SIERRA CLUB MISSION STATEMENT: To explore, enjoy and protect the planet. To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS GROUP NEWSLETTER FALL/WINTER 2007

HTTP://ARKANSAS.SIERRACLUB.ORG

A reminder about organizational structure: the whole state makes up the Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club (SC). The regularly updated Arkansas Chapter’s website at http://arkansas.sierraclub.org contains all kinds of information on local and national issues. The two groups within this Chapter are the Central Arkansas Group (CAG) and the Ozark Headwaters Group (OHG).

Glen Hooks is the Associate Regional Representative on staff for the national Sierra Club. You can contact him at glen.hooks@sierraclub.org or (501) 301-8280 or at the Arkansas Chapter’s office address, 1308 W. 2^nd St, Little Rock, AR 72201.

The Central Arkansas Group meets on the third Tuesday of every month (unless otherwise noted) in the party room at the Oyster Bar, 3003 W. Markham, in Little Rock. Come at 6:30 pm for social time before the program and discussion begin at 7 pm.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS GROUP OFFICERS

Chair: Kate Althoff ktalthof@aol.com

(501) 223-2744

Vice Chair & Membership: Dina Nash dina_nash@yahoo.com

(501) 246-3026

Newsletter: Zabelle Stodola kzstodola@ualr.edu

(501) 664-8747

Outings: Bill Saunders wasaunders@aristotle.net

(501) 664-2539

Steve Heye steve_heye@aristotle.net  (501) 455-2210 and Chuck Oberste  chuckoberste@aciplastics.net

Secretary/Treasurer: Bob Stodola

bstodola@hotmail.com (501) 664-8747

Conservation: Cindy Fribourgh

cfribourgh@yahoo.com (501) 224-3510

We do not currently have chairs for Political/Lobbying or Communications. Contact Kate Althoff at ktalthof@aol.com or 223-2744 if you’re interested in helping out in these areas.

Hope to see you at the Oyster Bar on the dates below.

Social time at 6:30 pm

Program and update on local initiatives at 7 pm

September 18: Arkansas Sustainability Network will offer practical ideas for conserving energy and reducing pollution in our daily activities.

October 16: Teresa Marks, Director of Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, will give a presentation.

November 19:  TBA. Check the website at http://arkansas.sierraclub.org for updated information on our November program.

NO MEETING IN DECEMBER. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

It costs the Central Arkansas Group $650 to print and mail out each newsletter to 1,200 people. At this rate, we’ll go broke very quickly. Also, it is not environmentally responsible to keep on printing that many newsletters. Therefore, this will be the last mass mailout of the newsletter in hard copy.

Beginning in January 2008, the newsletter will appear quarterly, and you will have three options for receiving it: 

1) The newsletter will be posted on the website at http://arkansas.sierraclub.org and you can always check it there.

2) The newsletter editor, Zabelle Stodola, will be happy to mail you an electronic copy as an attachment if you send her a request to do so at kzstodola@ualr.edu  along with your e-mail address. 

3) If you would still like to receive your own hard copy, please let Zabelle know by e-mail at kzstodola@ualr.edu and she will send one to you.

Obviously, please include your street address. The Central Arkansas Group would appreciate a donation from those of you wishing to receive a hard copy. You can mail a check to the Sierra Club CAG,

c/o Bob Stodola, CAG Treasurer, 511 Ridgeway Drive, Little Rock,, AR 72205. 

Come to a party on Saturday October 13 from 7 to 9 pm in the club house at the Grande Maumelle Sailing Club. Snacks and drinks provided. For directions go to http://www.gmsc.org and click on “Getting Here.” RSVP preferred by October 10 to Zabelle Stodola at kzstodola@ualr.edu but if you don’t get round to an RSVP, come anyway!

LAKE MAUMELLE DRINKING WATER:

(Photo by Herb and Patricia Dicker)

There is good and bad news regarding attempts to preserve the purity of Lake Maumelle drinking water, major source for 360,000 central Arkansas ratepayers’ water. The bad news is that the developers Waterview Estates have successfully prevailed upon Central Arkansas Water to allow development in what’s known as Critical Area A, which had been protected by a previous condemnation settlement. The good (or better) news is that the group Citizens Protecting Lake Maumelle Watershed is fighting the proposed development in court. Sierra Club CAG chair Kate Althoff is one of the leaders of the initiative to fight Waterview with support from the national Sierra Club. Regular updates on this changing situation are available at the website www.protectarkansaswater.org  To help, contact Kate Althoff at ktalthof@aol.com or 223-2744. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and contact the Little Rock City Board or   Mayor Mark Stodola to express your views.  His e-mail address is mayor@littlerock.org

PROPOSED SWEPCO COAL PLANT IN FULTON:

More bad news on this front. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has issued a permit for this coal-burning plant at a time when many other states are refusing to allow new construction of these dirty energy sources. Like the Lake Maumelle situation, this one is evolving daily. Dina Nash, CAG Vice Chair, is coordinating the CAG’s response which is also supported by a campaign against coal-fired plants by the national Sierra Club. Read “The Dirty Truth about Coal” written by the Sierra Club at  http://www.sierraclub.org

PROPOSED BFI LANDFILL EXPANSION:

BFI is applying for an expansion to the landfill and this has been in the local news recently.  We need to be vigilant and will update you at our monthly meetings.

Did you know that the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District now recycles plastic shopping and dry cleaning bags? They kill over 2 million birds a year and account for almost 5% of the volume in landfills. So recycle these bags which, according to the Waste Management  District’s website, will be used to make lumber for decking, fencing and even playground equipment.

Central Arkansas Chapter Sierra Club members are welcome to join the Ozark Society on a variety of hikes.  Check out their monthly schedule on their website, www.ozarksociety.net  For all these hikes, call or e-mail Steve Heye beforehand for information and to let him know you are coming. Steve_heye@aristotle.net or (501) 455-2210

Here are four fall hikes:

September 8:  Meet at Pinnacle Mt., East Lot. Rated moderate, 3.5 miles. Bring sturdy shoes, a drink, and a snack. Be at the east Lot at Pinnacle at 9 am.

October 6: Arkansas Post and Louisiana Purchase Trails. Two easy, historic trails. Bring lunch and wear sturdy shoes. Meet at 630/430 commuter lot at 8 am.

November 10: Spy Rock to Lick Branch, Ozark Highlands Trail. This is 9.8 miles of prime Ozark hiking. Leave the McDonald’s at Morgan at 7 am in order to hit the trail about 9:30. Rated moderate. Bring lunch and a snack.

December 8: Fairview to Ben Hur parking lot, Ozark Highlands Trail. Mostly downhill 10.6 mile hike following the Richland drainage. Carpool will leave Morgan McDonald’s at 7 am and hit the trail at about 9 am from Fairview.  Bring food, water, and good shoes.

As I write this newsletter in mid August, central Arkansas has experienced 98-108 degree weather for two weeks with little relief in sight. Read the following from a recent press release compiled by Glen Hooks with information from the Sierra Club and PIRG. 

 “The average temperature in both Little Rock and Fort Smith was about 2°F above average in 2006, according to a report released in July by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG).  In the report, entitled “Feeling The Heat: Global Warming and Rising Temperatures In the United States,” U.S. PIRG said this warmer-than-normal weather is indicative of what Arkansas can expect with continued global warming.

 (The full report [1 MB File] is available by request to glen.hooks@sierraclub.org, or available for download at )
http://uspirg.org

To avoid the worst consequences of global warming, the United States must halt increases in global warming emissions now, cut emissions by at least 15-20% by 2020, and slash emissions by at least 80% by 2050.  The U. S. could substantially reduce its global warming pollution by using existing technologies to make power plants, businesses, homes, and cars more efficient and generate more electricity from clean, renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. 

Congress is poised to consider global warming legislation this fall.  The Safe Climate Act in the U.S. House and the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act in the U.S. Senate are the only bills that would reduce pollution to levels that scientists say are needed to prevent the worst effects of global warming.”