ARTWORK BY JAMIE MIXON
2
Conservation
Coast politicians receive large campaign
donations from Louisiana developers
GULFPORT--In all the press there
has been this year about Mayor
Ken Combs and the Gulfport City
Council’s efforts to push the 350-acre
wetland fill for Louisiana developer
Butch Ward of Gretna, there hasn’t
been a word questioning the large
amount of campaign contributions
from Louisiana developers to the
campaigns of Mayor Ken Combs
and Councilman Kim Savant. This
has been brought up several times in
public comment periods before the
city council, but the press evidently
doesn’t consider this newsworthy.
It is interesting that the Sun
Herald has published lengthy, front-
page articles about the campaign
contributions of trial lawyers to
judges in Mississippi. But the Coast’s
largest newspaper hasn’t published a
word about campaign contributions
that affect the city’s resulting push
to get Ward’s project approved. This
is particularly important since the
city council voted recently to take a
conservation easement on about 800
Save Turkey Creek! Sierra Club continues
to oppose large wetlands fill in Gulfport
Editor’s note: The Mississippi
Chapter of Sierra Club
continues to oppose plans for
a large proposed wetlands
fill near Turkey Creek in
North Gulfport. The issue has
attracting national attention.
The following article appeared
on the cover of The Planet, the
activist newspapers for Sierra
Club, in the July\Aug issue.
By Jenny Coyle
On a hot summer day when
she was 10, Rose Johnson
was baptized in Turkey Creek.
Members of her Baptist church
congregation in Gulfport,
Mississippi, gathered shoulder
to shoulder under willow
trees singing hymns. Wearing
PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Follow the money!!!
acres of wetlands that Ward wants
to use as mitigation for this huge
wetlands fill in a flood plain where
many homes and businesses are
already at threat from flooding. The
city also spent millions putting in a
sewer line that runs through North
Gulfport to the area of the Ward
property—while not allowing the
minority residents of North Gulfport
to hook up to the new sewer even
though the present sewer system is
antiquated and often overflows during
storms.
Is the City of Gulfport being
run to the benefit of the people of
Gulfport, or Louisiana developers?
Are people in North Gulfport really
“dumb bastards” for thinking this
administration cares more for helping
out-of-state developers than its own
people?
Campaign records from
2000 show Combs received $20,000
in contributions from developers,
engineers, and other commercial
interests in Louisiana: James and
a simple robe her mother
had stitched for her, Johnson
walked down the stream
bank and into the clear, cool
water. The reverend, standing
waist-deep in the creek, put
his hands over her mouth and
nose, and immersed her in
the water, saying, “I baptize
you in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
And so Rose
Johnson was saved.
Now, as the first African
American chair of the Sierra
Club’s Mississippi Chapter,
she’s trying to save Turkey
Creek-and not just the creek
itself, which has become
the final resting place forold
cement culverts, discarded
Laura Brown, developer, Harvey,
$1,500; Affiliated Engineers, Metarie,
$1,500; Flag Properties, Harvey, La.,
apartment owners, $5,000; Perrin
and Carter, contractors, Metarie,
$5,500; Lea Corp, Metarie, $5,000
(the registered agent for Lea Corp. is
Albert J. Ward Jr.), and Mike Carter
Construction, Metarie, $1,500.
Louisiana contributions to
Councilman Kim Savant in the last
campaign cycle include $2,500 from
Perrin and Carter as well as $500
from Shrank & Peterson Consulting
in New Orleans, $250 from Rhaoul
Guillame, engineer, Baton Rouge,
and $500 from New Orleans architect
Billy Sizeler. These campaign reports
show that most of the itemized
contributions to Savant’s campaign
came from Louisiana.
Now there have also been
thousand in campaign contributions
from Louisiana developers to Long
Beach Mayor Robert Bass, who
is running against Sen. Deborah
tires, and other trash and
polluted run-off. Johnson
is also working to save
the predominantly black
community that surrounds it.
In recent months, Gulfport
Mayor Ken Combs has
publicly called Johnson
and her neighbors “dumb
bastards” for their opposition
to a wetland fill they fear will
exacerbate flooding in their
community. Sierra Club yard
signs posted in the area for
Earth Day were torn down
by city crews. And under the
guise of “flood control,” the
city illegally dredged and
bulldozed Turkey Creek’s
banks, mowing down large
trees and brush and stirring
Dawkins of Pass Christian. Sen.
Dawkins, who represents this area,
has opposed the Turkey Creek
wetland fill because of concerns about
making flooding problems worse.
Contributions to Bass from
companies based in Gretna, La. include
$500 from JSW Inc., a commercial
development company, $500 from
J.E.J. LLC, commercial development,
$500 from Acadian Village
Apartments (Thomas J. “Butch” Ward
is the registered agent for Acadian
Village Apartments), $500 from
TJWJ Inc., commercial development,
and $500 from Wright Center (shares
the same mailing address as Acadian
Village Apartments), commercial
development. There was a $500
donation from David Beard, engineer,
Sugar Land, Texas. Contributions to
Bass from local developer interests up
to July totaled $2,100.
Remember voters, you get
what they (the campaign contributors)
pay for!
up decades’ worth of
polluted soil. As a result, the
Army Corps of Engineers
has intervened, and the
Sierra Club and NAACP
have filed a notice of intent
to sue the city for violations
of the Clean Water Act.
Turkey Creek winds through
the city of Gulfport at the
state’s south end, where the
warm waters from the Gulf
of Mexico lap at casinos
that dot the coast. As the
coveted coastal property
was developed in the mid-
1900s, blacks were banned
from the beaches. So they
built their own homes and
recreated away from the
continued on page 5

PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Raising Awareness and
Support to Save the Oceans
The Campaign to Conserve Our
Ocean Legacy is headed to Missis-
sippi offering free presentations and
information to local groups as part of
a broad national effort to raise aware-
ness and build support for ocean and
fish protection. Across the country,
a wide variety of groups including
religious groups, youth groups, school
groups (from elementary schools
to universities), fishermen, garden
clubs, civic groups, scuba divers, good
government groups, river and water-
shed groups, outdoor retailers, local
elected officials, media, and others
have heard about the problems that
are developing in the oceans and are
getting involved.
We need people in Mississippi to
help save America’s oceans. People
travel from throughout the U.S. and
the world to the beautiful Gulf coast
and the vast network of rivers and wa-
tersheds which connect to the oceans.
Many of these people decide to stay,
and the populations of cities along
the coast are booming. Most people
have heard about the pollution prob-
Pat Kulick and John Welch honored for
lifetime service to the environment
Two long-time volunteers for the
environmental advocacy group Sierra
Club have been recently honored
for lifetime achievements to protect
the health and environment of the
Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Pat Kulick and John Welch
of Ocean Springs were honored for
commitment to work protecting
the environment spanning decades.
Kulick has served as treasurer and a
board member for the Coast Group
of Sierra Club for many years, and
hosted regional meetings and group
Christmas parties at her home in
Ocean Springs for many years.
“Pat Kulick has always been
there when we needed people to write
letters to the editor, attend public
Conservation
lems and “Dead Zone” in the Gulf of
Mexico, but most people haven’t seen
or heard about the devastating effects
of factory fishing because the death
of billions of sea creatures is silent
and removed from our life on land.
Ocean fish provide a healthy source
of food and recreation for millions of
people around the world and in the
U.S. Fishermen and their families
are losing out to big multinational
fishing fleets that are going to be lob-
bying this coming year to roll back
our laws despite increasing evidence
that the problem is getting worse.
Unfortunately, ocean fish and other
sea creatures are disappearing at an
alarming rate.
The Ocean Legacy presentation
uses pictures and video to show how
pollution, habitat destruction, mis-
management, and overfishing have
impoverished our ocean resources,
and have caused over 90% of the
world’s large fish including tuna,
swordfish and marlin to disappear
from our oceans (according to a re-
port this year in the Journal Nature).
meeting and rallies, and provide any
other kind of support needed,” said
Rose Johnson, chair of the Mississippi
Chapter of Sierra Club. “She has
been active with the club for 41 years,
which is a remarkable achievement.
Few people have done so much
consistently over the years.”
Kulick is a retired
engineer who worked with the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and later for Ingalls
Shipbuilding. She recently celebrated
her 80th birthday.
Kulick, her son Christopher
Verdery, and Coast Conservation
Chair Paula Vassey earlier this year
drove all the way to Rolling Fork in
the Delta for a meeting on the Big
Erika Hartwig, a representative
of the Campaign to Conserve Our
Ocean Legacy, is right now complet-
ing a busy presentation tour of eastern
states in South Carolina and will be
in Mississippi from October 14-21.
Erika’s sole purpose is to give as many
presentations as possible for as many
groups, large and small, as possible
and get the word out about the oceans.
There are many opportunities to see
Sunflower dredging project earlier
this year.
Kulick and Welch were
involved in helping launch the
Mississippi Chapter of Sierra Club
about 20 years ago.
Welch, who recently turned
81, has been a member for 24 years,
helping with numerous projects over
the years.
“John is truly a special
person who has donated many hours
to help the environment,” Johnson
said. “One recent project included
helping with a botanical survey of the
Sierra Club Coffeen Nature Preserve
in Florida. This was hot and buggy
work that was very strenuous. Other
members on this survey half John’s
3
the presentation and we would like to
set up times and locations in advance
for individual groups. If you would
like to schedule a meeting at your
convenience, have an event already
scheduled that we could be a part of,
know someone else who would be in-
terested, or have any questions please
call me at (202) 887-1350 or email:
lcunningham@net.org.
age had trouble keeping up with him
on the hikes to identify rare trees at
the preserve.”
Welch is retired as manager
of customer services from the U.S.
Postal Service in Biloxi. He is a
volunteer at the Biloxi Public Library,
and active with the American
Volkssport Association, a walking
club.
Kulick and Welch were
presented with plaques that recognized
their lifetime achievements at a
recent Sierra Club meeting. Also
marking the occasion was a cake that
included the inscription, “If Pat and
John were trees, they would be old
growth forests.”
 4
Conservation
Where are the WMD? Being
incinerated in Anniston, AL
Editor’s note: Sierra Club members
from throughout the Southeast including
representatives from the Mississippi
Chapter have been involved in protesting
the dangerous incineration of chemical
weapons in a minority community in
Anniston, Ala., already suffering from
PCB pollution. Below is a report from
Delta Chapter Chair Maurice Coman.
Here in Louisiana the threat from
chemical poisoning is all around us.
Chemicals in are our air, chemicals are
in our water, chemicals are in our food
and with petro-chemical plants lining
the Mississippi River and our coast, the
threat is going to be with us for some
time.
However, the one threat we do not
have here is the very real possibility of
being poisoned or killed by our own
government’s incineration of weapons
of mass destruction. We do not have to
live with the worry that artillery shells
and rockets containing nerve gas being
burned just a few short miles from our
homes will destroy our lives and the
lives of our loved ones. Yet the good
citizens of Anniston, Alabama are
staring at that very real probability
(possibly by the time you are reading
this).
Anniston, Alabama (about 40 miles
east of Birmingham) is one of the
most polluted towns in this country,
if not the most polluted. Monsanto
Corporation (now Solutia) developed
poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
there in the late 1920’s or early 1930’s.
At that time, the dangers were not
known and dumping into waterways
and on land occurred without any
second thought. There are literally
high hills of soil with grass growing on
them that are totally polluted with high
levels of PCB’s.
Now the next insult comes along:
The US Army has built an incinerator
just to the west at the Anniston Army
Depot to burn their stockpile of
chemical weapons that date back at
least as far as WWII. The destruction
of the stockpile, a good thing on
anyone’s list, is mandated by the latest
chemical weapons treaty. The problem
is how the Army wants to destroy these
weapons of mass destruction.
PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
There is a much safer alternative
method of disposal, chemical
neutralization, being used in four
other facilities in Color-ado, Indiana,
Maryland and Kentucky. Altogether
there are eight stockpiles of chemical
weapons in this country. Besides
Alabama, Arkansas is also about to
be threatened with the test fire its
incinerator and the remaining two sites
are also leaning toward incineration
The Chemical Weapons Working Group,
an independent non-profit organization
dedicated to the safe elimination of the
chemical arsenal, has been working with
the community and Alabama Chapter
of the Sierra Club to try to get a court
injunction to stop the immediate start
of burning at Anniston.
The question is, why isn’t the
Army working with the community
toward any protection from potential
accidents? The Army is pushing to
begin burning as soon as mid-July. Plans
call for a community-wide program
of preventive measures in case the
unthinkable release of chemical agents
does occur.
One of the most critical is installing
equipment to positive-pressure schools
(good air seeping out prevents bad
air seeping in) and other places of
congregation (churches, halls, etc.).
The problem is the schools and other
“shelters” are not pressurized yet and
cannot be finished before October.
In addition, breathing hoods (think
the top half of chemical suits you see
at clean up sites on the TV news)
are not in the community yet (many
residents are too frightened of having
to use them that they refuse to even go
pick them up) and there is no plan to
deal with special needs residents (the
disabled, the elderly those without their
own transportation). Basically, there is
no comprehensive plan in place in the
event of an accident.
The infamous Shelter-In-Place
scenario (duct tape and plastic to seal
an inside room in a resident’s home)
is the only solution now offered. It is
totally irresponsible of the government
to even think of firing up at this time.
So why burn in Anniston? Simply
because the incinerator is built. Yet
transforming it to neutralization is
possible using the basic infrastructure
in place for the incinerator. In this
process the waste is mixed with a
caustic solution and typically requires
secondary treatment. Advantages are:
containment of by-products; more
complete analysis of by-products;
low temperatures, which are
safer for workers; prevention
of uncontrolled release of
hazardous wastes, even
when problems occur; high
destruction efficiency; and
no dioxin formation.
Still, why should we
be concerned here in
Louisiana? Putting aside that
the people who will be most
affected are lower income and
people of color, there is the threat
of that Arkansas incinerator just to
our north. Where do our prevailing
winds come during the winter?
In order to lend support to our fellow
Sierrans and community activists
in Alabama fighting the chemical
incineration, Harold Schoeffler,
Barbara Coman, Maura Wood and
Maurice Coman from the Delta
Chapter attended the two-day June
meeting of the Gulf Coast Regional
Conservation Committee of the Sierra
Club (GCRCC) held in Anniston. The
GCRCC is the regional level of Sierra
Club conservation program above the
Chapter. The Gulf Coast RCC covers
the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS,
TN & TX.
At this meeting, we were lucky
enough to have Ross Vincent, Sierra
Club Chemical Weapons Task Force
Chair and Craig Williams, Director of
CWWG as experts to share the alter-
natives to incineration with the public
through talk radio shows, a Birmingham
local morning TV news show, a meeting
with the rotary club and then meeting
with county commissioners. The forum
held on Saturday attracted at least 70
people, many of them community
members.
Our first panel discussion of the
meeting consisted of citizens who have
been permanently injured by years of
exposure to PCB’s and nerve gas from a
leak in the early 90’s. People are both
scared and angry over the loss of family
members
and friends
to cancers way above what should be
the average for a community of its
size. A mother, her grown daughter
and her infant granddaughter were
there to speak to these injustices from
PCB exposure (high concentrations
are in the soil everywhere in West
Anniston).
Another woman who was a
schoolteacher was exposed to nerve
gas in her own front yard. Now she
has health problems too numerous to
count. Her sister has to go with her
everywhere in case she has one kind
of attack or another come over her.
We could not applaud her talk or take
photos as the noise or flashes could
cause a seizure.
We then had a toxic tour of the
Anniston area and then met the media
at a gate to the Army depot. Here at
least 50 people participated in a protest
event that attracted all the major
networks and newspapers and radio. It
was unbelievably energizing!
The Delta Chapter will be making a
$1000 contribution to the CWWG to
help offset the expense of the fight to
stop the weapons incineration. If you
would like to make a contribution to
the CWWG, please send it care of:
KY Environmental Foundation
P.O. Box 467
Berea, Ky 40403

PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Rain in Mississippi contains
high levels of mercury
Mississippi rainfall contains
alarming levels of mercury, according
to a report released by The National
Wildlife Federation (NWF). Most of
the mercury released in Mississippi
comes from two old, polluting
coal-fired power plants operated by
Mississippi Power Company on the
Coast.
Mercury air emissions from
power plants and industrial sources
fall to the ground and water, and
accumulate in large, predatory
fish. People who eat the fish are at
danger for health problems. It is
estimated that one in ten women
of childbearing age in the U.S. has
enough mercury in her body to harm
a developing fetus.
Mark Van Putten, president
of the NWF, said that the report on
Mississippi and 11 other Southern and
Eastern state reveals that rain falling
over these states contains ominous
levels of mercury and threatens the
health of people and wildlife.
The Environmental
Protection Agency recorded
high mercury content in rain at a
station in Perry County, which is
Conservation
between Hattiesburg and the Coast.
Mississippi has fish consumption
advisories across the state because of
mercury contamination in fish, but
many fishers and consumers don’t
know about it.
According to NWF, the
average rain sample in Mississippi
was twice the EPA’s human health
standard for mercury in lakes.
Advisories issued by the state
have recommended limiting fish
consumption from seven rivers and
three lakes in Mississippi.
Currently the Bush
Administration’s proposed Clear
Skies initiative would relax the
regulations on polluting power plants
across the country.
Unlike Southern Company
sister companies like Gulf Power who
have taken steps to reduce pollution
such as mercury with scrubbers,
Mississippi Power Company has
refused to clean up its pollution. That
makes it the low cost energy provider
for Southern Company, meaning that
Coast air emissions are even higher
in order to produce power for other
states that more highly value their
own air quality.
As usual, the Mississippi
Dept. of Environmental Quality
downplays the risk. DEQ’s Phil Bass
was quoted in the Sun Herald as
saying: “I don’t think people need to
be worried,” Bass said.
The Mississippi Public Service
Commission (PSC) has oversight for
spending for pollution control from
Mississippi Power. But the PSC allows
MPC to spend hundreds of thousands
to evade pollution control rather
than requiring them to clean up the
emissions. Mercury in fish isn’t the
only problem. The power plants are
also the number one source of smog
on the Coast, contributing to asthma,
other respiratory and early deaths.
Mississippi Power also has
higher rates than sister companies
who have installed greater emissions
controls. This is proof that the PSC
is the lapdog of the power company,
instead of the watchdog. Sierra Club
recommends against voting for any
of the incumbent public service
commissioners.
Mississippi Power leads the
entire state in toxic air emissions on
the state’s toxic release inventory.
5
Save
Turkey
Creek!
continued from page 2
resorts, in North Gulfport.
“We used Turkey Creek for
fishing, swimming, baptisms,
picking blackberries,” says
Johnson. “We didn’t have
to worry about white people
driving by and yelling ‘Niggers
go home!’ and throwing stuff
at us. Nobody else wanted
this area, so our parents
and grandparents created
these little neighborhoods
and churches.”
But when it rains hard,
Turkey Creek floods, and the
problem has worsened over
the years as a result of wetland
development in the area.
The neighborhoods have no
curbs, gutters, or sidewalks.
Water is channeled into open
ditches that run in front of
the simple houses. When the
water rises, one church fills
waist-deep with creek water.
Breathing down the necks
of these already flood-prone
communities is a massive
development proposed
by Butch Ward, a well-
connected Louisiana man
who plans to build a multi-use
commercial development in
North Gulfport. He has applied
for an Army Corps permit to fill
350 acres of wetlands, which
Johnson says is bound to
increase flooding. Wetlands
serve as natural sponges,
absorbing and filtering run-off.
Johnson and her neighbors
have fought the development,
a fact that deeply disturbs
the mayor, who has received
large campaign contributions
from Louisiana developers.
In an April meeting with the
editorial board for Gulfport’s
continued on page 8
 6
Conservation PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS

Protest of National Forest Management and Outing

Planned at Black Creek November 8
By Davis Mounger timber sale if the agency can say The Forest Service in Mississippi specific issues listed above. If we
The Sierra Club will hold a that it is merely “implementing the has since 2000 continued to move get involved enough, maybe the
protest and outing at the Black plan”. All Forest Service actions back the timetable for renewing FS here will be compelled to do
Creek Scenic Trail November are based on its management the plan process. No public the same.
8 beginning at noon. We will plan: a bad plan would mandate meetings or communications with Black Creek
address forestry management bad decisions on the land. Recent the public on forest planning have Since 1999 there has been a
practices occurred since the spring of dramatic increase in recreational
proposed 2000. We cannot recall the uses in Mississippi National
in DeSoto Forest Service explaining Forests, particularly in use of the
National through normal media Black Creek Corridor and the
Forest’s the channels that the process had Wilderness in Desoto. The shift
River Runs stopped and that it had stopped in the state’s population to the
Through It due to changes in planning Gulf Coast part of Mississippi
Ve g e t a t i o n
Management
Project. Join
us to advocate
better forest
management
practices and
also enjoy a
short hike
and tree
identification
talk on the
Black Creek
Scenic Trail.
The National
Forests in
Mississippi
have not
pursued the
management regulations and funding. The has put much greater demands
plan revision agency at minimum should for recreation and solitude. Such
process that agency actions, like the horrible have at least made a sincere changes typify the reasons that
is required by the National Forest clearcutting planned near the effort to explain in the print and a management plan revision is
Management Act every 15 years. Black Creek Trail in DeSoto, are electronic media the halting of needed.
The existing plan is from 1985 good evidence that reform is not the planning process, as well as The Desoto District has a large
and is out of date. The 1985 plan on the minds of many agency new planning regulations that number of projects that are either
is a pro-industry document that personnel. Appeals of this decision have gone into effect and their pending or are being developed
considers 50 year-plus trees to have failed, because the agency is relevance to Mississippi. including 16 in addition to the
be old (‘late seral’) and calls for “in compliance with the plan”. Repeated requests for re-opening River Runs Through It. Many of
high volume cutting, preferably The purpose of keeping a revised the process to public meetings these projects are part of the Black
with clearcuts and seedtree cuts. plan in place is for the agency to have not been successful. The Creek watershed. The agency
We need to have real public have updated scientific, recreation, agency’s latest bulletin claims that should consider the cumulative
input, where the Forest Service economic, and other data from meetings will begin this fall, with impacts of its actions as a whole,
has to address real, specific which to base its decisions, as a new plan ready next year. If so, not just in isolation from project
issues: biodiversity, management well as to hear public concerns. conservationists need to be there to project.
indicator species, recreation, road A lack of current data keeps in numbers. You can bet that This district has by far the most
volume, silvicultural practices, the Forest Service from making the FS will try to pull a couple of ongoing timber sales in the state.
water and soil quality. Otherwise, sound decisions. All timber sales meaningless meetings that address If one watershed or a district has
the agency will slip a plan through should be suspended until a new nothing substantial, and call that several timber sales occur in a
that is just as poor as the old one. management plan is in place. public input. Most forests have short period of time, this would
It will be difficult to appeal a bad planning meetings that address continued to page 7

PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Protest of National Forest Management and Outing
Planned at Black Creek November 8
continued from page 6
certainly have a great potential
to have significant impacts on
soil, water, and wildlife quality.
Other forests that have had a
large number of timber sales have
undertaken Environmental Impact
Statements (EIS) that are required
of major projects.
The River Runs Through It
(TRRTI) management unit is
one of the most heavily used in
the district and in the National
Forests in Mississippi as a whole.
Major portions of the Black Creek
National Scenic River and Black
Creek National Recreational
Hiking Trail lie within it.
This timber sale would have
208 acres of clearcuts, 358 acres
of shelterwood cuts, 95 acres of
seedtree cuts, and 1142 acres
of thinning planned, and 24
miles of road construction and
reconstruction.
The Black Creek Trail is
already under new pressures from
the Forest Service. The CCC
Camp F-7 timber sale calls for
the relocation of a portion of the
trail only a couple of miles from
the TRRTI area. This is already a
significant disruption of our state’s
premier hiking trail.
This current proposal wishes
to bring further disruption. Four
of the shelterwood cuts would be
within sight of the trail. Many
outdoors people use trails starting
points to experience the forest
as a whole, and it is natural that
they digress from the trail to
explore, as the trail provides a safe
reference point for the hiker to
keep one’s bearings. The repeated
experience of clearings would not
be desirable.
The primary point of a scenic
trail is its scenic value. Outside of
the Black Creek Wilderness, the
Scenic Corridor is one of the one
of the few places in the National
Forests in Mississippi where scenic
and aesthetic values are supposed
Conservation
to be primary. Yet commercial
interests dominate this proposal.
This is contradictory to the intent
of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
and the National Scenic Trails
program.
This proposal continues a
disturbing trend for the DeSoto
district. The DeSoto has, along
with the Homochitto, the highest
road densities in the state. The
proliferation of old logging and
user-created roads in this district
has created a problem that the
new Roads Policy initiative was
designed to correct. It clearly
states that roads are not needed
unless a clear purpose and need
are given by the agency.
In accordance with Forest
Service regulations, when
managing NFS roads, responsible
officials are to:
1. Address both the access
benefits and ecological costs of
road -associated effects.
2. Give priority to reconstructing
and maintaining needed roads and
decommissioning unneeded roads,
or, where appropriate, converting
them to less costly and more
environmentally beneficial other
uses.
3. Use a roads analysis process
(FSM 7712.1) to ensure that road
management decisions are based on
identification and consideration of
social and ecological effects….
3. Add new roads only where
resource management objectives
and benefits are clearly
demonstrated and where long-
term funding obligations have
been carefully considered. (FSM
7703.2, para.3)
Unfortunately, the road proposals
for TTRTI do not fit this direction.
Instead, like the areas that have
had recent EAs (Walls Creek,
CCC Camp F-7, Cross Roads
Chapel, Deep Creek), the district
does not address the problem of
high road densities and high user
impacts.
It is hard to understand how
an area that contains a National
Recreational Trail and National
Wild and Scenic River would
warrant the already great numbers
of roads that exist in a small space.
The Forest Service map shows
commissioned roads, temporary
roads, and “unclassified road
construction” running up to the
trail and Black Creek itself. How
can the district justify allowing
this? There needs to be a “purpose
and need” explaining why all
these roads are needed to disturb
a National Trail and Wild and
Scenic River. Allowing roads into
this corridor damages the trail,
causes user conflicts, and becomes
an entry point for all kinds of
activities that are best kept off the
trail.
The National Forests in
Mississippi is proposing an
amendment to its ORV policy,
which will become a part of the
Management Plan Revision.
Desoto has a serious problem with
user-created roads. ORVs have free
use of most of the system roads, as
well as use of undocumented roads,
and the forest as a whole.
The results have
brought:
1. stream degradation
2. erosion and compaction of
soils
3. an increase in user
conflicts
4. increased littering and
wholesale dumping of trash and
rubbish
5. increased burden for law
enforcement
6. a reduction in habitat for
wildlife that require large, remote
areas
7. an increased number of
“entrance points” for invasive
7
species
8. a need for more agency
resources; much of the agency
budget goes towards road
maintenance.
Other districts in Mississippi,
notably Bienville and Tombigbee,
are making real strides to road
reform, efforts that predate the
Roads Rule. This district’s own
economic data puts a price
tag of over $800,000 for the
construction, reconstruction, and
“restoration” of roads for this sale,
several of which were not listed as
part of the transportation system
a year ago. It makes no sense to
add thousands of dollars to the
taxpayer burden by adding roads
to the Forest Service system, an
expense that will compound over
the years in maintenance costs.
“Restoration”
One of the main stated goals
of this proposal is to “reestablish
the longleaf ecosystem.” Yet the
cutting out of 358 acres of mature
longleaf contradicts this goal.
Other districts in the South are
not restoring longleaf by clearing
out longleaf (a shelterwood cut
eventually takes out all mature
trees). We have contacted rangers
in Alabama, and their responses
show that they do not cut out
longleaf. Mature longleaf is left
alone, or sometimes thinned, but
not cleared. The goal here does
not seem to be a reestablishing
of the longleaf ecosystem, but a
purely commercial interest.
Some of the stands slated for
Longleaf Restoration are said
to possibly have a few existing
mature longleaf trees. Why cut
them if longleaf restoration is the
goal for these stands? These trees,
if healthy, would seem to provide
good stock for future longleaf,
especially since these are trees
continued to page 8
 8
Conservation PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Protest of National Forest
Management and Outing Planned
at Black Creek November 8
continued from page 7
The 25-foot buffer standard
is inadequate in light of
studies www.gophertortoise
council.org/ that show that
burrows can extend further.
There is a risk of heavy
machinery collapsing a
burrow with this standard.
If logging is to occur near
burrows, the district must
consider more buffer space
for this species.
Please let our congress
people know that the
agency needs to be in
compliance with 36 CFR
219 and engage the public
in revising its outdated
plan. Lott and Taylor
are the only ones so far
who have at least looked
into this. For further
information, contact Davis
that have proven themselves to
Mounger (wdmounger@yahoo.com),
be adequate for the area in which
Sierra Club forestry chair and
they live.
a representative of Friends of
Other districts engaged in
Mississippi Public Lands (friends
longleaf restoration do not do this.
ofmississippilands.org), 662-320-
To not do this brings into question
6645.
the “reestablish longleaf” goal of
Sierra Club members are
this proposal.
encouraged to write or call the
One of the ways that the
following:
environmental assessment
Judith Henry
justifies cutting mature longleaf
District Ranger
is that these compartments are
DeSoto National Forest
not designated as red-cockaded
654 W. Frontage Rd.
woodpecker management areas.
Wiggins, MS 39577
Why does this matter? Wouldn’t
601-928-4422, extension 12.
anyone want to see an endangered
U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor
species thrive, increase its numbers
1314 Government St.
and its range, and become a viable
Ocean Springs MS 39564
species again with a healthy
228-872-7950 (Ocean Springs)
population? A forest needs to be
228-864-7670 (Gulfport)
concerned with all native species,
228-466-3972 (Bay St. Louis)
and not focus on only one, but if
601-582-3246 (Hattiesburg)
an endangered species can move
into a part of a forest, whether
Sen. Trent Lott
or not that area is “designated” is
3100 South Pascagoula Street
moot.
Pascagoula, Mississippi 39567
Another species of concern is
(228) 762-5400 or FAX: (228)
the endangered gopher tortoise.
762-0137
Save Turkey
Creek!
continued from page 5
daily newspaper,
Combs was asked
about the North
Gulfport community’s
opposition to
development plans.
“We’re dealing with
some dumb bastards,”
he said. “I’m not
running for re-election,
so I guess I can say that.
None of those people
voted for me anyway.”
Ella Holmes-Hines, the
city councilwoman
who represents
the Turkey Creek
area, called for his
resignation, as did the
local NAACP. Meanwhile, in May, the Sierra Club distributed
yard signs in North Gulfport that read, “We can clean up
Mississippi’s air and water.” They were a big hit, says Chapter
Director Louie Miller. “All 250 of them were placed the first
day.” Several days later, city crews yanked signs they said
were placed in the public right-of-way, which stretches 20
feet each way from the center of the road. Signs placed
on front lawns, but within that zone, were removed.
Howard Page, co-chair of the Club’s Gulf Coast
Group, who has gone door-to-door in North Gulfport to
rally support, says the city was selectively enforcing the
sign ordinance as retribution for community opposition
to the Ward development. The signs have since been
returned and properly placed, and more signs are on
their way. But the worst was yet to come. In late May,
in what the city claims was an effort to solve North
Gulfport’s flooding problems, crews with bulldozers
illegally dredged and scraped the banks of a 1,500-foot
stretch of Turkey Creek. The Army Corps ordered the
city to stop until it obtained state and federal permits.
Debbie Dawkins, a state senator and former Mississippi
Chapter chair, walked the area with Councilwoman
Holmes-Hines. “There are definitely issues of racism and
classism at work here,” Dawkins says. The Sierra Club
and the NAACP filed an intent to sue, which gives the
city 60 days to comply with the law. “At the very least
they have to remediate the damage caused by this
unpermitted, illegal activity,” says Denise Hoffner-Brodsky,
an environmental justice attorney for the Sierra Club.
Rose Johnson is up for the fight whether it takes place in
court or in her front yard. “These Turkey Creek neighborhoods
may not look valuable, but if they flooded us out you can
bet they’d be in here with bulldozers and in time you’d see
highrises and other commercial development,” she says.
“They think we’re dumb bastards? Just watch us keep our
homes and neighborhoods.”
 Election News
PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Nominations open for club offices
VOTE FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY
Nominations are being sought
for candidates to run for election
to the MS Chapter Sierra Club
executive committee, and to
the executive committees of the
Central, Gulf Coast and Golden
FRIENDLY CANDIDATES!
Triangle groups.
Nominations are open for
members to serve on the group
and chapter executive committees
(excom) of Sierra Club in
Mississippi. Terms are for two
years.
Excom members help with
2003 Election
Endorsements
by Louie Miller, Sierra Club
Legislative Director
Governor
Ronnie Musgrove
Over the past four years, Gov.
Musgrove’s administration has
shown little leadership in the
environmental arena. As you may
know, the Mississippi Department
of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
director serves at the “will and
pleasure” of the governor. The Sierra
Club has almost without exception
been at odds with the Department
on environmental protection issues
including swine confined feeding
animal operations (CAFOs), delisting
of water bodies under the “Total
Maximum Daily Load Program”
(TMDL), the issuance of the 401
9
planning and carrying out chapter or group excoms, call
activities such as meetings, or e-mail one of the following:
outings, working on conservation Coast Group, Rose Johnson,
campaigns, attending public afrorose10@aol.com, 228-863-
hearings, responding to requests 3677; Central Group, Doc
from the public for help, and Hicks, 601-898-1826, ghicks@m
raising funds for our programs. edicine.usmed.edu; and Golden
How much time does it take? Triangle Group, Jamie Mixon,
As much as you want to give. At a jbm2@ra.msstate.edu, 662-325-
minimum chapter excom members 1904.
are required to attend four meetings The deadline for nominations
per year. The meetings are usually is November 15. Ballots will go out
held in Jackson. in the December newsletter.
To nominate someone for the
water quality certification permit Sierra Club endorses the candidacy of
for the Big Sunflower River Dredge Senator Barbara Blackmon for Lt.
Project, and the 401 permit for the Governor. The position of Lt. Gov. is
Turkey Creek development just to by far the most powerful office in State
name a few. The Sierra Club government.
political action The Lt.
committee felt, Gov.’s main
despite this power lies
administration’s in his or her
lackluster appointments
performance, of committee
that a Haley chairmen
B a r b o u r in the
administration Mississippi
would be little State Senate.
more than a He or she also
throw back appoints the
to the days of membership
Gov. Fordice. of the
Barbour’s track committees,
record as a Washington lobbyist as well as assignment of legislation
representing numerous “Fortune to these respective committees. This
100” polluters speaks volumes in process essentially sets the agenda
regard to the unlimited access that for the Senate. Under Amy Tuck,
polluters would have to a Barbour we have had to fight the absolute
administration. Haley Barbour would worst, anti-environmental agenda in
amount to the proverbial fox guarding my sixteen years in the Mississippi
the henhouse. Legislature. The chairman of the
Senate Environment committee was
Lt. Gov hand-selected by the special interests,
Barbara Blackmon thus destroying any chances of
It is with great enthusiasm that the continued to page 10
 10
Outings & Events PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
The Sierra Club Political Action Committee (PAC) has a goal of
giving just $200 each to each pro environment legislative candidate

2003 statewide. We need to raise about $10,000. Despite the other side out-
spending us ten to one in the primary, we had 13 candidates win and

Election 11 lose. It is very important to support these candidates, and too bad
it can’t be much more significantly. Know that this is an investment
in clean air and water in Mississippi. The bad guys have pulled out all

Endorsements stops to defeat particularly the black caucus members who have con-
sistently voted for the people and the environment over the interest of
big corporate polluters.
continued from page 9
progressive legislation seeing the light dumpers”. Before passage of this CONSIDER THAT THIS CHANCE TO ELECT
of day. With Tuck’s approval, special
interest legislation has flourished over
legislation, Mississippi was one of
three states in which dumping of PRO ENVIRONMENT LEGISLATORS ONLY
the past four years.
Sen. Barbara Blackmon’s voting
toxic waste was a misdemeanor. This
legislation removed the incentive
COMES ALONG ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS!!!
record and interests in environmental for dumpers to come to Mississippi
protection and public health speaks and dispose of their loads illegally. Don’t sit on your wallets and then wonder for the next four years why
for itself. Over the years, Sen. As evident by these two landmark we get such lousy legislation passed in Jackson.
Blackmon has consistently supported accomplishments and many others Please consider a generous donation today...I sent in $200, figuring
and promoted progressive legislation too numerous to list, the Mississippi that is an investment of only $50 per year.
affecting our great state and its Sierra Club enthusiastically endorses Any if anyone has some fundraising ideas, let me know...Adrian
citizens. Unlike most state legislators, Jim Hood for Attorney General. Lawler has donated some of his honey if anyone would like to purchase
Sen. Blackmon holds the honor of that. If anyone else is cash poor, but has something to donate--artwork,
being one of few to have a 100 percent Secretary of State services etc.--maybe we could have a silent auction or Internet auction
positive voting record on Sierra Club Eric Clark
or something. Please also consider calling anyone you think would be
related legislation. Incumbent Secretary of State
interested in donating.
Eric Clark has been a major friend
Attorney General to the environment in his role as
Jim Hood custodian of the state’s valuable Send donations to
The Sierra Club is very excited tidelands. Clark has held the line Sierra Club PAC
about the candidacy of Jim Hood P.O. Box 4335 • Jackson MS 39296-4335
for Attorney General. Jim Hood
is no stranger to environmental
protection in Mississippi. His
stellar career includes his tenure as
MOTHER EARTH THANKS YOU!!!
Division Director of Environmental
Enforcement under Attorney General
Mike Moore. Mr. Hood worked
tirelessly to help pass precedent-
setting legislation in 1995 known
as the “Bad Boy” legislation. This
legislation required the Mississippi
Department of Environmental
Quality (MDEQ) to perform a
on commercial uses of tidelands,
background check on applicants
refusing to issue tidelands leases
for hazardous waste permits. It also
in cases where development was
gave the MDEQ permit board the
clearly not appropriate or in the
authority to deny a permit based on a
public’s interest. He was involved
company’s track record in compliance
in brokering a deal to purchase Deer
with environmental laws and the
Island near Biloxi to help preserve
subsequent violation of laws in other
the island and add it to the state’s
states. As many remember, 1995
coastal preserve system. Clark has
was a year in which Mississippi was
also made campaign finance records
being targeted by numerous multi-
available on the Internet so voters
national hazardous waste companies
can see which special interests are
wishing to turn Mississippi into the
contributing to individual candidates
dumping ground for toxic waste from
campaigns. Please support the re-
all over the world. Thanks to Jim
election of Eric Clark.
Hood’s love for Mississippi and its
For information regarding
people, this nightmare never became
individual State Legislative House
a reality. As District Attorney, Mr.
and Senate races, please contact
Hood played a major role in passing
Louie Miller, Legislative Director
felony legislation for “midnight
(601)-352-1026.
 Outings & Events
PRESERVE THE NATION’S FORESTS, WATERS, WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS 11
Gulf Coast Group
OCTOBER important for protecting water quality.
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 9:30 a.m. The U.S. Public officials are particularly welcome to
attend.

Golden Triangle
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation
Board will consider a staff report concerning
the explosion that occurred at the First NOVEMBER

Chemical plant on Oct. 13, 2003. Following
the report, there will be an opportunity for
public comment. (See story at bottom of
this page.)
Friday, Oct. 17, 8:30 a.m., Vernada, Pelican
Landing, Moss Point. The City of Moss Point
and NOAA Restoration Center will have a
celebration of the completion of Phase 1
of the City’s “Shoreline Restoration Project.”
The event will highlight a community-based
habitat restoration project and provide
an opportunity to thank volunteers and
partners who made the project a success.
Saturday, Oct. 18, Environmental Justice
Blues in the Hood. 5 p.m., Isiah Fredericks
Community Center, Martin Luther
King Ave., Gulfport, Sierra Club and
community partners including Gulfport
Concerned Citizens Coalition, Turkey Creek
Homeowners Association and Turkey Creek
Civic Club will have a major event releasing
an engineering study of Turkey Creek, and
presenting a proactive plan for preserving
the Turkey Creek basin. Come out for a
fish fry, musical entertainment and an
environmental rally. Please put this on your
calendar! This will be an exciting event and
we could really use good turnout. More
info: 863-3677.
Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. Sierra Club will meet
at the Ocean Springs Yacht Club for a
presentation on new federal stormwater
regulations from environmental specialist
Gordon Crane. These regulations are very
Group
Nov. 8: Participate in a peaceful protest of
forest management for DeSoto National
Forest and enjoy an outing along the Black
Creek Scenic Trail Saturday Nov. 8 at noon.
For more info: 228-872-3457 or 662-320-6645
(See accompanying article on this subject
on page ADD PAGE NUMBER HERE)
Note: Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, Sierra
Club will not meet the regularly scheduled fourth
Wednesday in November.
DECEMBER
Sunday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m. Ocean Springs Yacht
Club. Join us for our annual Christmas party.
Bring one of your favorite holiday dishes to
share for the potluck. Also please consider
bringing a nice item for the auction. This
can be a white elephant item, a piece of
your artwork or handicraft, or a donation
from a merchant that you know supports a
clean and healthy local environment. Our
treasury has been depleted by so many
issues this year, plus the election. So please
be generous! Yacht Club rules require that
all drinks be purchased at the Yacht Club
so please don’t bring beverages. More
info: 872-3457.
JANUARY
Wednesday, January 28, 2004, 6:30 p.m.,
Ocean Springs Yacht Club. Please join us
for the first meeting of 2004, and bring a
dish for the potluck. We will be discussing
the 2004 legislative session and local
environmental issues.

Central Group Events

Public Meetings:
Public meetings are held at 6:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month at The
Artery, a coffee shop in the Fondern area, at 3220 North State Street, Jackson. Sierra
Club members and non-member are encouraged to come. After the meetings, we go
to a restaurant nearby for food, fun and lively conversation.

November 13 - Recycling - Larry Estes is the speaker, dinner afterwards is at the Thai
House. For additional information contact Ann Somers, 362-1195.

December 11 - Holiday Pot Luck - Bring your family, friends and a favorite dish to enjoy
a holiday feast at the old Masonic Lodge at the Agriculture & Forestry Museum on
Lakeland Drive. The festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information contact Linda
Nesbit, 992-2736.

Central Group Outings

Call Ann Somers, 601-362-1195, for additional information for all outings
listed below.
October 17 & 18 - Great Delta Bear Affair - Rolling Fork, Mississippi

November 8 - Watson Brake Mound Group - Tour Guides: Sam Brookes

and Joe Saunders
 Non-Profit
Organization
Mississippi Chapter Sierra Club U.S. Postage
P.O. Box 4335 PAID
Jackson, Mississippi 39296-4335 Permit No. 329
Jackson, MS

Consider donating to the

Sierra Club in your will. Go online to
www.sierraclub.org for details or
talk to your financial counselor

MISSISSIPPI STATE CHAPTER

Rose Johnson, ExComm Chair 228-863-3677
Christine Liberto, Central Group Rep 601 981-7784
John Schneider, Golden Triangle Rep 662-323-5277
Becky Gillette, Gulf Coast Group Rep, Cons. Chair, Vice Chair 228-604-1673
Ann Somers, ExComm, Treasurer 601-355-1895
Howard Page, Co-Chair 228-604-1673
Michael Berk, ExComm 662-323-2528
Jamie Mixon, ExComm 662-323-5975
Louie Miller, Field Staff, Legislative Director 601-352-1026

CENTRAL GROUP
Ann Somers, ExComm, Chair 601-355-1895
Jim Garner, Conservation Chair 601-605-8696
Christine Liberto, ExComm 601 981-7784
Denise Krause, ExComm, Vice Chair 601-981-6728
Linda Nesbit, ExComm, Secretary 601-992-2736
Don Potts, ExComm 601-366-9218

GOLDEN TRIANGLE GROUP

Juliet Tang, Chair 662-465-8767
David Cross, Vice Chair 662-465-8767
Lois Connington, Treasurer 662-324-2594
Joan Embree, Outings Chair 662-324-0410
John Schneider, ExComm 662-323-5277
Frances Thompson, ExComm 662-323-7379
Harold Thompson, Conservation Chair 662-323-7379

GULF COAST GROUP

Richard “Kim” Marsh, Co-Chair 228-864-1650
Visit the Mississippi Howard Page, Co-Chair
Becky Gillette, Treasurer
228-604-1673
228-872-3457

Sierra Club Website

Jeanne Lebow, ExComm, Conservation Chair 228-872-0508
Steve Shepard, ExComm 228-872-0508
Paula Vassey, ExComm 228-497-1644

now being built at… Dr. Adrian Lawler, ExComm

Faye Brown, ExComm 228-863-0035

www.mississippi.sierraclub.org Christopher Verdery, Outings Chair 228-875-5261

601-359-1026 - MS Sierra Club #

Newsletter design/layout by Laurie McCarthy - nlplus@bellsouth.net