|
|
| Return to Main Page | ||
| Ozark Sierran Online | ||
October - December 2005
Attorney
General Sues to Halt Removal of MKT Bridge at Boonville
by Susan Flader,
Missouri Parks Association
This article
first appeared in the Missouri Park Association’s HERITAGE newsletter.
 Boonville Bridge Photo by Jim Denny |
A bitter controversy has arisen this spring about whether the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) should allow the Union Pacific Railroad to remove the former MKT Railroad bridge at Boonville in order to use the steel to build a new railroad bridge across the Osage River. This complex dispute has led to the resignation of a longtime high-ranking MDNR official and it has resulted in a lawsuit by the Missouri attorney general against MDNR Director Doyle Childers. At bottom is a question about the integrity of Missouri’s enormously popular Katy Trail State Park.
Taking
the Lead on Energy and Global Warming
by Richard H. (Dick) Ball, Energy Issues Chair, Virginia Chapter
We recently observed the spectacle of the President and Congress stepping
up to the plate and swinging at a curve ball called the energy problem. It appeared
to environmentalists and some other observers that they hit a foul ball and
then declared it to be a home run. What is now quite clear is that Washington
is not going to lead us down the path to a sustainable energy future or seriously
tackle the global warming issue.
Food
Plants – Phamacological Factories
by Gale Burrus
It sounds like a good idea. Get your daily insulin to control your diabetes
in your oatmeal. Receive a vaccination against a deadly disease in your banana
with breakfast. Keep third-world country children from dying from diarrhea by
giving them medicine in a granola bar.
This
process of using biological factories to produce drugs and industrial chemicals
is called pharming. Pharming is the genetic engineering of organisms to produce
pharmaceuticals.
Decision
2005
by Chris
Hayday, Ozark Chapter Political Chair
Governor
Blunt has scheduled a special election for Tuesday, November 8 to fill the three
legislative vacancies in the 29th Missouri Senate district (McDonald, Barry,
Stone, Taney, Ozark and Lawrence Counties), and the 94th (Kirkwood) and 150th
(Crawford and Dent Counties) Missouri House of Representatives district seats.
Sierra
Summit Draws Crowds
by Roy C. Hengerson, Ozark Chapter ExCom
On September 8 through 11, 2005 the largest gathering ever of Sierra Club
leaders, members, and supporters filled the Moscone Convention Center in San
Francisco. Club staff and volunteers had been planning this event for well over
a year and judging by the comments from Summit attendees, they were successful
in holding an event that appealed to the wide variety of participants. At least
1,500 people attended the Summit.
Investing
in Missouri's Future
Chapter Funding Update
by Melissa Blakley, Chapter Development Associate
$7,000
more to go!
Thanks
to YOU, the Ozark Chapter—with its 12,000 members—is considered
the most effective environmental organization in Missouri. We work together
to protect the environment by empowering citizens and communities to be bold
in claiming their shared natural heritage.
One
Fingernail at a Time and When the Stars Line Up
by Tom Kruzen, Ozark Chapter Mining Chair
“Sometimes,”
I told a fellow lead-fighter, “You win on your issue one fingernnail at
a time.” She was commiserating that progress in fighting the lead industry
seems to move in millimeters. I told her I knew that the wheels of government
move, indeed, slowly. In July, I had filed a Sunshine Law request of the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) over the possible re-occupation of the
homes in Herculaneum that were purchased by the Doe Run Company in the last
two years. These homes were highly contaminated with heavy metals and were deemed
unfit to live in.
High
Gas Prices and the Road to Stewardship
by Ron McLinden
It may be painful to see gasoline at $2.50 or $3.00 per gallon, but even
greater pain lies ahead if we ignore the signals.
Adjusted for inflation, today’s gas prices are still below the 1979 level,
but this time they’re not likely to go down so much. In fact, as he signed
the new energy bill, the President acknowledged that the bill wouldn’t
do much to bring down gas prices.
 |
What's
that in the Water?
by Ken Midkiff, Chapter Conservation Chair
Another dreary meeting in a large conference room at Jefferson City’s
Capitol Plaza Hotel. All chairs were occupied. All attention was directed to
six commissioners appointed by Governors Holden and Blunt.
Months of work on
the Water Quality Standards culminated in a meeting of the Missouri Clean Water
Commission on Wednesday, September 7. The issue was whether or not streams would
be designated for “Whole Body Contact.” While this sounds mundane
and esoteric, the federal Clean Water Act directed that ALL waterbodies in the
United States be capable of supporting aquatic life (fishable) and supportive
of recreation in and on the water (swimmable) by 1983.
1983 was a long time ago—22 years to be exact. For those 22 years, Missouri
avoided complying with the Clean Water Act. The state would have likely done
so for an additional 22 years were it not for a lawsuit brought by the Missouri
Coalition for the Environment against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). The suit contained a number of points, but all of these points were based
on one thing: The U.S. EPA had failed to cause Missouri to comply with the Clean
Water Act.
"You
Have Made a Difference!"
At
least that’s what the National park Superintendent Noel Poe told us at
the Annual Jacks Fork River Cleanup this Year. All of the rangers have told
him that there is a notable difference in the amount of trash that they have
seen. This was the third year that the Water Sentinel program sponsored the
cleanup. The first year we removed 20 car tires and three tractor tires and
tons of trash. This year we only had two tires which we had to dig out and instead
of counting the trash by the ton we were able to count it by the bag!!
Sierra
Club's Clean Water Campaign
Protecting
the Integrity of Missouri’s Water Resources
Missouri
water bodies provide enjoyment for people via fishing, wading, swimming, canoeing,
kayaking, rafting, and diving; habitat for wildlife; protection against flooding;
and drinking water for much of the population.
Protect
Water Quality Requires Involvement in the Rule Making Process
by Carla Klein, Chapter Program Director
Protecting
water quality in Missouri often comes down to what laws are on the books and
how those laws are interpreted when rules and regulations are written by the
regulatory agencies. One critical aspect of environmental protection is being
involved in the rule-making process. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
holds what are called “stakeholder” meetings when they are proposing
new Missouri environmental regulations. Stakeholder meetings are very technical,
long and time consuming, but having effective and enforceable laws to protect
the health and safety of Missouri communities and protect our natural heritage
is essential. These stakeholder meetings are supposed to include everyone impacted
by the decisions. However, they are attended mainly by industry representatives
paid to represent their company’s interests.
Postpone
Springfield Power Decisions
by Linda Chipperfield, Ozark Chapter ExCom
Springfieldians
and City Utilities (CU) are searching for a solution to their growing energy
needs and a decision isn’t likely to happen any time soon. After rushing
their study to make possible a February 2006 bond issue, the Power Supply Community
Task Force recommended a combination of sources that necessitates further research.
Support
Sierra Club’s Clean Energy Campaign
The
Sierra Club has an opportunity NOW to make a difference in Missouri’s
long-term energy future.
If more coal-burning power plants are allowed to be built, the state will be
locked into expensive dirty technology for the next 30-50 years.
Energy
Notes
by Wallace
McMullen
New
Coal Rush
DOE has provided information that a multitude of new coal burning
power plants are proposed in the Midwest. 49 new power plants are proposed in
the 13 Midwest states, representing a total investment of over $40 billion if
all are built. The output of all the proposals would be approximately 30,000
MW/hour.
Tall
Tower Wind Study
Missouri
DNR’s Energy Center has been working on a study of wind energy in Missouri
at the heights appropriate for utility scale development of wind energy. Sufficient
funding commitments to start the project were obtained from US Department of
Energy, and two utilities, Ameren and Aquila. The data collection and mathematical
analysis will be performed by the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The
Insignificant Perspective
by Albert A. Midoux
I
will try to present to you, the consuming public, a perspective seldom acknowledged,
“The State of the Union.” I am a retired food safety inspector for
the United States Department of Agriculture. I have served in the military in
the Korean Police Action. I have voted in every major political campaign that
I can recall. I have, however, been an insignificant contributor financially
to any political endeavor. Therein lies the insignificance of my perspective.
May
the Discussions Begin
Ozark
Chapter has set up a new listserve for faculty and staff of colleges and universities
in Missouri.