MD Sierra News October 25: Transportation Justice, Tour Panorama Community Solar, 200 Rally Oppose Pipeline..

Here is the October enewsletter sent to members and supporters at the end of each month. If you would like to receive this monthly email please take one of our action alerts https://act.sierraclub.org/actions/Maryland  Check out the archive of the chapter monthly E-Newsletters.

10/25/19

Dear Sierra Club Maryland Supporters!

Fall is here and it’s almost Halloween. Sierra Club volunteers and staff are working hard for our future and welcoming your help at every step on the way! 

 
Sign petition for a safe bicycle and pedestrian lane on Nice-Middleton Bridge 

Help get pedestrian and bike friendly new bridge! All agree: The Nice / Middleton bridge is obsolete and decrepit – it needs to be rebuilt.
In 2016, Governor Hogan committed to rebuilding it as a long-lasting 4 lane toll bridge with bicycle and pedestrian lanes but has reduced road and bridge tolls around the state depriving the transportation sector funds for safety and environmental improvements.
Transportation makes the largest contribution to climate and health-harming pollution in Maryland. Providing bicycle and pedestrian lanes on the Nice / Middleton bridge would make the bridge functional and safe for all travelers, healthful recreation, tourism, and a commuting alternative. The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is at a cross roads. ACT NOW!

Tell Your State Legislators And Councilmembers NO To Highway Expansion And YES To Public Transit 

Funding in the capital budget for transit is cut by more than half over the next 5 years while Governor Hogan is pursuing an $11 billion highway boondoggle! Urge your legislators and councilmembers to tell Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn NO to highway expansion and YES to public transit.

 
 
 200+ MD, WV, & DC residents rally to oppose Potomac Pipeline 

Hands across the Potomac rally On 10/13, over 200 residents of MD, WV, and DC stood hand-in-hand on the James Rumsey Bridge, which spans the Potomac River, to protest the Potomac Pipeline and other fracked gas infrastructure that threatens water, the environment, and public health. Read our coalition statement here and view some video from the event.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hogan Administration’s Delayed Climate Plan Needs Major Work

Hogan's "Plan" will contribute to our planet's climate catastropheAfter a 10 month delay, Governor Hogan released his "Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan," and it is bad. It punts on coal, calls fracked gas "clean" and argues that more highways will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.   Read our press release here.

 
 
 
 
 
Natural Places Committee Looking for New Members

Join the Natural Places Committee! (Picture of Chapman Forest Shoreline by Janet Gingold)We value native biological diversity of all plants, animals, and fungi, native flowers, ferns, mushrooms, birds, mussels, butterflies, frogs, raccoons, and the diverse native habitats, including forests, meadows, wetlands. Rivers, mountains, and coastal areas. Activists welcome! Contact Marc.imlay@mdsierra.org   

Representative Cummings 

Carolyn Parsa, Howard Co Sierra Club Chair with US Representative Cummings  We are grieving our loss of US Representative Elijah Cummings “ A tireless advocate for our democracy, civil and human rights, and clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

During a 2016 hearing about the water crisis in Flint, Mich., he said, “Our children are the living messages that we send to a future that we’ll never see. The question is, will we rob them of their destiny? Will we rob them of their dreams? No, we will not do that.”  - Chris Yoder, Baltimore Sierra Club 

New Friends and Energy at the Jamboree

Jamboree Contra Dancing  What a wonderful weekend of terrific workshops and speakers, "contra" dancing, yoga, entertaining live auction, campfire singing & s’mores, critter dude, art in the park, nature walks, creepy crawly bioblitz revealing all kinds of plants and animals. Special thanks to the Shepherd’s Spring kitchen for providing delicious meals for the weekend and to the Sunday volunteer lunch crew! But most of all, all our attendees from old to young being there made it a wonderful event. See pictures and updates from presenters

 Invasive Weed Pull at the Community Ecology Institute Tuesday October 29

Community Ecology Institute workday 2019Join us for a morning of invasive weed pulling in the deep woods! The former Shaw Farm, in Columbia, is being transformed into an amazing educational space that will bring the community together. Info & RSVP
 
 
 
 
Transportation Committee Meeting: Goal Setting Monday October 28 

Transportation Committee Monthly Meeting Goal SettingAttend our next monthly transportation committee meeting Monday October 28th @ 7 pm. We will be discussing setting our goals for 2020 to reduce pollution, expand transit, promote biking and pedestrian infrastructure, and EVs Info & RSVP.

 
 
 
Tour Panorama Community Solar Project in Ft. Washington Friday November 1

Panorama Community Solar 2019Solar is only 5% of MD’s renewable energy. Learn what it took to build the largest community solar project in the country on a former rubblefill! Guided by Mr. Hillel Halberstam, Managing Member, SynerGen Solar. Info & RSVP

 

 

 

Explore Jug Bay Natural Area or Susquehanna River Sunday November 3 
Join us by the river! Heron at Jug Bay by Janet Gingold
Come soak up the fall colors before they fade away. Join us for a 3 mile walk through the woods along the edge of the  Patuxent River, INFO & RSVP Or join 7 mile hike at Susquehanna, INFO & RSVP.
 

 
 
Outdoors for All - Training for Sierra Club Outings Leaders Sunday  November 17 

Jamboree 2019 Family Exploration in the woods by Bella DastvanJoin the Sierra Club MD Chapter’s Outings program to get people of all ages and abilities outside in nature. Become a Sierra Club Outdoors leader! Info & RSVP 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Natural Places Committee Meeting Wednesday November 20 

Save our Natural Places for the Enjoyment of AllJoin the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter's Natural Places Team. Meet and Greet and Meeting Info & RSVP

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer or Intern with the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club

Seyram Estill Viveka Bella Jamboree 2019Apply now to be one of our awesome interns or volunteers organizing events, taking notes, making calls, posting blogs, outreaching to the public, leading stewardship work days to get people out into nature learning about conservation issues.

Join the MD team to see how a grassroots non-profit works, gain valuable real world experience, and become the next generation of activist leaders.  Intern and Volunteer information
 


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