Loo Wit Group November 2023 Newsletter

Loo Wit Rumblings

November 2023 Newsletter

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News

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Loo Wit Opposed Local Railroad Plan
by Mark Leed, Loo Wit Chair

Loo Wit Group is currently forming a task force to address the threat of industrial development along the 33-mile Chelatchie Prairie Railroad.

The railroad is owned by Clark County, which has leased its operation to Portland Vancouver Junction Railroad (PVJR), a private company.  PVJR president Eric Temple is seeking to take advantage of Senate Bill 5517, passed by the Washington legislature in 2017 to authorize “freight rail depend uses” along short-line railroads. To this end, Clark County Council created a zoning overlay in the Brush Prairie area, outside urban growth boundaries, with plans to rezone land within 500 feet of the tracks from agricultural and residential to heavy industry industrial uses. The County already has plenty of available land set aside for light and heavy industry within existing urban areas – for example, at the Port of Vancouver.

PVJR has already shown it’s an irresponsible land steward. In October, Washington Dept. of Ecology investigated a rail yard near the north end of the line that PVJR hopes to develop for loading and hauling aggregate. Ecology notified PVJR that activities at the site may have violated state and federal laws that protect streams and wetlands. The company was ordered to cease activity and apply for permits from Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Loo Wit has asked the county to end its lease agreement with Eric Temple, so that the right of way can be put to better use.  If you would like to help Sierra Club and local residents fight PVJR’s irresponsible plans, please contact Wendy Cleveland, Loo Wit conservation chair: wendy.cleveland@wsu.edu.

Loo Wit ExCom Election
by Mark Leed, Chair

Loo Wit executive committee (ExCom) members are asking for your vote.

Voting is easy. You may vote for up to 5 candidates. Email your choices to Loo Wit chair Mark Leed, markleed02@gmail.com, by Dec. 31, 2023.  Results will be announced in the next Loo Wit newsletter (Feb. 2024).  Please read each candidate’s statement below.

Richard Kolber:  My name is Richard Kolber. I’ve been a member of Loo Wit ExCom for 2 years and Loo Wit political chair for 4 years, helping endorse candidates and helping Sierra Club establish relationships with office holders to meet its objectives. Before moving to Vancouver in 2017, I was involved in Sunnyvale, CA, Cool City which was supported by Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter.  I enjoy bicycling outdoors, including riding in local, county and state parks both in California and locally. I’m running for a position on Loo Wit ExCom.

Teresa Hardy:  As a member of Sierra Club for many years, I’ve been an advocate for the environment both personally and professionally. I taught 4th grade and loved sharing about California and native Americans, with their respect for nature. Since retiring, I’ve worked on land use and water issues. As a member of the San Francisco Bay Chapter water committee, I worked on reducing higher lead levels in the drinking water at several Oakland schools. We also worked with other organizations to add 37 miles of the Upper Mokelumne River to California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers system. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, I’ve continued to work on land use, water issues and housing affordability within the city of Vancouver and Clark County.  I want to serve on the executive committee to ensure that policy decisions are made with an equity lens maintaining open space, retaining existing mature trees by developers, protecting our streams and wetlands, creating a rich network of parks and trails and building a community that tackles the challenges and consequences of climate change.

Wendy Cleveland:  I have been on the Loo Wit ExCom board since 2019. I’m the conservation chair and I regularly attend and speak at county council meetings about land use issues in Clark County. We have a conservation committee and would love for you to join us. Please reach out to me for more ways to get involved.

Steve Foster:  I seek reelection to Loo Wit ExCom. I currently serve Loo Wit as an ExCom member and treasurer, also handling Sierra Club calendars and merchandise. I’m active in conservation issues, including membership in several other environmental and conservation groups such as Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, National Geographic, International Wolf, National Parks Conservation Association, World Wildlife Fund and Nature Conservancy. I’m committed to Sierra Club’s mission of exploring, enjoying, and protecting the planet as well as protecting endangered species and responding to climate change, especially in today’s toxic political climate with the future of the environment threatened.

Lehman Holder:  I became Loo Wit outings chair in 2021 and have led Sierra Club outings for 50 years, including in the Northwest, South and Southwest. I’m a past chair and vice chair of Loo Wit and have served on Loo Wit ExCom since 1999. Since 2022, Loo Wit has trained and certified 5 new outings leaders and now has an active outings committee.  I seek reelection to Loo Wit ExCom so I can continue connecting both members and non-members to Sierra Club and the outdoors.

Sierra Club 2024 Calendars Available

by Steve Foster, Treasurer

Sierra Club 2024 calendars are now available and make great gifts. Price of the Wilderness Wall calendar has increased to $18 this year, but this is less than the store price. Cash or check is accepted. Make checks payable to Sierra Club.

Loo Wit is offering a 20% discount on five or more calendars.

To get your calendar, contact Steve: siberman88@aol.com, or call (360) 892-4289. Please leave a message if there’s no answer.

Loo Wit Outings Focusing on Hikes

By Lehman Holder, Outings Chair

Although sea kayak and bike outings are currently paused until next May due to the rainy season, cold weather and cold water, Loo Wit outing leaders are continuing to post hikes on Meetup. Check our Meetup page:  http://www.meetup.com/portland-vancouver-sierra-club-outings-events. If you don’t see a hike listed, check back occasionally. 

Certified outing leaders who lead hikes include Helen Ost, Sharon Fujioka, Lauren Grube, Chris Hartman and Lottie Otter. Chris Hartman also leads sea kayak outings with Lehman from early May to mid-October.

Also, a new outings leader is currently working on certification and is expected to be leading hikes soon.

Endorsed Candidates Re-elected in November

By Richard Kolber, Political Chair

Sierra Club-endorsed candidates winning re-election on Nov. 7 include Ty Stober (Vancouver city council position 5) Sarah Fox (Vancouver city council position 6) and Don Orange, Port of Vancouver commission, district 1.  All three reflect Sierra Club values. In addition, Fox also leads Washington state government’s efforts in battling climate change.

Executive Committee Roster for 2023

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