Methane (natural gas) plant planned for Rives Twp

Link to proposal

Deep Well Injection in Michigan: Deepening Our Understanding and Exploring What We Can Do About It

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has received applications for permits for deep well injection activity in more than a dozen counties. Is your county one of them? What does it mean for you and your family? Find out at our workshop Sep. 26!

What do you know about deep injection wells in Michigan? If the answer is "not much," then please consider joining us on Sep. 26 at Alma College for an important workshop about the environmental risks this activity (taking place in counties around the state) poses to our water quality and environment. 

WHAT: Deep Well Injection in Michigan: Deepening Our Understanding and Exploring What We Can Do About It

WHEN: Sat., Sep 26, 10am - 2pm

WHERE: Alma College, 614 W. Superior St., Alma; Room L4 of the DOW/KAPP Bldg.

Permits for injection wells containing hazardous substances posing a serious threat to water quality are increasing in Michigan, yet most people including local public officials know little about them. In an effort to educate Michigan citizens and local governments, Sierra Club has paired with Grobbel Environmental & Planning Associates to present a workshop on about the history, purpose and risks of injection wells in Michigan. 

Christopher P. Grobbel, PhD, is an environmental consultant based in Traverse City and  MSU professor of environmental planning and management, environmental impact assessment, environmental law, and sustainability studies.

Christopher P. Grobbel, PhD, will present "Deep Well Injection in Michigan: Deepening Our Understanding and Exploring What We Can Do About It" on Saturday, Sep. 26, from 10am - 2pm at Alma College, 614 W. Superior St. The event takes place in Room L4 of the DOW/KAPP building. 

Grobbel will lay out the context for this activity in Michigan and then explore the environmental risk associated with it and how the public can get involved in the process. Grobbel's presentation will cover the history and regulatory framework of injections wells, the technology and geology involved in Michigan, and dangers such as spills and seismic activity.  

REGISTER TODAY!

On or before Sep. 18: $25 general public/$15 students (with ID). The cost covers lunch and all conference materials.

After Sep. 18: $35 for the general public; $20 for students. Final registration deadline is Sep. 25. No walk-ins. 

Register: www.tinyurl.com/deepwell

Questions: gail.philbin@sierraclub.org

Download a printable copy of this announcement.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Legislators to Vote "NO" on Pipeline Secrecy Bill

The House Natural Resources Committee is reviewing a dangerous piece of legislation that we have a chance to stop. House Bill 4540 that would amend Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act to permanently block public access to energy system safety records in Michigan. This would include high-risk pipelines like the one running through the Straits of Mackinac operated by the controversial Canadian oil conglomerate Enbridge, Inc.

We need your help to stop this legislation!

PLEASE review the talking points below, and then call the State Representatives on the House Natural Committee and tell them to vote NO on House Bill 4540:

Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (R-Columbus Township) Committee Chair, 517-373-8931
Rep. Bruce Rendon (R-Lake City) Majority Vice-Chair, 517-373-3817
Rep. Anthony Forlini (R-Harrison Township) 517-373-0113
Rep. Ken Goike (R-Ray Township) 517-373-0820
Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alto) 517-373-0846
Rep. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) 517-373-0156
Rep. John Kivela (D-Marquette) Minority Vice-Chair, 517-373-0498
Rep. Charles Smiley (D-Burton) 517-373-3906
Rep. Julie Plawecki (D-Dearborn Heights) 517-373-0849

Please share this link with anyone who might be willing to help!

Thank you,

Mike Berkowitz

Legislative & Political Director

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

109 E. Grand River Ave.

Lansing, MI 48906

Office: (517) 484-2372 Ext. 13 

Cell: (248) 345-9808

Like us on Facebook!

May 12, 2015

To: Chairman McBroom and members of the House Oversight and Ethics Committee

RE: House Bill 4540

On behalf of our 60,000 members and supporters in Michigan, the Sierra Club urges a NO vote on HB 4540 (Heise), a bill that would amend Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act to permanently block public access to energy system safety records in Michigan. This would include high-risk pipelines like the one running through the Straits of Mackinac operated by the controversial Canadian oil conglomerate Enbridge, Inc.

Enbridge’s twin Line 5 pipelines through the Straits of Mackinac have been the subject of intense public interest since it was publicly revealed in early 2014 that the 60-year old lines pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes and northern Michigan communities and businesses.  A pipeline spill here would contaminate the Great Lakes and collapse the northern Michigan tourist economy.  Michigan citizens need to know more, not less, about the safety of Enbridge’s pipelines and all pipelines in Michigan. This bill won’t make us safer: it will do the opposite.  It was the oil and gas industry’s failures to comply with safety regulations and protocols that caused the largest inland oil spill in America in Marshall, Michigan, along with dozens of other spills across the nation.  The industry’s failures are what pose an immediate threat to property, communities and the environment, not the public’s right to know about those failures.

HB 4540, as introduced, would preclude property owners from finding out basic details about the pipelines that run through their property. Basic information “about the production, generation, transportation, transmission, or distribution of fuel or energy” would be exempt from Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act under this proposal.  That means state-level bureaucrats that have been given information by a pipeline company that has access to your property (e.g. Enbridge, or natural gas pipeline companies proposing the Vector and ET Rover pipelines) would not be allowed to tell you what materials are getting pumped through the pipeline on your property, where that product is going, or what plans the company has in the event that the pipeline ruptures on your property.  HB 4540 would potentially also block citizens from finding out information about the electric power plants and oil refineries putting pollution into their water, their air, and their communities. Michigan’s laws should protect Michigan’s property owners and public health.  But HB4540 would, instead, put property owners and the public health at risk.

In addition, this legislation is unnecessary because federal rules already address national security issues when it comes to pipelines.  Moreover, Michigan’s FOIA law already has a provision that exempts from disclosure records that would jeopardize our safety and security. The exemption proposed in HB 4540 for "critical energy infrastructure" is excessive since information that would make infrastructure vulnerable to a terrorist attack is already exempt from disclosure.

Not only is this legislation unnecessary, the language in it is so broad it could have major unintended consequences. Exempting information that "could be useful to a person planning an attack on critical energy infrastructure” could block access to all aspects of pipeline and electricity infrastructure/operations, including information that has nothing to do with safety or security. At a minimum, this definition and clause must be limited to already existing language from federal rules.

  

HB 4540 would result in Michigan citizens having less access to information about interstate pipeline safety than citizens of other states. Michigan citizens should not be treated as less trustworthy than residents of neighboring states.

The current FOIA appeal process is already overly burdensome. The process includes an appeal to the head of an agency, which typically confirms the denial, and then another appeal to the circuit court. People should not have to go to circuit court in order to see public records that may shed light on pipeline safety, maintenance, and potential environmental catastrophes. HB 4540 would make the process even more burdensome for Michigan’s citizens.

For these reasons, we urge you to vote NO on HB 4540. Votes pertaining to this bill will be included in the Sierra Club’s legislative scorecard.

Sincerely,

Mike Berkowitz

Legislative and Political Director

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

Contacts: Anne Woiwode, Conservation Director, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

                Mike Berkowitz, Legislative & Political Director, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

HB 4540 is scheduled to have a hearing NEXT THURSDAY in the Oversight and Ethics Committee in the House.  This hearing has NOT yet been posted, but that is not unusual -- they are only required to give about 18 hours notice, and usually it is just a couple of days in advance that notice is given.

EVEN if you cannot ATTEND the hearing, PLEASE plan to submit testimony in writing (send it to the Committee Clerk Joy Brewer noting that it is for the Oversight and Ethics Committee hearing on HB 4540), and encourage your members and colleagues to directly contact the members of the Oversight and Ethics Committee (listed below) to urge them to vote down HB 4540.

More information and insights will be coming.

House Oversight and Ethics Committee page:
http://house.michigan.gov/MHRPublic/CommitteeInfo.aspx?comkey=345 

Ed McBroom (R) Committee Chair, 108th District

Martin Howrylak (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 41st District

Joseph Graves (R) 51st District

Lana Theis (R) 42nd District

Rose Mary Robinson (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 4th District

Kristy Pagan (D) 21st District

Joy Brewer, Committee Clerk, 517-373-8474

Oil, gas pipeline info would become secret under bill

By Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press 9:48 a.m. EDT May 8, 2015

(Photo: August 2010 photo from AP)

It's a matter of national security, says state Rep. Kurt Heise: Keeping information about oil and gas pipelines, high-powered electrical lines and other critical energy infrastructure out of potential terrorists' hands.   More ...

Southeast Michigan's Natural Gas and Oil Pipeline Boom: What's happening and How to have your Say

Proposed natural gas pipelines in SE Michigan will cause as many local impacts as the replacement of the Enbridge Line 6B oil pipeline (above) and keep pushing fossil fuels, instead of clean energy alternatives. Photo by Ron Kardos

Southeastern Michigan communities have been confronting at least three proposed new or expanded massive natural gas pipelines designed to move Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio fracked natural gas into and through Michigan to Ontario. Sierra Club opposes the massive ramp up in natural gas development around the nation through fracking that is one driver of these new pipeline proposals because the drilling, extraction and leakage in delivering this fossil fuel falls far short of being the "clean energy" the industry wants you to think it is. In addition, the construction of massive pipelines like these cause significant local environmental impacts as well.

Sierra Club leaders in the Michigan Chapter's Huron Valley, Crossroads, Nepessing and Southeast Michigan Groups are stepping up to the plate to fight pipelines and they encourage your engagement as well. Scroll down to find contacts for each of these four Groups who can help connect you with the fight in your area.  We also encourage you to sign up below so that we can follow up with you as each project develops.  These proposals are moving fairly fast, but there is time to weigh in now on at least one of the projects.

Three Natural Gas Pipelines Proposed:

Imagine a swoosh like the Nike logo aound the western end of Lake Erie and you'll have an idea of the maps showing three different proposed natural gas pipelines.  The proposed pipelines are the ET Rover Pipeline, the Nexus Pipeline (a partnership of DTE Energy, Enbridge Inc. and Spectra Energy) and the Utopia Project.  Each pipeline would start in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania or West Virginia, cross Ohio and Michigan before crossing the international border to enter Ontario, Canada.  Each project provides information on the links provided above including maps of the intended path.  But as has already been seen with the ET Rover project, the proposed location of the pipeline may be changed.  There are several critical hurdles for any additional construction of these pipelines, which include: acquisition of rights of way from private or public landowners; local permitting approvals if warranted; and approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which must follow the federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in particular by provide for a public environmental review process.

Public Input Opportunities on the ET Rover Pipeline 

Currently, attention is focused on the ET Rover Pipeline which wants to build a new pipeline up to 42 inches in diameter from Defiance, Ohio, through Michigan to Sarnia, Ontario.  The company is seeking approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to weigh whether there are better alternatives to this proposal and whether the environmental impacts are too great to authorize the requested permits.
The first step in the EIS process for ET Rover is for FERC to take public comment under the Scoping Process.  Scoping is an initial step in the EIS in which the public needs to raise questions, concerns, provide information and other knowledge that ensures that the agency considers all the questions that need to be addressed.  The comments can be broad, such as this EIS needs to fully consider impacts of climate change related to the increased use of natural gas connected to increasing delivery of natural gas to Michigan and Ontario.  Or these comments can be very localized, for example indentifying sensitive ecosystems or raising specific, local health concerns. Most important is for ALL concerns or questions to be raised now, or they may not be considered in the EIS.  You don't need to be an expert to offer input, and asking questions about issues that concern you as part of your comments is just as valid as providing specific information in the Scoping Process.

Written Comments on ET Rover Scoping Process:
 The public can also provide  written public comments by December 18th through FERC's online comment system or through regular mail. Below are instructions on how to file a comment on the proposed ET Rover Pipeline with FERC. Filing just a written comment as an individual does not require you to register as a user.

• Go to the FERC eComment website. (www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp)
• Click on the eComment button, which takes you to an authorization page.
• Enter your name and email address, and type in the “authorization” letters / numbers that appear.
• Click on authorize.
• FERC will send you an email. Click on the link in the email.
• You should be taken to a page on the FERC website with your name and email filled in.
• In the field for “Enter Docket Number” type PF14-14 (no spaces)
• Click on the Search button.
• Click on the blue cross in the far right column under the heading labelled “Select”
• Enter up to 6000 characters in the box for editing a comment.

Provide written public comments by US Mail by sending your letter and 14 copies to arrive before December 18th to:

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, N.E. Washington 20426

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES ON THESE PIPELINE PROPOSALS

Sierra Club Contacts: 

Below you'll find Sierra Club volunteer leaders in each of the four regional Michigan Chapter Groups that are already tracking and working to stop the massive natural gas pipeline proposals coming through southeastern Michigan.  In addition and if you are outside of these Groups but wish to help, please provide us your information by linking below the contact info.  We'll do our best to keep you apprised of the new developments.
Nepessing Group (Genessee County, Lapeer County and Northwestern Oakland County)
Ellen Waara (ellenwaara (at) gmail.com)
Southeast Michigan Group (St. Clair County, Macomb County, part of Oakland and Wayne Counties)
Jean Gramlich (jeangramlich (at) msn.com)
Crossroads Group (Livingston County and western Oakland County)
Ron Kardos  (rmichael (at) sbcglobal.net)
Huron Valley Group (Washtenaw, Lenawee, and Monroe Counties)
Nancy Shiffler 

Lame-Duck Session Brings Lame Enviro Proposals

Michigan Chapter Update December 7, 2014 In This Issue: Lame Duck, Lame Environmental Proposals Clean Energy Legislation Introduced, But Too Late for This Year Concerned About Food, Ag, Animals? Then Save the Date: March 9, 2015! Wayne County Exceeds Acceptable Levels of Sulfur Dioxide Looking for a Few Good Volunteers to Work on Oil & Gas Do You Have Design and Layout Expertise? Join the Sierra Club or Give the Gift of Membership Thank You! Lame Duck, Lame Environmental Proposals Pollution pours from an incinerator in Detroit. Legislation being considered in the lame-duck session in Lansing would allow the burning of old tires and solid waste to count as renewable energy. Sierra Club is currently battling two lame environmental bills the Michigan legislature is entertaining during its lame-duck session. The first is HB 5205, which would classify the burning of solid waste as a form of renewable energy and allow for the construction of new incinerators. Sierra Club opposes this proposal because waste incineration does not produce clean energy -- it emits more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than any other form of electricity, greatly contributing to the negative consequences of climate change. We're also fighting SB 910, which would prohibit the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from enforcing air pollution regulations on wood heaters. Unregulated wood heaters account for 13% of the country’s soot pollution and have major public health implications such as increased risk of heart disease, asthma, and lung disease. On the positive side, we support SB 795-800 which would increase prison time and fines for illegally introducing prohibited, non-native aquatic species (like Asian Carp or Zebra/Quagga mussel) into Michigan's waters. We also like HB 5397, which would allow municipal utility providers to fund residential clean energy programs through on-bill payments. This legislation is crucial to helping homeowners to get financing for efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects. Let your elected officials know how you feel about these four environmental proposals! Please take a moment to look up your State Senator and State Representative. Have questions or want to get involved? Contact Anne Woiwode at anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org or 517-484-2372 x 11. Clean Energy Legislation Introduced, But Too Late for This Year Three bipartisan bills to expand Michigan’s 2008 renewable energy and energy efficiency laws were introduced in November, just as the legislature entered its lame-duck session. The current law, which expires next year, mandates that electricity providers meet a 10% renewable energy requirement, and that electric and natural gas utilities achieve annual energy optimization standards. The bills, HB 5967(Schmidt), 5968 (Dianda) and 5969 (VerHuelen), are expected to be reintroduced in the 2015 legislative session. Sierra Club welcomes the long overdue debate on renewing and expanding the current clean energy laws, particularly because legislation under debate this year would gut the current laws. However, there are concerns that this package falls short on several counts. For example HB 5968 sets a strong but voluntary goal (unlike the 2008 law) for Michigan’s electric utilities to increase renewable energy by 1.5% per year in their generation portfolio.  “Michigan families from Ironwood to Monroe need Lansing to work as fast as possible to move our state beyond fossil fuels to protect health and fight climate change,” said Michigan Chapter Chair David Holtz.  “It's time to hold utilities like DTE and Consumers Energy accountable to what our state really needs--a clean energy future fueled by renewable energy.”  Watch this space for details about "Farming Our Future: The Forces and Faces of 21st Century Agriculture," a conference presented by Less=More on March 9, 2015. Concerned About Food, Ag, Animals? Then Save the Date: March 9, 2015 A groundbreaking conference exploring the political, legal, and historical forces that shape farming in Michigan today and how to chart a path to a more sustainable food system takes place March 9, 2015 on the campus of Michigan State University during MSU’s historic Agriculture and Natural Resources Week. Presented by the Less=More Coalition, Farming Our Future: The Forces and Faces of 21st Century Agriculture will channel diverse national, regional and local conversations about the environmental, economic and social impacts of modern agriculture into a comprehensive forum to facilitate joint efforts to build a better food system. Look for more details in this e-newsletter and on the Less=More Twitter feed @MoreforMichigan and on the Less=More Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MoreforMichigan. Wayne County Exceeds Acceptable Levels of Sulfur Dioxide Wayne County is experiencing a crisis in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, a powerful pollutant that comes from coal plants and other sources that reacts with nitrogen oxide to create acid rain and can cause or aggravate health issues. People with cardiovascular disease or chronic lung disease, as well as children and the elderly, are most likely to suffer from health problems linked to elevated sulfur dioxide levels. Wayne County is the only county in Michigan to be designated as having SO2 levels that exceed what is considered acceptable. The Michigan Department of Environment Quality (MDEQ) is working to bring the levels under control, but the process, which requires a public hearing, has been delayed by months from its projected date already. Sierra Club is tracking the MDEQ as it develops a plan to ensure it includes a solution that addresses the heart of the problem -- 85% of all sulfur dioxide emissions in Wayne County come from three DTE Energy facilities, two of which are coal plants. A transition to cleaner energy is the only way to help ensure clean air for Wayne County residents. Click here to learn more.

Benishek Says His Medical Background Qualifies Him To Deny Climate Change, AMA Disagrees

Tell Benishek to keep up to date on the medical literature!

GOP Congressman [Dan Benishek] Says His Medical Background Qualifies Him To Deny Climate Change
Shadee Ashtari shadee.ashtari@huffingtonpost.com
Posted: 10/09/2014 3:36 pm EDT Updated: 10/09/2014 3:59 pm EDT

Dan Benishek

While more and more Republican candidates evade the questions about climate change by claiming they’re “not a scientist,” Rep. Dan Benishek (R-Mich.) says his medical background qualifies him to reject the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists that emissions from human activity are causing the planet to heat up.

More ...

###

Health is inextricably linked to climate change
Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities for Global Health
American Medical Association Special Communication | September  22, 2014 
Jonathan A. Patz, MD, MPH; Howard Frumkin, MD, DrPH; Tracey Holloway, PhD; Daniel J. Vimont, PhD; Andrew Haines, MBBS, MD 

JAMA. Published online September 22, 2014.

Health is inextricably linked to climate change. It is important for clinicians to understand this relationship in order to discuss associated health risks with their patients and to inform public policy.

More ... 

 

Host an Earth Day Gasland II screening party

Dear Friends,

I’ve been to hundreds of screenings of Gasland and Gasland Part II all over the world and even though I’m very proud of the films, watching them is never my favorite part. My favorite part, and the reason we’ve toured so extensively with both films, is what happens right after the credits roll.

People start talking to each other. And that talking leads to action.

This Earth Day, we want you to bring your community together to watch Gasland Part II.

Sign up to host an Earth Day House Party on April 22nd here, or email us screenings@gaslandthemovie.com to host a community screening at a local venue.



Something incredible happens when you get folks together to see the film with you. Together you get to see and experience what fracking could mean to your community, and then together you’ll get to talk and plan about what your community can do.

I’ll even help get the conversation started. I’m going to host a conference call on Earth Day to talk about the anti-fracking movement and our new campaign to transition to 100% renewable energy.

If we do this right, we’ll do more than just stop fracking and switch to safer forms of energy, we’ll build stronger, more democratic communities.

Please join me and sign up to host a Gasland Part II Earth Day House Party.

Hosting a house party is easy. We’ll send you a screening guide and all the information you need to join the call. All you need to do is invite over a few friends and get the DVD.

If you’d like to host a community screening at a local venue instead of your home, send us an email at screenings@gaslandthemovie.com and we’ll help you set that up.

The most important thing isn’t where you watch the film; it’s who you watch it with, and what you talk about afterwards.

And I know I can’t wait to talk with you.

Thanks for everything,

Josh

Tell Legislators: Protect Our Water From Fracking!

Fracking is a growing practice used in drilling for natural gas that threatens Michigan's water and air.Fracking has caused thousands of incidents of environmental contamination across the country.

Michigan can't afford to get this one wrong. Half of Michigan residents get their drinking water from groundwater wells.  Tens of billions of dollars a year are pumped into the economy by water-dependent industries like fishing, boating and tourism, and countless jobs would be lost if our waters were contaminated.

Even though fracking practices have evolved significantly and become much more dangerous, our laws and safeguards have failed to keep up. As stewards of one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water, we must act to protect its water resources and our Pure Michigan legacy. 

Urge your State legislators to Support the Fracking Legislative Package!

Your message will be sent to your State Representative, State Senator, and the Democrat and Republican Leadership in the House and Senate.

Tell Obama About Fracking

With one click -- sign the petition and tell President Obama natural gas is a danger for our communities! Dear Ed, President Obama is making a dangerous mistake.He's doubling down on dirty natural gas without hearing from the folks affected by it, like Rick Roles of Garfield County, Colorado.1 If he talked to Rick, he'd hear a courageous man, whose eyes well with tears and voice trembles with frustration as he shares his experience: Beginning in 1994, over 100 toxic natural gas wells were drilled within a mile of Rick's beloved home. Once a robust cowboy, he now wakes some days too sick to even feed himself. And time and again he has been forced to watch helplessly as his pride and joy -- his goats and horses -- succumb to horrific tumors and birth defects.2 Rick won't give up -- he's joining the fight and sharing his story about the terrible impacts of natural gas. But he can't do it alone;  will you stand with Rick? One click will automatically add your name to the petition telling President Obama that natural gas is a danger for our communities. It's not the answer to our nation's energy needs! Sadly, Rick's story isn't unique -- it's happening all over the country as an unregulated natural gas industry runs amok. Nearly half a million natural gas wells can be found from Pennsylvania to California.3 Companies pump a mostly unknown cocktail of toxic chemicals into the ground to unleash the natural gas locked below -- all the while poisoning the air and water and turning local communities into industrial zones.4 In 2009, this all too familiar process began near Beth Voyles' home in southwestern Pennsylvania. Soon after, her family began to suffer the effects -- unexplained rashes, aches and pains, and blisters in their noses and throats. As Beth said, "You feel like you're drugged because your brain's not thinking. We want our life back."5 Ed, with only one click you sign the petition and tell President Obama to listen to Rick and Beth. Natural gas is not a fuel for the future, it's a danger to us today. Last month, President Obama spoke about his plans to tackle climate change. But the president's plan includes an increased reliance on natural gas, which releases methane pollution that is 72 to 105 times more potent than carbon dioxide.6 So not only does natural gas put our communities at risk but it's also helping to heat up our planet. If President Obama is serious about tackling climate change, he needs to reverse course on dangerous natural gas! We need to be too loud for the president to ignore. That's why the Sierra Club is launching SierraRise, a new, online community working for progress and sustainability. We'll reach new audiences and build a bigger and more powerful movement than ever before. That means sharing heartfelt stories and inspiring pictures with our friends and family and flooding the inboxes of public officials and corporations with powerful personal messages. Will you take a moment to sign the petition and automatically join the SierraRise community, by urging President Obama to protect our communities and climate from natural gas? In it together, Ashley Allison SierraRise Senior Campaigner P.S. Want to keep up with the latest from SierraRise? LIKE us on Facebook! References: 1. Nardone, Deb (2013 June 25). "Correct Your Course On Natural Gas, Mr. President." Sierra Club Compass. Retrieved from http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2013/06/correct-your-course-on-natural-gas-mr-president.html 2. Brune, Michael (2013 June 17). "A Plateau Under Siege." The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-brune/a-plateau-under-siege_b_3455719.html 3. Urbina, Ian (2011 February 26). "Regulations Lax as Gas Wells' Tainted Water Hits Rivers." The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/us/27gas.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all& 4. "Why Move Beyond Natural Gas." Sierra Club. Retrieved from http://content.sierraclub.org/naturalgas/why-move-beyond-natural-gas 5. Lustgarten, Abrahm and Nicholas Kusnetz (2011 September 16). "Science Lags as Health Problems Emerge Near Gas Fields." Propublica. Retrieved from http://www.propublica.org/article/science-lags-as-health-problems-emerge-near-gas-fields 6."Net Global Radiative Forcing, Global Warming Potentials and Patterns of Forcing." Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/tssts-2-5.html

Sierra Club | 85 2nd St San Francisco, CA 94105 | sierrarise.members@sierraclub.org Unsubscribe from SierraRise | Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences View as a Webpage | Tell a Friend About This Email

Take a stand for Lake Michigan: Tell the EPA to keep BP's toxic mercury out of Lake Michigan

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION!

TAKE ACTION NOW! Natural gas rig collapsing in Gulf of Mexico

Dear Friend, President Obama -- It's time to move beyond natural gas. Photo Credit: Louisiana Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Two well blow-outs on natural gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico in two weeks? This is outrageous! After a well blow-out on Tuesday, a fire started and continues to burn out-of-control just 60 miles from the Louisiana shore. The good news is that the 44 crew members were all safely evacuated. The bad news is that natural gas continues to leak from the well, firefighting vessels have not been able to get close enough to put out the fire 1, and the well has partially collapsed 2. Will you tell President Obama that natural gas is another dirty, dangerous fossil fuel? Natural gas should not play a role in our country's energy future. If President Obama moves forward with a plan to replace coal with natural gas, it means more fracking in our communities, on our public lands, and off our coasts. Although it is too early tell what kind of environmental damage this well blow-out and fire have caused, we already know the impact of fracking in communities across the country -- polluted air, poisoned water, and more climate pollution. Instead of more fracking, we need to double down on clean energy like wind and solar. Send your message today. Drilling for natural gas, whether on land or in the Gulf of Mexico, is not the solution to meet our country's energy needs. Thanks for all that you do, Deb Nardone Director, Beyond Natural Gas Campaign Sierra Club P.S. Please share this email with your friends, family, and colleagues. References: 1. McGill, Kevin. "Gas well in the Gulf continues to burn", USA Today, 7/24/2013. 2. Fowler, Tom and Snider, Alison. 'Gas-Drilling Rig Begins to Implode in Gulf of Mexico", Wall Street Journal, 7/24/2013.

Two Ways to Engage in the Environment This Weekend! * June 26 Film Event Focuses on Fracking in Grand Traverse Area * Foodopoly Author Speaks in Grand Rapids June 25

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	Michigan Chapter Update  June 2, 2013  In This Issue: Two Ways to Engage in the Environment This Weekend! Join the Pooparazzi...Become a Factory Farm Water Monitor Foodopoly Author Speaks in Grand Rapids June 25 June 26 Film Event Focuses on Fracking in Grand Traverse Area Environmental Justice Orgnaizer Rhonda Anderson Wins Virginia Ferguson Award Support Sierra Club the eBay Way! Your Chance to Fight Back Coming in July! Sierra Club will have a booth at the Michigan Energy Fair in Ludington and the 2013 Michigan Summit in East Lansing this weekend. Drop by! Two Ways to Engage in the Environment This Weekend! Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association Michigan Energy Fair -- Fri. and Sat., June 7 and 8, at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Ludington. This annual event features workshops, speakers, clean energy exhibitors and energy activities. Consumers Energy will also offer free tours of the nearby Lake Winds Energy Park.  Check out the fair this weekend and drop by the Sierra Club exhibitor booth!  If you'd like to volunteer to help, emailtiffany.hartung@sierraclub.org. For more info on the fair, visit www.glrea.org. 2013 Michigan Summit -- Sat., June 8, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Brody Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing. This is the premier, politically progressive networking, training, and recognition event in Michigan held once a year. The conference will feature breakout sessions to challenge and inspire you to take action. It will also feature exciting presenters from around the country includingkeynote speaker and United Auto Workers President Bob King and Partnership for Working Families Executive Director Leslie Moody. Join us and hundreds of like-minded volunteers and organizations at the Michigan Summit and don't forget to stop by the Sierra Club booth. Register today to reserve your spot. Factory farm waste makes its way into our lakes, rivers and streams, threatening our health and the quality of our life. Click here to donate to our Less=More campaign to end support to polluting factory farms. (Photo: Tim McCabe, USDA NRCS) Join the Pooparazzi...Become a Factory Farm Water Monitor! Concerned citizens across the state of Michigan are training to monitor the condition of local streams, lakes, and wetlands to determine how they're impacted by nearby factory farms, which generate millions of gallons of chemical- and contaminant-laden waste that gets into our waterways. Michigan Chapter staff Lynn Henning and Cecilia Garcia recently conducted the first of several volunteer training sessions with a group of concerned citizens in Delton, a beautiful community in Barry County populated by several industrial livestock operations. These volunteer "water sentinels" will help us build awareness of pollution, identify and  restore compromised sites, collect water quality data for use in Environmental Protection Agency rule enforcement, and advocate for their local watersheds. We're offering two free, introductory water monitoring webinars on Tues, June 18, and Thurs, June 20, from 7-8 p.m. for folks interested in learning more about this vital volunteer activity. To register, emailcecilia.garcia@sierraclub.org and put your preferred webinar date in the subject line. For questions, call 517-484-2372, x 10. To learn more about Less=More, our campaign targeting taxpayer subsidies that give an unfair advantage to factory farms over sustainable livestock farmers, visit MoreforMichigan.org or check us out on Facebook.  To donate online to Less=More, click here. This short video gives an overview of Foodopoly, a new book by Wenonah Hauter that reveals the ugly business of American farming and food production. Hauter will be at Schuler Books's 28th Street store in Grand Rapids June 25. Foodopoly Author Speaks in Grand Rapids June 25 The Less=More Coalition presents a talk by Foodopoly author Wenonah Hauter, Tues., June 25, at 7 p.m. at Schuler Books and Music, 2660 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids. Blending history, reporting, and a deep understanding of American farming and food production, Foodopoly reveals theshocking business behind the meat, vegetables, grains and milk that most Americans eat every day, including some of the most respected organic and health-conscious brands.  Foodopoly: The Battle Over the Future of Food and Farming shows how our agricultural policy has has been hijacked by lobbyists, driving out independent farmers and food processors in favor of industrial food giants such as Cargill, Tyson, Kraft and ConAgra with diverse impacts--from economic stagnation in US rural communities to famine overseas. Hauter will discuss her book and solutions to the problems, including Less=More's work to take on factory farm subsidies in Michigan, and be available to sign copies afterwards. This event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, email Tia Lebherz at tlebherz@fwwatch.org or call 312-486-1356. A listing of the chemicals involved in hydraulic fracturing that have been found in watersheds nationwide (screenshot fromThe Sky is Pink). June 26 Film Event Focuses on Fracking in Grand Traverse Area Sierra Club Michigan Chapter presents a screening of The Sky is Pink, a short film about the controversial method of natural gas extraction known as fracking, Wed., June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Room, 610 Woodmere, Traverse City. The event is free and open to the public. Grand Traverse-area residents concerned about the quality of their water, air and natural resources are invited to the screening, which will be followed by a discussion of important regional environmental, legislative and political issues. Sierra Club staff and volunteer leaders will present opportunities for concerned citizens to get involved in environmental protection efforts in northwest Michigan. The Sky is Pink is an 18-minute documentary by Josh Fox, the Oscar-nominated director of Gasland, about New York state's urgent crisis of drilling and fracking, which is now an emerging issue in northwest Michigan as well.  Under weak environmental regulations, fracking in Michigan blasts millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into rock to release gas.  The result is air pollution and toxic water wells that have produced flaming faucets, as shown in Gasland, and even earthquakes. To RSVP for this event, email williamstrong@sbcglobal.net or call 269-372-3642. Environmental Justice Organizer Rhonda Anderson Wins Virginia Ferguson Award Rhonda Anderson, Sierra Club's environmental justice organizer working in metropolitan Detroit, received the national Sierra Club's Virginia Ferguson Award for her "consistent and exemplary service" working in what is known as the most polluted area of Michigan. In River Rouge, Ecorse and the 48217 neighborhood of Detroit, Rhonda has assisted communities to reimagine themselves even while being surrounded by some the most polluting industries in Michigan, including an old, coal-fired power plant and the state's only oil refinery, which receives oil sands from Canada through the Enbridge pipeline.  Rhonda is helping them create a new vision for the region, not solely reliant on heavy industry and polluting facilities, but based on new ideas of clean energy, good jobs and vibrant neighborhoods. To this end, Rhonda and lead environmental justice volunteer, Delores Leonard, recently worked with allies on the Detroit Digital Justice Project, which helped provide internet to residents and bring educational and career opportunities to a by-passed community. Congratulations on a job well-done, Rhonda! Support Sierra Club the eBay Way! Sierra Club has partnered with eBay's charity fundraising program, ebay Giving Works, to bring awareness and raise funds for nonprofits like us dedicated to changing the world. Here's how it works: BUY: Click on this link to go to the Michigan Chapter's page on eBay showing outdoor gear and apparel items for sale with the proceeds going to the Chapter. When your item sells, you will get a tax donation receipt for the donated portion of your proceeds. SELL: Got some outdoor equipment or apparel lying around your house that you don't know what to do with? Contact the Michigan Chapter and we can arrange for collection of your items to either sell on eBay or at our Chapter Retreat in August. WHAT: Outdoor apparel from top brands like Patagonia & the North Face; Tents and camping accessories (stoves, headlamps, sleeping pads, etc.); Bags and backpacks; Winter outerwear; Other miscellaneous items that need a new home like snowshoes, yoga mats, binoculars, biking equipment, etc. Our goal is to post on eBay year-round, so you can buy, sell or donate anytime to support the Michigan Chapter's work. We're so thankful for your support and contributions, no matter how big or small. For details, contact cecilia.garcia@sierraclub.org 517-484-2372 or jan.oconnell@sierraclub.org  616-956-6646. Your Chance to Fight Back Coming in July! Sick of reading about the Michigan legislature's attacks on the environment? Here's your chance to fight back. The Michigan Chapter's Political Committee is hosting their 2013 Kickoff Fundraiser July 27 in East Lansing. All of the proceeds will go toward helpingelect pro-environment candidates to the Michigan legislature and local offices next year. Sierra Club Michigan Chapter's 2013 Kickoff Fundraiser Saturday, July 27, 2 - 6 p.m. @ the East Lansing home of Chapter Political Director Mike Berkowitz RSVP to mike.berkowitz@sierraclub.org Can't make it to the fundraiser but still want to make a donation? Click here to for directions on how to make your donation! We're everywhere! @MichiganSierra Support the Michigan Chapter  Click HERE to make a Secure Online Donation! Unsubscribe from Michigan Chapter Updates Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences | Update My Interests | Explore Our Online Communities   Michigan Chapter - Sierra Club 109 E. Grand River Avenue Lansing, MI 48906 Contact Us Header photo Near Andrus Lake, Upper Michigan, by Beverly Wolf.