Greater Baton Rouge Sierra Club

A Baton Rouge Sierra Club Educational Program

Thursday, May 10, 7pm

The Backpacker, 7656 Jefferson Hwy., 70809

America’s environmental laws and the natural treasures they protect are under attack in Congress and on the campaign trail – learn how you can help the Sierra Club fight to protect clean air, clean water, and healthy ecosystems – along with a healthy economy.

Members of the Baton Rouge Sierra Club will give a presentation, followed by a group discussion. This event is free and open to the public.

Environmental Division
Office of Conservation
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 94275
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9275

Re: East Baton Rouge Parish Drinking Water/Groundwater

The Baton Rouge Group of the Sierra Club submits the following comments in response to the public hearing held by the Commissioner of Conservation on April 12, 2012 to address the issue of aquifer depletion and groundwater use in East Baton Rouge Parish.

A number of key considerations were articulated during the public comments at this hearing:

- Concerns over salt water intrusion into the parish groundwater supply go back several decades.

- State law prioritizes drinking water above other uses.

- About half of the groundwater pumped in the parish aquifer system is used by industry.

- A number of industrial users, primarily oil and gas refiners, have already begun to increase their use of Mississippi River water and decrease their use of groundwater, showing that this can be done.

- There are local actions that can be taken in terms of water conservation and use, but state action is required to address the issue of private industrial extraction of groundwater for their operations.

The hearing was held in response to a request by the East Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish Councils, along with the Baton Rouge Water Company, and the Capital Area Legislative Delegation. The parish councils and the Baton Rouge Water Company, as well as a number of concerned citizens, have requested an official declaration of an Area of Concern so that the process for state action may be initiated.

We support this request. It is clear that the parish groundwater situation needs to be addressed, since a critical public resource is at risk. The Baton Rouge area has had some of the best drinking water in the world, but change is needed if this resource is to be protected. Industrial users must reduce their use of groundwater and increase their utilization of the Mississippi River. We support as well expanded public action at the local level to conserve and improve responsible water use.

Sincerely,

Baton Rouge Sierra Club

April 18, 2012

For Immediate Release
Contact Sam Wilcher, brsierraclub@gmail.com

Baton Rouge – The Baton Rouge Group of the Sierra Club today reaffirmed its support for the April 21 ballot measure to fund and expand the Capitol Area Transit System (CATS), and called on city-parish residents to support the proposal.

“The Sierra Club has long supported public transit as a critical part of America’s transportation system,” said Executive Committee member Sam Wilcher.

The April 21st measure would institute a 10.6 mill property tax over 10 years to expand and improve the CATS system, which would not only increase local ridership but also help the system leverage millions in federal funds.

“Residents of Baton Rouge have an acute need for transit alternatives,” said Wilcher. “This measure will not only help those who rely on CATS to bring them to their place of employment, it will also help provide a transit option for an aging population. Investing in CATS now means investing in a better future for our city.”

The Group commended the Together Baton Rouge coalition (www.togetherbr.com) and organizations such as the Center for Planning Excellence (www.cpex.org) for leading the effort to support the CATS measure.

Together Baton Rouge has produced fact sheets explaining the proposal:

(http://www.togetherbr.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/2012_Comprehensive-Transit-Reform-Plan1.pdf) and the realities of Baton Rouge’s transit system (http://connect.cpex.org/files/2012/02/TBR_Transit-Reform-Fact-Sheet_2012.pdf).

The Baton Rouge Group of the Sierra Club, part of the Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club in Louisiana, works to improve environmental conditions in our community, and to disseminate information about local, state, national, and global environmental issues at the local level. The Group’s Executive Committee meets the first Monday of each month.

For more information, go to http://batonrouge.sierraclub.org/

There’s been lots of discussion of how to lower gas prices in the news lately, including a large editorial in the Wall Street Journal by Governor Jindal. Mr. Jinal claims that part of the reason gas prices are so high is because of a “radical environmental” agenda held by President Obama.

Many of the claims are patently false, and it doesn’t take much fact checking to discover that the only radical agenda being pursued is one that would keep us dangerously dependent on fossil fuels and sacrifice the long term health of our climate and our economy in return for short-term profits for the 1%.

Read More here:

http://batonrouge.sierraclub.org/?page_id=48

WHAT: The Baton Rouge Group of the Sierra Club is proud to host John Hartgerink, amateur nature photographer, as he presents “Window on Bluebonnet Swamp,” about his photography of Baton Rouge’s backyard swamp.

WHEN: Thursday, March 8th, 7pm

WHERE: The Backpacker, 7556 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge

The event is open to the public & admission is free.

View Larger Map

The next meeting of the Baton Rouge Group has been moved to Monday, September 12th, at 7pm at Le Madeleine’s on Jefferson Hwy.  All are welcome to attend.

East Baton Rouge Parish is revising its Master Plan for Development  and a draft is out for review by the public. It contains extensive sections on land use, parks, and environment/conservation. The draft can be viewed at www.futurebr.com.

Also, the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) is holding the “CONNECT Policy Forum.”  Consider attending this exciting FREE event Thursday, July 21st in Baton Rouge at the Lod Cook Alumni Center from 9:00-4:00. The Forum will feature speakers from:

ReConnecting America
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Federal Highway Administration
Capital Region Planning Commission
New Orleans Regional Planning Commission
South Central Planning and Development Commission
New Orleans Regional Transit Agency
Baton Rouge CATS
City of New Orleans
City of Baton Rouge

You can register for the Forum here:  https://cpex.wufoo.com/forms/connect-policy-forum-registration/

Also, CPEX is hosting its annual Smart Growth Summit, August 17th to 19th, at the Shaw Center in Downtown Baton Rouge.  The summit has become the premier event for promoting quality planning and design in Louisiana, attracting Louisiana elected and appointed officials; planning practitioners, such as developers, architects, engineers and planners; and citizen and activist groups.  You can learn more or register at http://summit.cpex.org/

How does the flooding along the Mississippi affect your town?

THE BIG UNEASY, the first documentary by long-time “mockumentarian” Harry Shearer (Spinal Tap/The Simpsons) follows three remarkable people – the leaders of two scientific investigation teams and one whistleblower from inside the Army Corps of Engineers– as they reveal the true story of why New Orleans flooded and where it could happen again.

THE BIG UNEASY is holding a special screening in Baton Rouge on June 4th, from 8 to 9:30 PM at the Manship Theater.  Director Harry Shearer will be there for a live Q&A after the show. To get tickets or watch the trailer or please visit http://www.thebiguneasy.com.

Although it doesn’t officially start for another 3 weeks, summer is in full swing here in Louisiana. It’s a great time to get out and experience the outdoors, get a little sun, and enjoy what Nature has to offer. Of course, our spicy southern sun can make even the most die-hard outdoors enthusiast appreciate the creature comfort of A/C.

The Baton Rouge Group of the Sierra Club has invited the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) to update us on their efforts to make this rail a reality.

When: 7 p.m., April 21.

Where: Jones Creek Library.