Legislation

• See what you can do to help advance the environmental issues at the capitol and to stop destructive legislation

• Voter suppression bill signed by governor

Climate

• Duane Arnold - the Good and the Lucky

• Gas is Too Risky for Our Climate Future

Plus

• Book Discussion on April 14: "The Overstory" by Richard Powers

• Panel discussion on "Digging into Soil Health - A new Vision for Agriculture" on April 22, 7pm
• Join us for interesting and informative webinars

• Contribute to the Iowa Chapter

• Volunteer for the Iowa Chapter

• To see the archive of previous Iowa Chapter newsletters

• To see the White Pine Needle newsletter

Duane Arnold - the Good and the Lucky

Two newsworthy items were recently released concerning the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant site.  The good news was an announcement of a solar farm being built on the Duane Arnold property that would be able to power 600,000 homes.  The lucky news was that the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant did not release radiation during the derecho in spite of damage that was more serious than originally reported in the press.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission determined that there was a one in 1250 chance of core damage and its potential of releasing nuclear radiation into the surrounding environment because the damage to the power plant due the storm.

First, the good.  In an announcement reported in the March 18, 2021, Cedar Rapids Gazette, NextEra Energy announced plans for a 3,500 acre solar farm on the Duane Arnold property and some neighboring properties.  That is more power than the nuclear plant generated.  Battery storage is also planned for the site, which will store power that can be used when the solar panels are not generating power.

Second, the lucky.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviewed the effects of the August, 2020, derecho wind storm on the nuclear power plant.  At the time, it was widely reported that the cooling towers sustained serious damage.  However, there was additional damage, including minor damage to the reactor, turbine, and FLEX buildings.  One of the buildings with emergency backup equipment was damaged and the equipment was inoperable as a result.  Further, debris resulted in clogging a water strainer which resulted in it being shut down and partial clogging to a second strainer.  As a result of the damage, the review indicated that there was a risk of one in 1250 chance of core damage.  Luckily there were some backup methods available and also some FLEX mitigation strategies; without them the risk was almost 1 in 100 of core damage.  With core damage, there is a potential of radioactive release into the surrounding environment.  Ten years ago, March 11, 2011, an earthquake and tsunami destroyed a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan, releasing nuclear radiation and causing a permanent evacuation of people from the surrounding area.  The model and age of the Fukushima power plant is the same as the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant.  Luck meant that the same fate did not face people living in the Palo, Hiawatha, Cedar Rapids, and Marion communities.  The Duane Arnold plant was already experiencing malfunction and was undergoing maintenance for problems that could have complicated reacting to more serious storm damage, including a ruptured nuclear fuel element in the core.  Luck is what protected the plant and Iowans from a far worse fate.

The Sierra Club applauds Next Era’s decisions to build the solar array and to shut down the nuclear power plant.

Sources

John Steppe, “Owner sees big solar future near Duane Arnold”, Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 18, 2021

“Final ASP Analysis – Precursor, Duane Arnold Energy Center Loss of Offsite Power Caused by High Winds during Derecho”, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, March 4, 2021.  See pages 1, 2, 3 and 9.

Edwin Lyman, "Fukushima 10 years later: It still could happen here", The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March 11, 2021

Book Discussion April 14, 7pm: "The Overstory" by Richard Powers

Join us for a book discussion of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Overstory on Wednesday, April 14 at 7:00pm.

“We’re cashing in on a billion years of planetary savings bonds and blowing it on assorted bling’”, so thinks one of characters in The Overstory by Richard Powers.  Reading the rich imagery, character development, plot twists, and universal truths in the novel is a powerful preparation for Earth Day.  We will end the hour by collecting ways to be a change agent for Mother Earth, either by yourself or with others.  Sierra Club member Kathy Getting will lead the discussion.

Click here to RSVP for the book discussion.

We are not on the earth; we are of the earth.

Webinars

Every Friday at noon, we do a Lunch and Learn livestream.  See us on Facebook at "Sierra Club Iowa Chapter".  These will be recorded so you can watch them anytime.  Topics will be selected based on what is happening during the week and will be announced the day before the livestream.  During the legislative session, we cover issues coming before the Iowa legislature.

Thursday, April 22 at 7:00pm - Digging into Soil Health - A new Vision for Agriculture Panel Discussion

In case you missed our past webinars and lunch and learn sessions, you can still see them.

We hope you can join us.

Pending legislation

We need your help in contacting your legislators on the following bills:

1.  Legislators have introduced a number of bills to dismantle Iowa’s successful and popular Bottle Deposit Law.  These attempts are not new.  The grocers and distributors have been trying to dismantle the law for years.  Ask your state representative and senator to oppose any efforts to gut the bottle deposit law, ask them to increase the handling fee from 1 cent to 2 cents, and ask that they expand the bill to cover additional containers (juice, bottled water, sports drinks).  Also ask your legislator to make sure that the dealers who sell the beverages take the empties, with penalties if they do not comply.  Finally the law should not require the consumer to take their empty containers great distances to a redemption center rather than a more convenient dealer - the current 10-minute standard is an appropriate distance to a redemption center.  It is unreasonable to expect a customer to drive 20, 30, or 40 miles round trip from the grocery store or convenience to a redemption center to return empty bottles and cans. Click here to take action.

2. Visionaries set up the Missouri River Preservation and Land Use Authority to preserve land along the Missouri River, to develop comprehensive plans, and to implement strategies that emphasize the creation of multipurpose recreation areas that foster and accent the natural characteristics of the Missouri River and which provide for environmentally sound land and water use practices for land adjacent to the Missouri River.  Ask your state representative to oppose disbanding it while there is still work to do or click here to take action through our action alert.  The bill number is SF185.

3. Sierra Club members have been working to stop the expansion of the factory farm industry for years.  We know that factory farms pollute our air, water, and communities.  Methane digesters process manure to create biogas as an energy source.  These digesters are expensive, break down easily, and allow for the continued expansion of the factory farm industry.  And, the digester process does not fully break down the manure so we’re still left with a manure byproduct high in Nitrogen and Phosphorus.  Ask your State Senator to oppose HF522, a bill that allows large factory farms to use methane digesters - factory farms housing at least 13,500 pigs or 5,400 cattle.

Email, addresses, and phone numbers for Senators

Find your legislators

Voter suppression bill signed by governor

Governor Reynolds signed a bill that makes sweeping changes to the voting process, including shortening the window for absentee voting, reducing the time the polls are open on election day, requiring all absentee ballots to be in the auditors office on election day, plus purging of voters who did not vote in the previous general election.

The Sierra Club opposed this bill.

These new regulations have one intent - to reduce the number of Iowans who vote.  One thing that makes us proud to be Iowans is our resilience in the face of adversity.  Iowans don't give up - we double down.  There is too much at stake and our water, air and communities are worth protecting.  We will need to work harder to make sure that voters who support our values exercise their right to vote.

Gas is Too Risky for Our Climate Future

Just a few short weeks ago, Texans were plagued with severe winter weather, loss of electricity, and loss of drinking water.  There were fingers pointed in all directions as to what caused the loss of basic services to homes and businesses. 

Mary Anne Hitt, Sierra Club’s National Director of Campaigns, stated, “While this episode of extreme weather gripping communities may pass quickly, the overall problem will still exist. We need change. Large swaths of gas and coal power plants were not able to operate during this extreme weather, and while some renewables were also forced offline, clean energy was more reliable than fossil fuels during this crisis. Fossil fuels have once again failed us and our energy grid continues to fail the marginalized as the effects of climate change continue to accelerate. These events underscore the urgent need for a twenty-first-century power grid of clean, reliable energy that doesn’t make us sick or worsen the climate crisis, and can withstand the increasingly extreme weather that climate change continues to deliver to our doorsteps.”

Iowans felt the effects of the severe Texas weather when natural gas supplies were reduced.  Katie Rock, Iowa Campaign Representative for Sierra Club Beyond Coal, commented that “It is time to take a hard look at how to build a more resilient electricity system in Iowa.”  She added “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our lifetimes. We owe the legacy of a clean, carbon free energy transition to future generations.”  Katie points out that transitioning from coal to natural gas is not a viable solution, especially since wind, solar, and batteries are the lowest priced solutions for generating electricity.  You can read more of Katie’s thoughts on natural gas in her opinion column that was published in the Des Moines Register on March 2.  See the column

Digging into Soil Health - A New Vision for Agriculture Panel Discussion

Soil Health. Regenerative Farming. Carbon Farming. What does this all mean and how does it impact farming here in Iowa?

More and more people are beginning to question whether industrial agriculture is good for Iowa because of the impacts it has on our air, water, rural economies and soil.  But we’re still operating under the assumption that “this is the only way to farm”.  

We know that’s simply not true!  Farmers across the state are trying new things, planting new crops, weaning off of intensive chemical inputs, and building new local and regional farming systems.  The just transition to a better agricultural system is burying its roots into our rural landscapes.  

The commitment to healthy soil has been welcomed by many people including farmers and environmentalists, but like so many good ideas and noble efforts, the focus on one aspect of our life-sustaining biosphere has been too easily co-opted by think tanks, elected officials, and agribusiness interests.

With exaggerated headlines such as “building healthy soil solves everything” and “soil is the key to the climate change solution”, and “healthy soil creates beautiful landscapes”, soil health has been reduced to sound bites.  But healthy soil is more than a sound bite.  

We must keep in mind the complex systems - environmental, cultural, and economic - in which we farm and live.  Soil can “ground” us as we seek to transform our agriculture system to one which ecology and nature are at the forefront, and the people who produce our farm products, now and in the future, are valued and respected.

As environmentalists, farmers, and eaters, we recognize that the current system is failing us all.  Let’s use soil as the foundation - the grounding we need - to work for systemic change.

Join us on April 22 at 7pm for a Panel Discussion with Iowa farmers and experts who are leading the way in our transition to a regenerative agriculture system that works for farmers, workers, eaters, and the environment.  We'll dig into what regenerative agriculture is with real world examples, what soil health really means, and how we transition away from our industrial agriculture system.

Our Guest Panelists are:
Denise O’Brien, Fruit and Vegetable Farmer
Francis Thicke, Dairy Farmer and Soil Scientist
John Ikerd, Sustainable Agriculture Economies Expert 

Join us on April 22 at 7pm for the panel discussion - Reserve your spot today! 

Volunteer for the Iowa Chapter

Almost everything we do is done by volunteers like you.  If you would like to volunteer for the Iowa Chapter, please let us know by sending an E-mail to Iowa.chapter@sierraclub.org.  Or sign up by using the on-line form.  There are many opportunities for you to make a difference:

• making phone calls

• developing graphics for banners and flyers

• working on legislative issues

• working on elections

• fundraising

• organizing events

• joining an issue committee

If you would like to join a committee on the Peoples Budget, sign up here please fill out our People's Budget Volunteer Form so we can build our organizing team for this project.  A large number of Sierra Club issues require some involvement with Iowa's state budget. Budgets reflect theories of government. Iowa’s political conversation rarely moves beyond the notion that government’s primary responsibility is to grow the economy. Hence we give corporations tax breaks, but slash funding for health care, environmental protections and public interest research at our three state universities.  We hold a different view of government and that is government is the trustee of all the things we share - public roads and bridges, water, wildlife, air, public universities, state parks, education and public health.  Therefore, protecting, enhancing and restoring our shared public wealth is the central responsibility of government. We must tie the budget to our priorities. 

If you would like to join our legislative action team, sign up here.  Keep on top of what is happening at the Iowa legislature.  Be alerted when you should contact your legislators about pending legislation.

If you would like to join the team on a public interest research agenda, send an e-mail to iowa.chapter@sierraclub.org.  The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club is forming a team to design a public interest research agenda, determine needed policies, and develop a strategy to implement the public research agenda.  This project will be a year-long study and design group. We are especially looking for scientists who are working in climate, public health, sustainable agriculture, and related fields.

Sierra Club - our best bet for achieving bold solutions to Iowa’s environmental problems

Sierra Club is Iowa’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization.  Not only that, we are the best bet in the state for achieving bold solutions to Iowa’s environmental problems.

We work in the courts, before Iowa’s public agencies, and in the halls of the legislature.  The Iowa Chapter's effort to protect the environment takes financial support.  The Chapter receives very little financial support from the national Sierra Club.  Can we count on you for a donation to ensure even more victories?  Your contribution will be put to work here in Iowa on issues that affect every day Iowans – water quality, clean air, protection of Iowa's soil, parks and natural areas, and a strong democracy.  The Iowa Chapter is relentless in fighting back bad legislation that affects every one of us. 

Your non-deductible contributions make it possible for us to fight bad legislation and to promote good legislation.  We appreciate your past and on-going support of these efforts.  You can make a non-deductible donation with a credit card.   A non-deductible donation supports the Chapter's effective, citizen-based advocacy and lobbying programs.  If you prefer, a non-deductible check can be written to the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter and mailed to:

Treasurer
Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter
PO Box 1058
Marion, IA 52302

You can also make a tax-deductible donation with a credit card.  Tax-deductible activities are limited to public interest education, research and legal actions.  A deductible check can be written to the Sierra Club Foundation with “Iowa Chapter” written in the memo line.

Easier yet, become a monthly donor.

Thank you for your support.

Donate your used vehicle

As the Sierra Club Foundation's Iowa Chapter continues to raise charitable funds to support its work in Iowa, won’t you consider participating in our vehicle donation program?  Our partners over at CARS have made the process of donating your unused or unneeded car, truck, motorcycle, boat or RV easy, efficient and secure.  They’ll take care of everything from picking up your vehicle to sending you a tax receipt for your generous gift.  To learn more about The Sierra Club Foundation's Iowa Chapter vehicle donation program, please call 844-674-3772.  Or visit our webpage to get started today!

Sierra Club Foundation promotes climate solutions, conservation, and movement building through a powerful combination of strategic philanthropy and grassroots advocacy. The Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of Sierra Club’s charitable environmental programs.

For more information 

Planned giving . . . You can name the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter in your will.  Learn how below.

Thank you for supporting our work!