April-June 2005 Ozark Sierran  

Ozark Chapter commits to long-range Strategic Plan
by Melissa Blakley, Chapter Development Associate

As the only environmental group lobbying the Missouri Legislature, the Sierra Club gives a strong environmental voice to issues directly affect you and your community.
Ozark Chapter leaders realize we are facing the toughest challenges we have ever faced to protect our beautiful and natural state. Many Missouri legislators are determined to roll back environmental protections that safeguard our water, our air and our communities, and intend to render ineffective the state agencies responsible for holding polluters accountable. Our predicament in Missouri is similar to the national situation in which Congress and the Bush Administration are attempting to roll back the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and Wildlands protection through policy changes, administrative directives, and legislation. Both in Missouri and nationally, agencies created to protect our natural resources and ensure the health and safety of our communities— such as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency—have become dominated by political appointees whose agendas are out of step with such basic principles as “polluter pays,” the public’s “right to know,” and personal accountability. As you may know, the best defense is a good offense, which is why your Ozark Chapter leaders have stepped up to the challenge by developing a long-range strategic plan to protect Missouri—not just this year but far into the future. This plan sets priorities that incorporate many of the programs members are already engaged in across the state, in combination with a long-range sustainable fundraising plan to achieve our expanded vision.

Priority Campaigns

Energy: Promoting clean energy solutions while opposing more dirty coal-burning power plants.

Water Quality: Protecting the integrity of Missouri’s water resources.

Public Lands: Preserving and restoring forests, riverways and urban wildlands.

Livable Communities: Promoting sustainable communities and transportation choices.

Thanks to the financial support and volunteer participation of members like you, the Ozark Chapter is a strong voice for your issues—for your values, backed by over 10,000 Missouri members. Please find your “Invitation to Protect Missouri” in this newsletter and send a contribution today.
With your help, Sierra Club leaders can implement our new strategic plan to defend the progress we have made and to lead Missouri in a new direction. These plans include engaging more volunteers in direct advocacy and public education, developing strategic coalitions, campaigns to hold elected officials accountable, and litigation when it is necessary.

We need your help more than ever. As a grassroots environmental organization the Sierra Club is only as effective as its membership. We rely on you, our members both for volunteer leadership and financial support. The Ozark Chapter receives only a very small fraction of the annual dues that pay for your Sierra magazine and national conservation programs.

You should have received an “Invitation to Protect Missouri” in the mail in the last few weeks. If you have never made a donation to the Ozark Chapter please consider making one now. If you have made the same contribution year after year, we thank you and ask you to please consider an increased contribution. Your donation— no matter how large or small—is vital to our plan to protect Missouri.

Sierra Club members are active in communities all over Missouri—working on clean streams, air quality, transportation options, smart land use, clean energy, instream gravel mining, forest protection, habitat restoration, parks preservation, urban conservation, invasive species, lead mining and more.
Please do your part. If you have misplaced your “Invitation to Protect Missouri” you can find a copy at right.

Mail to:

Ozark Chapter Sierra Club
1007 N. College, Suite 1
Columbia MO 65201