee to consider in making its selections. Any member of the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter in good standing may submit his/her name for consideration to be nominated for an at-large seat. The Nominating Committee will consider all submitted names and declare a slate of nominees. Anyone not slated who would like to be a petition candidate may also submit a petition signed by fifteen Sierra Club members in good standing by October 1, 2014. Any person who is proposed to or who volunteers to the nominating committee but is not approved will be notified by the nominating committee and informed of the right and process to be a petition candidate. In addition, write-in candidates are allowed. If you have any questions, please call the chapter office at (317) 822-3750 or email to the address above. Responsibilities of Executive Committee Members Candidates should have the desire to actively participate in the work of the executive committee, which includes providing opportunities to club members in the chapter to participate in conservation efforts, outings and programs, both locally and nationally. They should be willing to actively work on other chapter efforts in conservation, fundraising, volunteer development, publicity, legislation, regulations, and/or chapter management. Candidates should be willing and able to participate in six bimonthly executive committee meetings, usually on Saturdays. One or more special meetings or planning meetings/retreats may be held. If you are or know of a member who fits this brief description, please consider suggesting him or her—or yourself—to the nominating committee. Hoosier Chapter Needs YOUR Support! By Steve Francis & David Maidenberg If you are ready to stand up for Indiana’s air and water, woods and wildlife ... don’t! Just quietly go home and stay out of the way. Indiana is open only for business, so don’t interfere. You could get in trouble, right? That’s exactly what big agribusiness and the fossil fuel industry want for Indiana—lax regulations, unobstructed growth, and a cowed populace ...consume and be silent. You don’t know what’s good for you unless you’re buying it, so stay out of the way or you’ll regret it. We don’t think that we’re there yet, thanks in part to the hard work of dedicated staff and volunteers at the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter. But we can’t do it without your help. Your donation to the Hoosier Chapter will directly support grassroots efforts right here in Indiana. We are already on the hook for the bloated and unnecessary coal-to-gas plant in Rockport, the laws 6 written to guarantee profit to the company with us paying up in any case. But it’s not over just yet, because the Hoosier Chapter and our allies have not stopped fighting it. Each year, agribusiness tries to pass laws and even amend the state constitution to make it illegal for you expose their operations... even if they are breaking the law! But they have not been able to do it yet because of the hard work of Sierrans and our allies around the state. It’s hard work though and we need your help. Please make a cash gift to the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter right away. We get limited funding from the National Sierra Club and all of your donation will go directly to the Chapter to help us organize, fight and win in Indiana.You can send it in the included envelope or online at: http://hoosier.sierraclub.org/donate2.html S P R I N G 2 014 THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION! Name___________________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________________________________________ State_______________________________________________Zip__________________________ One-time Contribution Amount $_______________ ❏ A check made payable to Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter supports all chapter programs including our effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying. Donations are NOT tax-deductible. ❏ A check made payable to Sierra Club Foundation supports educational and other programs but cannot be used for lobbying or electioneering activity. Donations ARE tax-deductible. Please mail your check or money order payable to: Hoosier Chapter Sierra Club 1100 W. 42nd St., #140, Indianapolis, IN 46208 Monthly contributions can be set up at: www.hoosier.sierraclub.org/donate2.html CONSERVATION GRANT AVAILABLE TO HOOSIER CHAPTER MEMBERS Is there something you would like to organize but lack the basic funds to get started? Wait no longer! The Hoosier Chapter has made available a limited amount of funds for seed grants to get conservation projects, events and activities off the ground.Any Hoosier Chapter Sierra Club member is eligible to apply for the grant by notifying the chapter director, filling out a simple form about the project, following up with information about the event and submitting your receipts. Grants can be made for any amount up to $200. This is designed to get a number of activities going around the state—workshops, environmental education, activities and more. The only limit is your imagination. The grant can be used for publicity, materials, rental space and more but it cannot be used for salaries or stipends. The grant will be reviewed by the Hoosier Chapter Conservation Committee usually within one month. Please send your request for a proposal form to: david.maidenberg@sierraclub.org 7 Printed on recycled stock with soy inks. hoosier2.sierraclub.org/events For upcoming events of interest to members, see: Indiana Sierran Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter 1100 W. 42nd St., Suite 140 Indianapolis, Indiana 46208 The Indiana Sierran is the official publication of the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club. It is published three times a year. Annual club dues are $39; $1 is for a subscription to the Indiana Sierran. Membership dues are not tax deductible as a charitable contribution. The Indiana Sierran subscription rate to nonmembers is $10 per year. Send address changes for members to Sierra Club, 85 Second Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105. INDIANA SIERRAN All Indiana Sierran newsletter articles should be sent to David Maidenberg, Chapter Director: david.maidenberg@sierraclub.org Advertisements are accepted for goods and services that are relevant to our members’ needs. The Indiana Sierran’s policy is to publish news concerning environmental issues and events. Publication does not necessarily constitute endorsement, but is for information only. Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Indianapolis, IN Permit No. 6331
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