As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.
After years of being a voice of reason during often tumultuous times, Maine Sierran Editor, Jim Frick (pictured left with Lucas St. Clair), is stepping down. During the time Jim has published this newsletter, he has given us articles, photos, quotes, and an appealing layout that encourages people not only to read, but to learn, participate, and volunteer. Jim has helped build our chapter in unique ways and will be greatly missed.
He came to the Maine Chapter from years of being editor of UMaine’s alumni magazine, for a while producing both publications. An unpaid volunteer, Jim bought his own software to upgrade the quality of our newsletter, and when it was decided to decrease the number of newsletters from four to two, he took on the additional role of creating our monthly e-newsletter. Thus, Jim has lived and breathed deadlines, something that might drive many of us crazy.
Anyone who has saved copies of Maine Sierran over the years, going back to the early 2000’s, knows about the work being done by the Chapter’s political, legislative, conservation, and outings teams thanks to Jim. Ken Cline, who co-led the Woods and Waters team with him, admires his even tempered and gentle leadership in all he has done (much appreciated by volunteer writers who might otherwise miss a deadline) and by those who have volunteered for that team on projects like the 100 Mile Wilderness/Katahdin Lake addition to Baxter State Park. Jim was also chief organizer and emcee of the Chapter’s annual dinners, and took a lead role in planning large events like the Chapter’s Water Security Summit in 2016 and last year’s water conference with the Maine Tribes. Jim will continue to be active in those efforts.
It’s hard to list all the ways Jim has helped to make ours a strong Chapter, and filling his shoes will be hard, but we’ll do it, because Jim has led the way.
Thanks, Jim.
If you would like to continue Jim's great work as a volunteer for our newsletter, please email us at Maine.Chapter@SierraClub.org.
Pulling Down our Monuments
Sierra Club is taking down our monuments and reckoning with our racist history. The first step is to acknowledge that John Muir maintained friendships with many overt white nationalists and made derogatory comments about Black people and Indigenous peoples. Sierra Club is a 128-year-old organization with a complex, problematic history, some of which has caused significant harm to Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color. We are also a vibrant and multi-dimensional community of humans -- changemakers, activists, justice seekers, environmentalists, and more -- who believe in repairing harm we have caused; examining, learning, and reckoning with our past so we can transform ourselves from the inside out; and, rebuilding the future Sierra Club we are proud to be part of.
As Sierra Club’s Executive Director, Michael Brune writes in his recent blog post, “For all the harms the Sierra Club has caused, and continues to cause, to Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color, I am deeply sorry. I know that apologies are empty unless accompanied by a commitment to change. I am making that commitment, publicly, right now. And I invite you to hold me and other Sierra Club leaders, staff, and volunteers accountable whenever we don’t live up to our commitment to becoming an actively anti-racist organization.”
To read Michael Brune’s blog post in its entirety, please click here.
Chapter Seeks Executive Committee Nominations
Do you want to make a meaningful difference in Maine by helping Sierra Club ensure a clean and just economy, elect pro-environment candidates, and protect Maine’s woods and waters for generations to come? Consider serving as a member of Sierra Club Maine’s Executive Committee. The committee sets Sierra Club Maine's priorities, goals, and strategies which directly impact our state.
Committee positions are available to all Sierra Club members. If you’re a Sierra Club member (or know a member) with an interest in supporting Sierra Club’s work in Maine, please complete this form by September 15th. We are also looking for potential Executive Committee members who are interested in serving in a leadership position - Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Fundraising Chair. The Sierra Club is committed to seeking a diverse pool of candidates and encourages members from any geographical region in Maine, background, race, gender, age, or identity.
Remember to Rank this November
Too often, candidates win elections despite being opposed by most voters. In elections with more than two candidates, candidates can and do win even when less than half of voters support them. In Maine, nine of the eleven gubernatorial elections between 1994 and 2014 were won with less than 50% of votes.
While cities across the country including Berkley, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts have implemented ranked-choice voting, Maine is the only state in the country to have a statewide ranked-choice voting system.
In this election, Maine voters have an important job to do. The outcomes of the US Senate and House races in Maine have massive implications for the balance of power in Washington D.C. and therefore the future of our country. In order to ensure the best outcome in our Federal elections, we encourage you to use your power to rank the candidates, if there are more than two running. You can rank all the candidates without fear that your chosen candidate will be a "spoiler." Doing so will ensure that your vote is counted this election. Your ranking will be critical to moving our country forward.
Chapter Votes to Support NECEC (CMP Corridor) Ballot Initiative
Sierra Club Maine supports the NECEC (CMP Corridor) ballot initiative and will continue to support coalition work mobilizing around these efforts. To learn more about NECEC, visit here. Due to administrative and funding considerations, we are only engaging with our members in our ballot initiative efforts. To learn more about all of Sierra Club Maine's political work become a member today!
Volunteers Needed!
Moving into the most important election of our lifetimes, we need to build more momentum through grassroots organizing. Many of you have helped the Chapter in the past to Get Out The Vote (GOTV): attending rallies and town hall meetings, going door-to-door, making hundreds of phone calls, and working at the polls. Now, due to COVID19, door-to-door canvassing and other in person activities will be next to impossible.
However, accelerating a massive voter contact effort through peer-to-peer texting, direct phone messages, letter/postcard writing, and personal peer-to-peer connection, containing targeted messages to inspire and spread our message, can be done-- all while safe and sheltering at home!
We want to thank all legislators who have supported our priorities this Legislature. We had some big wins, especially in the first session (2019), and we made some progress this year in the second session (2020), even though it was cut short (we don't expect any more priority bills to be voted on this year). You can learn more about our legislative efforts on our Legislative Team page.
Through it all, our supported candidates proved themselves great allies and champions. In addition to supporting our previously endorsed candidates, Sierra Club Maine’s Political Team has weighed in on many new state races. Please check out our Political Page. We’ll share our general election endorsement list with our members soon. Not a member? Please join now!
The Myth of “Renewable Natural Gas”
A new report by Earthjustice and Sierra Club highlights the gas industry’s deceptive efforts to keep our homes and buildings tethered to gas combustion. Buildings account for nearly 40% of climate pollution in the United States, with much of that driven by the burning of dirty fossil gas for heating and hot water.
There is growing consensus that electrifying buildings and using electric appliances like heat pumps and induction stoves is the clearest path to tackling their pollution. And while today we may think it’s natural to burn gas to heat our homes or cook, doing so creates dangerous levels of indoor air pollution.
Future of Consumer-Owned Utility
The Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee (EUT) voted to proceed with additional consideration of Rep. Seth Berry’s proposal to create a “Maine Power Delivery Authority.” LD 1646 as amended would make key preparations to convert Maine’s private, foreign-owned electricity utilities to local, consumer ownership, and to recommend the formation of an expert task force to create a proposed transition plan and business plan for the new utility.
A study released this week showed the state would save $9 billion over the first 30 years if private, foreign-owned monopolies were converted to consumer ownership. Maine presently has eight consumer-owned utilities serving 97 towns, with fewer outages and rates that are 18% lower than CMP and Versant, our two private utilities.
We will continue to elevate policies like consumer-ownership that can dramatically lower our emissions and create a just and sustainable future.
Community Conversations
Our last Community Conservation with the North American Megdam Resistance Alliance (NARA) discussed the impact of megadams and why the Champlain Hudson Power Express is a bad deal for New York. View the whole event here.
We are taking August off, but will be bringing back our Community Conversations in September. Our first event will be talk will be Tuesday, September 8th at 7pm with Ambassador Dana of the Penobscot Nation. RSVP here.
We will also be holding a discussion on planning process for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Stay tuned for more information.
Did you know that last month was Plastic Free July? Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. It’s never too late to reduce your use of single use plastics. Making small changes to everyday products that you use, can help make a difference. For example, try swapping out your bottle of shampoo for a shampoo bar. Dulse & Rugosa makes plastic free shampoo bars right here in Maine! Check them out here!
Do you have a green tip that you would like to have included in a future newsletter? Please share it with us here!
The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice.
