Environmental Activism with detailed information about the plant. Two area citizens, Robert Concilus, M.D. and Leah Humes, have appealed the DEP's Air Quality Permit in the Environmental Hearing which has the greatest Continued from Page 1 Board. Despite pro bono legal Of great concern is the location biodiversity of any stream in of the proposed power plant one Pennsylvania and contains twenty counsel by Sandy Kelson, the legal process is quite and a half miles upwind from the -five species of fresh water mussels and over eighty species expensive. A fundraising event is Geneva Marsh, Pennsylvania's planned for Meadville for March largest wetland and home to the of fish. This power plant was initially 13. Financial donations can be largest breeding population of proposed for construction in the given through the CARE website bald eagles. The Marsh is designated an Important Birding city of Erie, but local opposition or through Erie Peace and Justice, 26108 Crossingville Road, stopped its development Area by the Audubon there. Crawford County is one of Edinboro, PA 16412. Society. The water from the Marsh flows into French Creek, the poorest counties in Pennsylvania, but citizens Bob Concilus works in Crawford in that area have organized County as a physician. He is a past president of the French to stop the plant. Creek Valley Conservancy, a TMC member, and an appellant The local group, CARE, challenging the Air Quality has a website at: Permit granted by the PA Dept. www.stopburningtires.com of Protection for the plant.
Toxic Tire-Burning Plant in Crawford County
SAVE THE DATE FOR A
STATEWIDE RETREAT! UNFRACKABLE: Coming Together After Our Communities Come Apart
May 30, 2013, Crystal Lake Camps, Hughesville, PA The arrival of the natural gas industry in our communities has brought some benefits and it has also brought disruptions in our lives, our peace of mind, our land, and our relationships with our neighbors. How do we live with the challenges that come at us from without and the fear, grief, and convulsion we feel within our own hearts? This will be a weekend to rest, rejuvenate, share feelings with others, explore creative, lifeaffirming ways to live with what’s happening and experience friendships and even joy in the process. This is a time to take a break from protest and action and join with others to revitalize ourselves and celebrate our communities and Earth. Environmental Justice Committee and Radical Joy for Hard Times member Joanne Martin is available for more info at jsmartin56@aol.com
Fracking and Your Health Public Health Perspectives * What common health problems do residents experience? * What are the sources of exposure? * How can you reduce your exposure? * What public health studies are being done?
Speakers: Nadia Steinzor - Earthworks Raina Rippel - SW PA Environmental Health Project Linda Headley - a resident of a Southwest Pennsylvania affected family Dr. Ralph Miranda - Greensburg Physician, Moderator
Where: Fred Rogers Center Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA When: Tuesday, March 19, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Q and A will follow Free Admission
Sponsored by: Mountain Watershed Association Westmoreland Marcellus Citizens' Group
D.C. Rally to Stop the KXL Pipeline: Two Experiences by Minghua He On Feb. 17, Thomas Merton Center members joined thousands of others in Washington D.C. to fight to stop the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada. Two buses were organized from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. and left the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland at 7 am. During the journey we signed letters to President Obama to express our objection to the KXL. The Keystone XL Pipeline Project is dangerous and expensive. It would double our reliance on Canada’s high carbon and destructive tar sands oil and send it for the first time in significant volumes to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The 1,179 mile pipeline through the heart of America would contaminate the Ogallala, ArbuckleSimpson, Antlers, and CarrizoWilcox Aquifers. Everyone is familiar with oil spills and their devastation in coastal areas, but the same damage often occurs on land. At 11:15 am, we arrived in Washington D.C. and gathered together under the Washington Monument. Some speakers inspired the crowd to raise their voices in unison opposing the pipeline. Coming to the microphone were many knowledgeable speakers including Bill McKibben from 350.org, Sierra Club President Allison Chin, Indigenous Environmental Network organizer Marty Cobenais, and Gulf Coast activist Cherri Foytlin. Approximately 35,000 people came together for the rally. After the assembly, people marched around the White House. They chanted, "Hey Obama, we don't want no climate drama," and "Michelle Obama, tell your man, stop that dirty pipeline plan!" This march and rally were amazing. It was good to take to the streets, and to once again make it clear: this pipeline is not a done deal,
and Americans don't want it. We by Xinpei He want clean, renewable energy, a The Climate Rally on stopping KXL Pipelines stable climate, and a real future. The was a great experience for me as I had never joined crowd was awesome, made up of such an event before. I was impressed by people I people of all ages from 28 states met during the rally and everything I saw that day. across the country. Everybody was “We can’t eat money and we can’t drink oil,” said fired up on this issue, including one of the speakers. Indeed, we should pay more thousands of people who couldn't be attention to climate change and green energy, as it is there in person but joined us via live necessary for us to consider our future. The stream. environment shouldn’t be a It is sacrifice for economic unforgettable for development, and we should me, a Chinese girl make an effort to inform who just arrived in people about it. It is not easy, America last year. but we have to do something. Even though the There were various signs climate was really which are interesting and freezing, I saw meaningful. In different ways, people of different people expressed their ages walking and feelings freely and creatively. chanting around Meanwhile, people kept the White House. coming up with different They believe their slogans which are full of conviction and power. I was really touched actions can change by one: “Show me what the government’s democracy looks like? This is decision and keep courtesy Joe Guthrie what democracy looks like!” the planet safe for Then I said to myself, yes, our descendants. The people on our this is how people fight for their rights and lives! bus were mostly seniors. I was We need to make our voices heard. Among the amazed at their enthusiasm. In people, there were seniors, middle-aged, young China, the grandparents of their age people, children and even babies. There were people would be staying at home. Their from different states with diverse backgrounds. children wouldn’t let them take part Everyone can choose to make a difference, in such rigorous activities in the cold regardless of their race, gender or age. I was inspired weather. But this group of seniors a lot. Sometimes we keep silent because we are was so strong minded and the cold afraid; sometimes we keep silent because we don’t weather didn’t stop them. I saw believe we can change something; sometimes we students from different universities keep silent because we are worried about what participating there. They care about others think about us. What we need is just to move the environment and the planet. forward, even a tiny step. They let me know that if Minghua He and Xinpei He are both we put our interns at the strength and Thomas Merton energy Center, and they are together we both students at the can make a Graduate School of big Social Work at the difference to University of the world. Pittsburgh. courtesy Joe Guthrie March 2013
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