Summer 2006

Vol. 38, No.2

Offshore Drilling Stalls;

More Battles Ahead
A few weeks back, we sent a loud and clear message to the U.S. House: Hands Off
Our Coasts! Your voice and many others were raised in opposition to a dangerous
proposal to lift the moratorium on offshore natural gas drilling as part of the Interior
Appropriations process. And it paid off. By a 217-203 vote, the House passed the
Puttnam-Capps-Jim Davis -Foley-Bill Young-Pallone amendment to maintain the
moratorium and stop offshore drilling proposals dead in the water. The vote highlighted Good News
the strong, bipartisan commitment to protecting America's coasts and the economies,
recreation opportunities and wildlife habitat they support. Read All About It,
Pat yourself on the back for being a part of this victory, but then roll up your sleeves
because, unfortunately, the fight has only just begun. Then Help Make More
The oil and gas industry and their allies in Congress will not take "no" for an answer.
They have coveted America's coasts for decades, and we fully expect them to pull out This issue of The Pelican is packed
all the stops in the coming weeks. In fact, they've teamed up House Resources with victories – big accomplishments
Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA) and others to push bills that would severely cripple like beating back efforts to open our
coastal protections or revoke them entirely -- allowing gas and oil drilling. coasts to oil drilling, to smaller ones
(continued on page 2) such as protecting a local park. All of
them have one thing in common –
ordinary people just like you and me
banded together to protect something
that is precious to them. As Margaret
Mead said, “Never doubt that a small,
group of thoughtful, committed citizens
can change the world. Indeed, it is the
only thing that ever has.”
If you want to help keep those victories
coming, contact your local group chair
(continued on page 13)

Inside This Issue:

Sierra Victories Pages 2, 4, 7
Legislative Summary Pages 6, 12
Outings Page 9
Chapter Elections Pages 14, 15

Central Florida Sierrans cool off with a kayak trip. If you want to jump
into summer with a Club outing, see page 9. Photo by Mary-Slater Linn.
Court Hands Major Victory to Florida Activists
A federal judge has ordered the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
to take control of Buckeye pulp mill
permitting in Perry, Florida. Judge
Emmett Sullivan was extremely critical
of the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s (DEP) long-
time mishandling of the Buckeye facility
and expressed extreme disappointment
over the ongoing degraded state of the
Fenholloway River.
“Judge Sullivan recognized yesterday
that the Clean Water Act does apply in
Florida after all and EPA can’t ignore
its responsibilities for this environmental
travesty,” said Sierra Club litigation
direction David Bookbinder. Bookbinder
filed and argued the case against the
EPA.
The case goes back to 1998 when the
EPA objected to the proposed Buckeye
permit, which included a 15-mile long
discharge pipe to the Gulf of Mexico.
This stopped the permit from moving
forward. In 2000, EPA issued an
extensive technology report that
provided affordable solutions, but DEP
and Buckeye shunned it. The case then
floundered and Buckeye’s dioxin-
contaminated pollution continued to pour
into the Fenholloway River and
eventually to the Gulf of Mexico, where
it has caused a 10-square-mile dead
zone.
Sierra Club and the American Canoe
Association then sued EPA to get the
permit moving forward again and
eventually won that suit as well. EPA
was forced to hold a public hearing,
which was requested by DEP and
Buckeye. After the hearing, DEP had 30
days to either correct the permit’s
deficiencies or deny the permit
application from Buckeye – but failed to
do either one. EPA then had a mandatory
duty to take back the permit and write
one that complies with requirements of
the Clean Water Act. When EPA failed
to do so, Bookbinder again filed suit,
asking the court to make EPA obey the
law.
Florida DEP has proposed a second
pipeline permit for Buckeye which has
been temporarily stopped by a group of
citizens who petitioned for an
administrative hearing. That hearing was
scheduled to take place in November,
Page 2
but will have to be cancelled as a result
of Judge Sullivan’s ruling.
“Whatever happens with an EPA
permit, now that we are in a federal
permit proceeding, there will be
safeguards and public participation
opportunities that will enable a just and
legitimate process to unfold,” said Linda
Young, director of the Clean Water
Network of Florida.
-- Linda Young, Director,
Clean Water Network of Florida
Fort De Soto Battle
Was Short but Sweet
Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County
boasts 1,136 acres of beaches, uplands
and wetlands between the Gulf of
Mexico and Tampa Bay, with three
million visitors a year. It is largely
undeveloped, providing only
bike/jogging paths and a series of open
pavilions, restrooms and parking lots to
facilitate enjoyment of its natural setting.
Starting last July, the county
commission quietly began formalizing
plans to add concessions such as a 225-
seat restaurant, a trolley service,
packaged beer sales, an ice cream cart,
etc. which would have effectively
Disneyfied the unspoiled park setting.
After a series of articles by Howard
Troxler of the St. Petersburg Times this
February, news of this planned
desecration sparked a community
outpouring of over 1,000 e-mails to the
commission in about a week.
Commis sioners got the message and
dropped the plans, citing the massive
negative response.
All this goes to show that conservation
activism (e-mails, phone calls, etc.) does
work, especially with the help of the
powerful media.
-- Ellen Thompson,
Suncoast Group Conservation Chair
Offshore Drilling
(Continued from page 1)
But opening our coasts to destructive
drilling would do little to lower gas
prices or make us more energy
independent, but it would threaten our
beaches with pollution and potential oil
spills and destroy billion-dollar tourism
and fishing industries. There are faster,
cheaper, cleaner and longer-term energy
solutions like making our homes, offices,
cars and trucks more efficient and using
clean, renewable energy.
Over the next few weeks, your favorite
beach destination or fishing spot along
the coast could be on the chopping
block, and we'll need your help once
again.
Here's what you can do to help keep
America's beaches clean and oil rig-
free:
Ø Learn more about the threats to our
coasts at www.sierraclub.org/
wildlands/coasts
Ø Send an e-mail or letter to your
Representative, asking him or her to
stand strong for coastal protections.
Ø Sign our petition to protect the
America's coasts (on our website).
Ø Support the Sierra Club and its
efforts to protect our coastlines, as
well as our other critical efforts to
protect America's wildlife,
wildlands, air and water.
Thank you for making your voice heard.
-- Heidi Hess,
Nat’l Sierra Online Outreach Manager
The Pelican
Biofuels Are the Latest Greenscam
By Karen Orr, Water and Wetlands Issue Chair and Energy Committee Member

The movement toward biofuels as an environmentally friendly
alternative to fossil fuels is a greenscam with potentially
disastrous consequences.
The Bush brothers, a cabal of giant agro businesses, their paid
consultants and political cronies are behind a series of initiatives
that involve massive taxpayer-funded subsidies to large
environmentally destructive corporations. Sadly, they're aided
by a number of well-meaning but misguided groups and
individuals.
Biofuels derived from corn, palm, soybeans and other crops
are not only environmentally destructive, they can't be produced
profitably without massive subsidies -- subsidies that should be
used for environmentally viable solutions such as
conservation/efficiency initiatives and wind and solar energy.
Biofuels are an economic, environmental and humanitarian
disaster:
Ø The production of biofuel from crops consumes more
energy than it produces.
Ø The production of biofuel from crops will lead to more air
pollution, irreversible soil depletion, natural gas depletion,
water depletion and pollution, erosion, forest destruction,
higher use of fossil fuels, pesticides, fertilizers and harm to
animals.
Ø Crops to produce oils to meet the demand for biofuel are
directly destroying tens of thousands of square miles of rain
forest now.
Ø Fertilizer for biofuel production will lead to a massive
increase in phosphate strip mining, destroyed wetlands,
poisoned water and disturbed river systems.
Ø Conversion of U.S. farmland from food production to fuel
crop production will lead to dependence on foreign nations
for our food supply.
The overuse of toxic agrochemicals on subsidized Midwest
corn crops has created a poisonous runoff that produces the
gigantic summertime "Dead Zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. This
5,000 to 10,000 square-mile chemical gumbo suffocates all Gulf
of Mexico marine life that cannot escape it.
The subsidies required to make biofuel production "viable" are
more corporate welfare to the same giant agro companies
damaging the environment now. They divert funds from real
solutions such as conservation/efficiency initiatives, public
transportation systems, increased use of solar and wind energy,
and sustainable small-scale food farming vs. massive
monoculture fuel crop production. Government mandates of
biofuels for transport will further hasten environmental
destruction.
We can't grow our way out of the impending energy crisis
with more destructive practices that fuel more cars for more
people to drive on more roads to more parking lots to buy more
junk. There must be a massive shift in our thinking, behavior
and consumption.
The biofuels scam must be stopped in its tracks. If it proceeds,
we'll plunge further into debt, destroy irreplaceable natural
resources and send another portion of the biosphere up in
smoke.
For more information on biofuels, see:
Ø The Energy Justice Network fact sheet at
www.energyjustice.net/ethanol/factsheet.html
Ø Feeding Cars Not People at
www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/11/23/feeding-cars-not-
people
Ø Worse Than Fossil Fuel at
www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/12/06/worse-than-fossil-
fuel/

Residential - Commercial
I n v e s t m en t

Maggi Hall, Broker/Owner

441 S Woodland Boulevard * DeLand
386.717.9991
westvolusiaproperties.com * maggihall@bellsouth.net

Serving Central Florida

Sierra Club Member Since 1983
Recipient of National, State, & Local Preservation & Conservation Awards
The Pelican Page 3
Victories
Miami “Holds the Line”
Against Urban Sprawl
By Mark Oncavage, Miami Group
The Miami Group and other activist organizations have
banded together to fight sprawl and recently defeated eight out
of nine applications to move the Urban Boundary Line in
Miami-Dade County.
The “Hold the Line” campaign focuses on quality of life
issues like traffic, schools, infrastructure, clean water and
affordable housing. The campaign messages explain that sprawl
increases traffic, overcrowds outlying schools, drains
infrastructure funds from existing neighborhoods, stresses water
supplies and does nothing to help the crisis in affordable
housing. For residents of the Florida Keys, sprawl makes
hurricane evacuations more time -consuming and dangerous.
Miami Sierra Club and 10 other activist groups created the
alliance, which rapidly expanded to 132 organizations and 19
municipal governments. Civic groups, businesses, homeowners’
associations, growers, and clubs of all types signed on to Hold
The Line. The alliance then took these messages to Miami-Dade
County’s Planning Advisory Board, the Board of County
Commissioners, the County Mayor, the South Florida Regional
Planning Council, the Florida Department of Community
Affairs and the Governor. More importantly, the messages were
taken to the people.
Help poured in. The Miami Herald published articles,
editorials and political cartoons in support of holding the line.
The County Mayor supported Hold the Line. A CBS Channel 4
poll showed that 71 percent of respondents were in favor of
holding the line. The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection recommended against the proposals based on sewage
and water supply shortfalls. The South Florida Water
Management District recommended against the proposals due to
the lack of an adequate water supply. The Florida Dept. of
Community Affairs recommended against all construction
proposals citing lack of water, impacts on schools, lack of
transportation infrastructure and loss of farmland. For more
information, see www.udbline.com .
Nine applications to move the urban line were submitted to the
Board of County Commissioners. Due in part to media scrutiny
and intense community pressure, four of the applications were
withdrawn prior to the final hearing. At the final hearing, four of
the remaining five applications were defeated. The landowners
of the approved application stipulated that they would be
responsible for building the necessary roads and constructing a
reverse-osmosis water treatment plant.
The fight against urban sprawl in Miami-Dade County will
never end. Applications for two large Developments of Regional
Impact have been filed and a third is expected shortly. All three
are close to either Biscayne or Everglades National Park and are
expected to impact important projects of the Comprehensive
Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The Miami Group has
learned that building alliances, coalitions, and partnerships for
environmental issues can produce excellent results.
Page 4
Island Development Scrapped
Travatine Island is an 80-acre mangrove stand in the
intracoastal waterway that provides wildlife habitat, wetlands,
and a hurricane buffer for Pinellas County. It was purchased by
the county with funds marked for protecting environmentally
sensitive lands. However, the county commission recently
considered a proposal to build a boat ramp, restaurant, bait shop,
a marine facility for 150 boats, parking and a bridge to the
island. It was scrapped when the county parks department
recommended against the project. We can assume that the
partnership of a local citizens’ group with national conservation
leaders, such as Sierra Club, helped squelch this development.
The Save the Travatine Island Committee is now looking for
ways to secure permanent protection for the island.
-- Ellen Thompson, Suncoast Group Conservation Chair
(Photo courtesy of Friends of Travatine Island)
Rural Lands Protected
In February, Seminole County Commissioners voted
unanimously against a rezoning request by a Geneva property
owner to change the zoning to build homes on 3-acre lots
instead of 5-acre lots. The attorneys for the landowner argued
with selective reading from the county comprehensive plan, but
the commissioners did not buy the argument; they all knew what
the comp plan said and they upheld it. We who live in rural
areas thank them for their continuing vision to protect the rural
areas of Seminole County. These victories make the grassroots
effects of citizens worth all the hours we spend trying to protect
one of our most precious resources: rural lands and lifestyles.
-- Central Florida Group
Moving?
Don’t miss any Club publications!
Send your address change to: Sierra Club, P.O. Box
52968, Boulder CO 80322-2968
OR e-mail: address.changes@sierraclub.org
The Pelican
Kissimmee River Restoration Progress
Land acquisition for the
world's largest river
restoration was completed
in April. Now the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers
will proceed with the
final phases of partially
backfilling C-38 (the
ditch); completion is
estimated to be in 2010.
These final phases of
restoration are primarily
in Highlands and
Okeechobee Counties.
Remember: in the 1990s
the entire river was not
slated for restoration. Too
much development in the
northern and southern The Kissimmee River in 1960, before “straightening.”
areas of the river and its Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
watershed made restoration
there financially and politically infeasible. The Corps
determined it had to have channelization for flood control in
those sections.
When the partial restoration is completed, 43 miles of the
original 103-mile meandering river will wind through 40 square
miles of floodplain. These wetlands are home to 320 fish and
wildlife species, including snail kites, wood storks, bald eagles, many dedicated scientists, engineers and paid conservation staff
and largemouth bass. The success of restoration will be judged
in large measure by how well wildlife, especially the premier
species, rebound. Wildlife, which was decimated by
channelization in the 1960s, has already increased dramatically
with the completion of the first phase.
However, the quality of water entering Lake Okeechobee has
not yet shown improvement. "...evidence from the last several
years points to sources at the southern end of Lake Kissimmee
that are increasing concentrations [of phosphorus] at the lake's
outlet. If sources of phosphorus at the lake's southern end can be review the studies. He traveled the state to help the public,
identified and controlled, phosphorus inputs into the Kissimmee
River...could decrease." (2005 South Florida Environmental
Report, SFWMD, Chapter 11.) Also the interim regulation
schedule (of water levels) has not allowed the full development
of the broadleaf marsh in the restored area. When the
Headwaters Revitalization Project regulation schedule is
implemented, the marsh should be capable of assimilating
incoming phosphorus at a much higher rate of efficiency. In the
lower reaches of the valley we must also consider the possibility and be watchful for building, fencing and drainage activities that
that dairy farms have so super-saturated the earth with
phosphorus, that current best management practices cannot
mitigate that element in the runoff. Experience and observation
may yet prove that the only solution is the restoration of more
floodplain. Because water quality is so crucial for the recovery
of Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, we must expect -- and
demand -- intense work on this problem.
Historically, the wide floodplain of the Kis simmee River was
considered extraordinary in North America because it remained
The Pelican
By Frances H. Coleman, Polk Group
inundated throughout the
year providing bountiful
habitat for wading birds,
winter habitat for
migratory waterfowl and
a nationally recognized
sport fishery. Then came
a series of devastating
hurricanes, with resultant
flooding. The 1950s were
prime years for ditch,
dike and drain solutions
to water problems. At the
request of some interests
in Florida, Congress
directed the Corps of
Engineers to turn the
river into C-38, a 56-mile
drainage ditch. This
would drain 30,000 acres of
wetlands -- encouraging
development and more extensive agriculture.
Before the canal was finished in 1971, the birds and sports fish
largely disappeared and the water entering Lake Okeechobee
was foul. In the 1970s, conservationists led a swelling tide of
protest to correct this tragic mistake -- their commitment put the
Kissimmee on the national environmental agenda. There were
who worked to bring about this restoration, but we Sierrans are
especially indebted to our citizen activists who made this issue a
major part of their lives for decades. Foremost among these was
Richard L. Coleman, who was our Kissimmee River Issue Chair
for 30 years. Working with Lake Region/Florida Audubon and
the Florida Lake Management Society, he effectively and
enthusiastically generated widespread support for this very
crucial and expensive public works project. This sportsman was
a scientist by training and well qualified to generate data and
candidates for public office and office holders understand what
had been lost and what could be regained. His special talent was
in connecting people from all interest groups to work for the
common good.
Now it's up to a new team of activists -- conservationists and
sportsmen -- to cooperate for the good of the river. Concerned,
knowledgeable people are needed to monitor the physical river
system and report on approaches that work and those that don't
aren't permitted. Conservationists must be alert to and analyze
proposals for development which might cause over-drainage and
an influx of nutrients. It will be our pleasure to enjoy the
restored river but our responsibility to ensure that the benefits of
restoration are maximized.
Page 5
2006 Florida Legislative Summary
By Susie Caplowe, Florida Chapter Lobbyist and the Legislative Team
When we reflect back to the beginning
of session, as usual we had a lot of bad
bills coming up at the same time and in
several committees. We did what we
could every day to emphasize what was
wrong with the legislation. When the
legislators, agencies and the Governor’s
office are known to be supportive of
legislation, you make the decision to
keep fighting or find a way to make it
better. Sierra and its allies did such a
great job of applying grassroots pressure,
and our Tallahassee lobbying team kept
up pressure on our target list of bills, that
we made a real difference. We killed
bills, modified bills or worked with the
sponsors, committee chairs and staff to
minimize damage. Senate President Lee
and Speaker Bense; the Governor’s
office; Senators Dockery, Clary,
Constantine, Campbell, Smith, Miller
and Argenziano; Representatives Evers,
Vana, Gannon, Joyner, Richardson and
Gelber; and so many others were very
responsive. The dialogue was open and
we made significant headway.
This year we had a new tool: a bill
tracker on our website at
www.florida.sierraclub.org/Tracker.
You can visit the tracker for background
information about the legislation.
Here is the list of bills on the Tracker
that passed both chambers (they are
underlined to show you which version is
on the way to the Governor):
A. Florida Keys Area of Critical State
Concern: SB2098/ HB1299: oppose, then
monitor
B. Anti-Landscaping Billboards:
SB566/ HB273: oppose
C. Class Action: SB2304/ HB7259:
oppose then monitor
D. Lead Poisoning Education:
SB1324/SB642/HB393: support
E. Guns in State Parks:
SB1546/HB1029: oppose
F. NWFWMD Environmental Resource
Permit: SB2026/HB7163: support with
concerns
G. St. Joe Coastal Hazard Mitigation:
SB2216/HB1359: oppose
H. Septic Tanks: SB1874/HB749:
oppose, then monitor
I. No net loss of hunting lands:
SB430/ HB265: oppose
Page 6
J. Pave over Farmlands: Agriculture
Enclave: SB1880/HB1015: oppose
K. Development of Regional Impact
Exemptions: SB1020/HB683:oppose
L. Energy: SB888/HB1473: oppose
M. Rock Miners: No CAP:
SB1306/HB1039: oppose
N. Babcock Ranch money and land
management: SB1226/ HB1347: support
with concerns
Bills on the Tracker That Died:
O. SB1608/HB949: Charter Counties vs.
City Governments: oppose
P. SB1910 and other Election Reform
good bills: support
Q. SB720/SB1244/HB773: Anti-Petition
Gathering bills: oppose
R. SB2544/HB1343: Wetlands
delegation from Army CORP and
Florida Forever Forward Funding:
Oppose delegation/support FF funding
S. SB26: Supreme Court Subject Filter
Citizen Initiatives: oppose
T. SB1918/HB7165: Purifying (NOT)
the Constitution: (factory farms are
safe): oppose
U. SB1264: Clean Money Clean
Elections: support
V. SB1558/HB653/HB229: Prohibit Oil
and Gas Drilling: mixed
W. SB2478/HB713: Solar Energy
Rebates (rolled into SB888): support
X. SB226: Surplus lands, no House
companion: monitor
Y. SB2680/HB7129: Dept. of Interior
Constitutional Amendment: monitor
Z. SB2484/HB7207: Water Management
Districts authorized millage rate: oppose
AA. HZB7167/HB7253: Various
Growth Management/Sprawl bills:
monitor
BB.SB2510/HB261: Florida Incentive
(NOT) Based Permitting: oppose
CC. SB1906: Performance Based
Permitting: never moved
DD. SB1302/SB2446/HB1307/SB82/
HB491: Variety of bills relating to
mercury contamination; fish
consumption; reduction of automobile
switches into the waste stream;
autism/immunizations: support.
EE. SB1436/HB7037: Fiscal Impact and
Citizen Initiatives: raising the voter
numbers for passage depending on fiscal
impact. oppose.
Highlights:
Northwest Florida Water
Management District (NWFWMD)
Environmental Resource Permit:
SB2026/HB7163. PASSED.
As the Rolling Stones sing, “You can’t
always get what you want, but you get
what you need.” That would be the case
for the NWFWMD ERP legislation. The
House bill passed, but we wanted the
Senate version because the
implementation dates would have been
earlier. The Senate bill also stated that
the rule would be comparable to the
other water management districts’ rules
and that the local soils, etc. would be
considered. The House bill says the
NWFWMD will use the “least
restrictive” of the other WMD’s rules
and guidelines. The analysis by the
counties’ wetlands experts assured us the
“least restrictive” measure was NOT
problematic for them. The bottom line is:
1) Local government wetlands programs
will not be pre-empted and 2) there is
real money now to make a go of it! We
just need to stay on top of everything as
the rulemaking proceeds.
Babcock Ranch Money and Land
Management: SB1226/HB1347.
PASSED.
There were plenty of amendments filed
to SB1226 on the last day of session to
make the House and special business
interests happier. The House and Senate
were having a tug of war on the land
management issues. The House wanted
to have more multiple use activities,
silviculture (making cypress mulch out
of the cypress and intense timbering TO
GENERATE MONEY). But what Sen.
Paula Dockery did was very “sheroic”
because she withdrew all the
amendments and replaced Rep. Trudi
Williams’ bill with the complete
contents of the better bill -- SB1226. The
Senate then passed HB1347 as amended
and the House voted at 8:37 p.m. to keep
the bill from dying altogether. The
Senate language eliminates the cypress
(continued on page 12)
The Pelican
Sweet Victory: Top Five Environmental Wins
By Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation
Co-written by Sam Graham-Felsen

Of all of the disastrous hallmarks of the Bush presidency,
Bush's darkest legacy in the long run may be his unmitigated
assault on the environment and his deliberate campaign to cover
up the immediate threat of global warming.
The Bush Administration has undermined the Environmental
Protection Agency, appointed corporate cronies in the oil
industry to critical environmental posts, and muzzled top
scientists from warning the public about the imminent climate
crisis. It was no exaggeration when Al Gore said "George W.
Bush has by all odds been by far the worst president for the
environment in the entire history of the United States of
America -- bar none."
Yet, Bush's actions have brought the environmental movement
closer together than ever before, as activists have redoubled
their efforts to combat Bush's relentless assault on the planet.
We salute those who took part in the top five environmental
victories of the past year.
Saving ANWR: In what the Sierra Club called an "against-all-
odds victory for wildlife, wild places and all Americans," the
Senate rejected Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) attempt to attach
provisions to the Defense Appropriations Bill last December
that would have opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to drilling for oil. And in April, the House Budget Committee
also refused to appropriate funds for ANWR drilling in the
FY2007 budget. Thanks to overwhelming pressure from
environmental advocates, one of our nation's most pristine
natural refuges remains safe from corporate poachers.
a two-year moratorium on the building or operating of mercury-
emitting coal-fired power plants.
Mayors Say Yes to Kyoto: We remain one of only two major
industrialized nations that have not signed the Kyoto Protocol.
Yet America's mayors are letting the world know that they stand
with the global community -- not Bush -- on Kyoto. So far, 220
mayors, frustrated with federal environmental inaction, have
created their own Kyoto-complying standards, investing in
cleaner vehicles, cutting dependence on oil, and promoting
efficient and renewable energy projects. See the Cool Cities
article on page 8 for more information on this growing
movement.
Clean Cars Movement Rolls On: Last year, Clean Car
legislation -- requiring the reduction of harmful auto emissions -
- was adopted in California and now eight other states have
followed suit. These states combined cover a full third of the car
and SUV market in the U.S.
(Thanks to our friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council
and the Sierra Club for their nominations.)
Copyright © 2006 The Nation. Used with permission.

Governors Embrace Apollo: In July, the Apollo Alliance, one

of the best progressive ideas of the millennium, gained some
important new supporters. Six new Democratic governors --
Rod Blagojevich (IL), Jim Doyle (WI), Christine Gregoire
(WA), Ted Kulongoski (OR), Janet Napolitano (AZ) and Brian
Schweitzer (MT) -- joined an earlier trio -- Jennifer Granholm
(MI), Ed Rendel (PA) and Bill Richardson (NM) -- in
embracing the Alliance's goal of achieving sustainable
American energy independence within a decade. The nine
governors are all leaders in state-based efforts at energy
efficiency and increased use of renewables, the core twin planks
of the Apollo program. That program calls for a national
investment of $300 billion over the course of ten years to build
the basic production and distribution infrastructure needed for a
cleaner energy economy.

Cleaning Up Mercury Pollution: While Bush's EPA has

deregulated controls on mercury emissions -- making it easier
for power plants to emit this deeply harmful chemical into the
environment -- several states have strengthened anti-mercury
laws. Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois announced a proposal to
reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent, and weeks later, Gov.
Jennifer Granholm of Michigan followed suit. Massachusetts'
legislature just passed legislation that would prevent mercury
pollution in household items such as thermostats, automobiles,
fluorescent lights and electrical switches. And Idaho just passed

The Pelican Page 7

Cool Cities:
Solving Global Warming One City at a Time
All over America, cities, counties and
states are launching an exciting
grassroots movement to help solve one
of our country's most pressing problems:
global warming. Frustrated by stalling on
the federal level, local leaders are
moving forward with innovative energy
solutions that cut our dependence on oil,
benefit public health and save taxpayer
dollars. These mayors, county
commissioners and governors are
leading the way toward a safer and more
secure future.
Right now, communities are making a
difference by investing in cleaner
vehicles, energy efficiency and
renewable energy. Every one of these
local solutions is already saving taxpayer
dollars and improving public health by
reducing energy waste and pollution. By
taking innovative actions, forward-
Page 8
looking cities are re-energizing our North Miami
nation, proving that we can solve global Pembroke Pines
warming one city at a time. Pompano Beach
The mayors of several Florida cities Port St. Lucie
have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Sunrise
Protection Agreement -- the first step to Tallahassee
becoming a Cool City. This agreement Tamarac
sets the goal of reducing citywide global West Palm Beach
warming carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution
to seven percent below 1990 levels by Sierra Club is assisting the Cool Cities
2012. by recruiting activists who will help the
mayors follow through on their
Gainesville commitments. For more information, go
Hallandale Beach to www.sierraclub.org/coolcities . Click
Holly Hill on the “Get Involved” button to register
Hollywood and join the Cool Cities community. The
Key Biscayne purpose of this website is to provide a
Key West resource for citizens and local officials
Lauderhill who are ready to start taking real action
Miami in their communities to solve global
Miramar warming.
The Pelican
Summer Outings
Stay Cool with a Paddle Trip or Escape to the Mountains
July 25: Shell Key Paddle. An easy trip for beginners. We will
look for and study shells, dolphins, birds and any other wildlife
we can find. Contact Ben Berauer at 727-392-2821 or
bfberauer@aol.com (Suncoast).
August 5: Sunset Sea Kayak Trip to Caladesi Island State
Park and dinner at a local restaurant afterwards. Easy kayaking,
but previous open water kayaking experience a prerequisite.
Contact Rudy Scheffer at 727-726-8375 or
rudy@adventuresworldwide.com (Suncoast).
September 8-10: Weekend Outing Leader Training
Workshop offered by the Outdoor Activities Training Program
(OATP). This workshop fulfills both the OLT 101 and OLT 201
requirements. Location: Camp Dorothy Thomas in Riverview,
about 25 miles east of Tampa. For more information and
registration, go to the Club’s website at
www.sierraclub.org/outings/training/brochures/2006_Florida.asp.
Or contact Rudy Scheffer at rudy@adventuresworldwide.com or
727-726-8375.

August 12: Ding Darling on Sanibel Island. Paddle through

the mangrove tunnels followed by biking through the nature
preserve. We will also visit the Ding Darling Nature Center.
Sign up for paddling, biking or biking both. Contact Brigita at
bbgahr@earthlink.net or 239-337-1857 (Calusa).

September 2: Sunset Sea Kayak Trip to Caladesi Island

State Park. See August 5.

September 17-22: Sierra Club's Clair Tappaan Lodge in

California. Sierra Club volunteers built the lodge back in the
1930s for us to enjoy. For the six days and five nights with
room, board and trail guide, the price will be around $400.
Activities abound for the able adventurist right out the back
door (7,000 feet elevation): hiking, rock climbing, swimming,
fishing, biking and a panoramic view of the mountains. Plus not
far away, kayaking and hot springs. The lodge provides family-
style meals, trail guides (included in our package), library and
bunk-style sleeping (bring your own bedding). More private
rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reno,
Nevada is about 45 minutes away and Sacramento is 90 minutes
away. Contact Peter Mitchell at 941-729-8006 or Ed Martin
941-747-2801, or e-mail palmettop2@yahoo.com. For more
information, go to the Lodge website at
www.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges/ctl/ (Manatee-Sarasota)
Training
Events
July 29: Outing Leader Training OLT 201. This is required
for all new outing leaders who lead level 2 outings. OLT 101 a
prerequisite. Location is Upper Tampa Bay Park. Contact Rudy
Scheffer at 727-726-8375 or rudy@adventuresworldwide.com
August 19-20: Wilderness First Aid Training (WFA) in
Hollywood, Fla. Cost $ 125. Contact Judy Kuchta at
954-924-5001 or judykuchta@yahoo.com, or Rudy Scheffer at
727-726-8375or rudy@adventuresworldwide.com.
Have a Mountain Adventure
In the High Sierras
The Donner Summit area abounds with spectacular vistas and
hiking trails, high lakes and meadows and historic sites like the
old railroad tunnels, the China wall and the Immigrant Trail.
Join Turtle Coast Sierrans for a week of adventure! This fun
and fund raising trip dates are September 3 to 9. We’ll have
four days of hiking with a different vista each day. with a day
mid-week for a walk on the Immigrant Trail, a visit to the
Donner Museum, a trip to historic Truckee or a drive to Lake
Tahoe -- your choice.
Lodging will be at Sierra Club’s own Clair Tappaan Lodge. In
1934, Sierra Club volunteers built the lodge as a retreat for
hikers, skiers and mountain climbers. The lodge has a special
rustic charm, with a spacious living room and enormous
fireplace, a cozy library, outdoor fire ring and even a hot tub.
All accommodations are in bunk beds. The lodge is situated near
Donner Summit (at 7,000 feet), about 45 miles west of Reno,
Nevada.
The trip price of $455 includes six nights’ lodging, all meals,
hiking guides and transportation to the lodge on Sunday
afternoon and back to Reno on Saturday. Travel arrangements to
Reno are on your own. The trip is limited to 13 people. For
further information or to register, call Suzanne Valencia at
321-984-0604 or email Valencia_suzanne@yahoo.com.

The Pelican Page 9

Stay Informed with Sales Tax Holiday
Sierra E-Mail Groups for Energy-Efficient
There are several e-mail lists of interest to
Appliances
members of the Florida Chapter. You can also
keep up-to-date on the Chapter's activities at Even though Sierra Club did not
www.florida.sierraclub.org support the energy bill passed by the
Florida Legislature (SB 888), it did
Florida Chapter Leaders list for Sierra Club contain some benefits for consumers.
activists to stay informed of the activities of The week of October 5 – 11 will be
FLEXCOM, the Chapter Executive Committee. “Energy Efficient Week,” during which
To sign on, go to the following website and have your membership number handy: Floridians will be able to purchase
http://www.sierraclub.org/memberlists?listname=FL-LEADERS-ANNOUNCE certain energy-efficient products without
having to pay sales tax. The tax
The Florida Chapter Conservation Forum for Sierra Club members. exemption will apply to the following
Open discussion of Florida conservation issues. items, provided they sell for $1,500 or
To sign on, go to the following website and have your membership number handy: less and meet or exceed the requirements
http://www.sierraclub.org/memberlists?listname=FL-CONSERVATION-FORUM of the federal “Energy Star” program:
• Dishwasher
The Tallahassee Report for Sierra members only. • Clothes washer
This is a must for all Florida Sierrans who want to be kept informed of the doings of the • Air conditioner
politicians in Tallahassee. It is published by our own lobbyist, Susie Caplowe. • Ceiling fan
Go to this website and have your membership number handy: • Incandescent or fluorescent
http://www.sierraclub.org/memberlists?listname=FL-TALLAHASSEE-REPORT light bulb
• Dehumidifier
The Florida outings list for Sierra members only. This is a must for members interested • Programmable thermostat
in outings all over the state because it includes trips sponsored by all groups in the • Refrigerator
Chapter. Go to this web site and have your membership number handy: The bill also sets up a solar energy
http://www.sierraclub.org/memberlists?listname=FL-OUTINGS-LEADERS system incentive program. Any Florida
resident who purchases and installs a
An Everglades issues discussion list for Sierra members and others. new solar energy system is eligible for a
To sign on: SEND AN EMAIL To: LISTSERV@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG rebate on a portion of the price. The
Leave the subject line blank. In the message box put: program is funded through June 2010.
SUB COMMONS-EVERGLADES Yourfirstname Yourlastname Certain restrictions apply; read the bill at
or www.flsenate.gov or contact the
A Florida environmental news clipping list for Sierra Club members and others. Florida Department of Environmental
To sign on: SEND AN EMAIL To: LISTSERV@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Protection.
Leave the subject line blank. In the message box put:
SUB FL-ENVIRONEWSCLIPS Yourfirstname Yourlastname

“Rustle The Leaf” Comics characters courtesy of Go Natur’L Studios, LLC, 2006. The “Rustle The Leaf” Comics properties
copyright and trademark of Go Natur’L Studios, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Website: www.rustletheleaf.com

Page 10 The Pelican

America’s Crown Jewels at Risk
Yosemite! Grand Canyon! Yellowstone! Denali! Everglades!
What do these names have in common? They are all national our crown jewels, America’s great natural treasures. NPS should
parks whose names are known by everyone, the true crown abandon its proposed changes and keep its current strong
jewels of America. preservation policies.
And being national parks, they’re all well protected, right? Thank you for writing. The Sierra Club’s brand-new National
Wrong! The present administration, attuned to maximizing Parks and Monuments Committee is working to raise public
commercial profits and minimizing the public values of our consciousness about major threats to our National Parks and
public lands, has other plans for your national parks. Monuments. Please join our network of parks activists. Just send
The Interior Department proposal to rewrite the management an e-mail to committee staff liaison Vicky Hoover at
policies for our parks would topple “conservation of resources vicky.hoover@sierraclub.org.
unimpaired for the future” as the mission of our national parks.
Under proposed new policies, the Park Service could:
• Allow increased motorized use in spite of air Escape the Florida Heat at
pollution, noise, and damage to the land.
• Let commercial outfitters keep caches and other
developments in Wilderness.
Cedar House Inn & Yurts
• Consider increased uses of park resources just as
important as “preservation” of these resources.
Eco-Friendly B&B
Sierra Club and other concerned activists commented In the heart of the North Georgia Mountains
ext ensively on the proposed damaging changes. Most comments and Wine Country
can be summarized as follows: 70 miles north of Atlanta
• “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
• “Our parks need more protection for the future, not
less.”
If the Administration listens to the public’s concerns, they will
withdraw the proposed changes. However, we’re not counting
on that. Although the first round of comments is over, the
Administration, overwhelmed by the outpouring of public
opinion, is considering reopening the comment period. Now is
the perfect time to public ize our outrage over this attempt to
shift our national parks’ mission frompreservation to
development and commercialization.
Please send a letter to the editor of your paper, and send a
copy of it to your members of Congress. (Or, send a separate,
Minutes to Appalachian Trail, waterfalls,
more detailed letter to your legislators.) Here’s sample language
for a letter to the editor, to put into your own words. canoeing, fishing, horseback riding,
(Start with some personal info and reasons why you care about Historic Dahlonega, wineries, and dining
the parks or about one particular park that you like to visit.)
America’s National Parks provide some of the finest outdoor For more information:
recreation opportunities, scenic wonders, and wildlife habitat.
Millions of Americans and visitors from around the world flock Call 706-867-9466 or visit
to our parks each year, but the National Park Service’s (NPS) www.georgiamountaininn.com
proposed rewrite of the park’s Management Policies would
fundamentally shift how our nation’s national parks are
managed from resource conservation toward commercialization.
The proposed policies fail to meet the current level of
protection afforded our National Parks and eliminate reference
to the mission to conserve parks unimpaired for future
generations. They would limit the agency’s ability to protect air
quality and soundscapes, and control inappropriate motorized
use in national parks. In short, the proposed NPS Management
Policies are fundamentally flawed and cannot be fixed.
National Parks are special places and should be preserved for
future generations. The public doesn’t want more
commercialization, more off-road vehicles, and other threats to

The Pelican Page 11

Legislative Summary
(Continued from page 6)
and timber cuttings and other problems
we had with the House version. Kudos to
the Senate for sticking to their bill.
Energy: SB888/HB1473 PASSED.
Sen. Lee Constantine agreed to the
House’s changes and now this bill is
basically a streamlined permitting bill
for coal and nukes. The Energy
Commission members can now work for
the industry as long as they disclose their
occupation. The pages of
recommendations and instructions for
the Commission were changed to just a
skeleton of direction-setting goals,
including a skimpy recognition of carbon
emissions and a need for a Climate
Action Plan. What has gone unnoticed
is the elimination of the public health
and environment, and broad public
interest test. Here is the language in
current Florida Statutes now deleted by
this bill: “ (c) Minimize, through the use
of reasonable and available methods, the
adverse effects on human health, the
environment, and the ecology of the land
and its wildlife and the ecology of state
waters and their aquatic life; and (d)
Serve and protect the broad interests of
the public.”
Other components of SB888: $15
million in technology grants for
alternative energy (way too broad), $2.5
million for solar energy rebates and a
tax-free week for consumers to buy
energy-efficient products (see page 10).
Rock Miners: No CAP:
SB1306/HB1039. PASSED.
The Rock Mining Cap has been deleted
from the Miami-Dade County Lake Belt
bill. Now the financing of the new water
treatment plant will be negotiated in the
future, because the CAP of $112 million
was removed from the bill.
Congratulations to the Miami Sierra
Group, including Rod Jude and Alan
Farago, for winning the issue with last-
minute, strategic grassroots pressure!
St. Joe Coastal Hazard Mitigation:
SB2216/HB1359. PASSED.
The Florida Chapter had National Sierra
purchase some St. Joe stock a few years
ago, and we worked on a hurricane
resolution to take to the upcoming
Page 12
stockholders’
meeting. This
resolution
pointed out that St. Joe was not
addressing coastal wetlands protections
and did not have hurricane evacuation
routes for all of the upcoming new towns
they are creating. So voila, what does St.
Joe do, but indirectly answer our
resolution (which was rejected by the
Securities and Exchange Commission on
technicalities) with last-minute
legislation that would allow them to
meet hurricane evacuation requirements
by paying money and building roads or
structures that would provide hurricane
shelters. And they can build to their
hearts’ content, using “mitigation” to
keep building where (as we all know)
nothing should be built.
Development of Regional Impact
(DRI) Exemptions: SB1020/HB683.
PASSED.
The DRI bill was amended in the Senate
with language for a new bio-research
park in St. Lucie at the last minute. We
succeeded in closing a permitting
loophole and adding a requirement for
Environmental Resource Permits, but we
couldn’t get them to require local
governments to use the Boat Siting
Facility Plan guidelines when building
marinas, dry storage or wet slips. The
essence is that DRIs in many categories
have been eliminated. Because of that,
local comprehensive plans will become
even more important in growth decisions
on many major projects and facilities.
Pave over Farmlands: Agriculture
Enclave: SB1880/HB1015. PASSED.
This bill has been trying to get passed for
three years and it finally did, but not
without us working against it at every
step. The final bill was bad, but not as
bad as originally filed. The bill cuts the
agency response time to agriculture
applicants in half, to 90 days (same as
the earlier versions). What changed was
that the original bill stated over and over
again in different sections that the
application shall not be subject to the
“9J-5 Florida Administrative Code or
Sprawl rule” and that the agency shall
not even use the Sprawl rule to deny an
application. The final version that passed
changed from “shall not use 9J-5…” to
“the application is presumed to be
consistent with rule 9J-5. This
presumption may be rebutted by clear
and convincing evidence…” However,
the definition of the “Agricultural
enclave” still means … agricultural land
that is … 75% surrounded by industrial,
residential, commercial,” etc. and the
acreage is “not to exceed 1280 or not to
exceed 4480.” Visualize patchwork,
leapfrog development.
Guns in State Parks:SB1546/HB1029.
PASSED. Now you happy campers can
keep your guns in your tent, RV, trailer,
car or truck. Keep yourself safe from
pesky wildlife and those renegade nasty
campers that will come attacking. At
least that was the reason given by the
NRA lobbyist, who told of a camper who
was attacked, and said that if they’d had
a gun, the outcome of the attack would
have been different. Imagine what that
outcome would have been.
These bills died:
SB720/SB1244/HB773: Anti-Petition
Gathering bills; SB26: Supreme Court
Subject Filter Citizen Initiatives:
SB1918/HB7165: Purifying (NOT) the
Constitution: SB1436/HB7037 Fiscal
Impact: (Citizen Initiatives and
petition gathering survived). We can
celebrate this victory as well. While we
were fighting on a daily basis, it all came
down to the internal fighting between
leadership, and against the legislators
themselves sponsoring so many
constitutional amendments. Many of the
legislators sounded off on how
hypocritical this was. Our hard line
lobbying efforts and our Save the Voters
Voice coalition work around the state
was wonderful. Kudos to ACORN,
FPIRG, Clean Water Action, Sierra,
AFL-CIO, Florida LCV, Florida
Consumer Action Network, League of
Women Voters of Florida, Common
Cause, Panhandle Citizens Coalition and
others. We did an excellent job working
together, sharing responsibilities and
supporting each other.
The Pelican
Eating for a Healthy Planet
True Cost of Food – A Campaign Whose Time Has Come
In just two years, about 20 Sustainable
Consumption committees have sprung
up nationwide in the Sierra Club to
promote an earth-friendly diet. Events
have varied from a few folks enjoying a
potluck to hundreds of people attending
a fund-raising concert with gourmet
appetizers.
Why have these outings proved so
popular?
• They are a great new angle on
having fun while helping the Earth.
A mantra of the True Cost of Food
campaign is “Eat for your health and
your planet’s health.”
• Multitudes of earth-friendly people
are conscientious about diet and
health. This is a reservoir of
environmentalism that Sierrans have
not fully tapped.
• Local Sierrans are always looking
for innovative ideas to build
membership while raising ecological
consciousness.
Now for some background:
The planet simply cannot sustain our
wasteful lifestyle indefinitely. In the
U.S., we consume ten times more
resources per capita than the median for
all other countries, and about double that
of the other industrialized nations.
What can we, as individuals, do about
this? A lot, it turns out. The Union of
Concerned Scientists states that
individuals can make a big difference by
shifting a few basic consumption
choices. Not surprisingly, the number
one choice involves energy, especially in
transportation or in heating and cooling
our homes. However, a clear number two
involves our diet. Three times a day we
The Pelican
can help the planet by shifting our food
choices towards more:
• Plant-based
• Organic
• Locally grown
This is nothing doctrinaire, simply the
more you make these choices the better.
How much better, you ask?
• For each a pound of beef you pass
up, you save a gallon of oil, 2,500
gallons of water, five pounds of
grain and an acre of land that went
into its production.
• By choosing certified organic food,
you keep a toxic brew of pesticides
and chemicals out of the soil, water
and air.
• The average U.S meal travels 2,000
miles to reach our tables. If you
avoid imported foods or support
farmers markets, you can prevent
thousands of pounds of emissions
from polluting the atmosphere.
These choices protect not only the
environment’s health but your own. The
highest mortality in the U.S. now stems
from an epidemic of degenerative
diseases linked to all the saturated fats,
empty calories, pesticides, and chemicals
that we ingest. On the other hand,
numerous studies have shown that a diet
high in whole grains, legumes, fresh
vegetables, and fruit prolongs both
length and quality of life. Buying
organic, moreover, decreases our
exposure to toxins, while locally grown
foods retain more nutrients along with
flavor.
American Agribusiness trumpets our
diet as the most plentiful, tasty and
affordable in history, and pushes it
relentlessly through saturation
advertising, fast-food outlets and
hundred-acre supermarkets. We have
seen, however, that this “cheap” food has
an exceedingly high -- and largely
hidden -- cost to our health and to our
planet. The Sierra Club is now exposing
these costs through its True Cost of Food
campaign and acclaimed video.
Most of our Sustainable Consumption
committees around the country hold
earth-friendly dining outings. We might
ask a restaurant to feature a plant-based
meal. Conversely, we might set up one
that features organic, or perhaps a
locally-grown menu that supports
sustainable family farms. Restaurants are
delighted to get the business. These
social events easily recruit new activists.
Would you like to get involved? Our
popular 15-minute animated DVD, “The
True Cost of Food”, is a good way to get
started. This gripping yet humorous
video dramatizes what our so-called
“cheap” food really costs and makes a
great presentation for a local Club
meeting.
Contacts: By e-mail: Gordon LaBedz
at GLaBedzMD@aol.com. By phone:
Michael Beck at 818-246-3661 (24-hour
number). Websites: www.sierraclub.org/
sustainable_consumption and
www.truecostoffood.org
Good News
(Continued from page 1)
or conservation chair. You can also
contact Chapter Conservation Chair
Betsy Roberts at 941-922-9518 or
betsyred@comcast.net. Victories are
more easily achieved if we have elected
officials on our side. The September
primaries will be here before you know
it, so if you want to help elect
conservation-minded candidates, contact
your local group political chair, or
contact Chapter Political Chair Curt
Levine at 321-278-8009 or
CLevine@circuit9.org.
If you have some money to spare,
please make a donation to our Chapter
Fund Appeal to help us finance our
lobbying efforts, legal challenges, and
election activities. No amount is too
small. See the back page for details.
Together, we can keep the good news
coming.
--Kathy Criscola, Pelican Editor
Page 13
Chapter Nominating Committee Call
for Candidates - Deadline is July 7
The Chapter Nominating Committee is seeking the names of candidates who are
interested in serving on the Florida Chapter Executive Committee (FLEXCOM). Nine
members of FLEXCOM are elected at large from the Chapter. Four positions are up for
election this fall. These nine elected members, along with a representative from each of
our 18 groups, constitute FLEXCOM. FLEXCOM meets at least four times a year and
provides leadership and direction for all Chapter conservation and lobbying activities;
political endorsements; developing the annual budget; coordinating the annual
Sierra Gets Artsy
conservation conference; and publication of the statewide newsletter, The Pelican.
This summer, Sierra Club will cohost
The newly-elected members will serve a two-year term, beginning January 2007.
an exhibit of works painted by the
They will also be expected to attend the Mini-FLEXCOM meeting in November for
Florida Highwaymen, to be displayed in
election of officers and also a transition meeting between the old and the new
downtown St. Petersburg. The
FLEXCOM that occurs in December.
Highwaymen is a group of African-
Chapter officers are elected from the FLEXCOM, including Chair, Conservation
American folk landscape artists who
Chair, Administrative Chair, and Council Delegate and Alternate. According to our by-
have been have been painting scenes of
laws, the Secretary and Treasurer do not have to be elected officers. They may be
the wetlands and backroads of Florida
appointed by FLEXCOM, though we usually appoint an elected officer.
since the mid '50s. The Highwaymen
The Nominating Committee is seeking candidates who meet the following criteria:
have been inducted into the Florida
Ø Members of the Club, in good standing, as of December 31, 2005. Artists Hall of Fame. The exhibit, which
Ø Willing to attend and participate in four (at least) FLEXCOM meetings a year and will run from July 19 through August 12,
serve on any appropriate committees. will focus on the endangered and
Ø Demonstrate knowledge of Sierra Club history, culture and legal requirements of disappearing landscape and wetlands of
the Chapter. Florida.
Ø Able to accept a leadership position on FLEXCOM. We anticipate having several
Ø Understand their responsibility for the Chapter’s financial health. roundtable discussions of current Florida
Ø Be familiar with conservation, political and regional issues of Florida. environmental challenges, as well as
Ø Represent a geographical diversity from around the state. some outings to highlight some of the
Ø Able to work cooperatively with activists who have differing viewpoints. areas we're trying to save.
For more information, contact Bob
Ø Able to work productively both at and in between FLEXCOM meetings. Sullivan at 727-522-0398 or
Ø Understand group dynamics and organizational processes and structures. SIERRAFLA@aol.com or Buddy Baker
The Nominating Committee will be accepting nominations through July 7. Any at 727-385-9623.
member interested in being considered for the upcoming fall election can contact any
member of the committee (see below).
We will ask all candidates to complete a short form for our review. Any interested
person who seeks nomination but is not nominated by the committee will have the National Sierra
opportunity to run by petition. Contact info:
Ø Barbara Curtis, Nominating Committee Chair, legalbarb@aol.com, 954 946-7359 Election Results
Ø Ron Haines, ronaldhaines@bellsouth.net, 561-964-1995
Ø Corey Hyde, cmhjunques@yahoo.com, 239-887-0095 This spring’s election returned Bernie
Zaleha of Boise, Idaho, who currently
Ø John Hedrick, johnhedrick13@yahoo.com 850-421-2483
serves as the Club's Vice President, for a
Ø Ervin Duncan, enduncan@bellsouth.net 904-261-7539 second term on the Board of Directors.
The following candidates were elected to
2006 Florida Sierra Election Calendar their first terms: Marilyn Wall of
Cincinnati, Ohio; Raphael Reyes of San
July 7 Deadline for nominations to nominating committee Mateo, California; Robin Mann of
July 15 Nominating committee report to FLEXCOM of committee nominees Rosemont, Pennsylvania, and Ellen
July 29 Deadline for receipt of candidate petitions Pillard of Reno, Nevada.
Aug. 5 Deadline for delivery of ballot information and candidate statements to the The total number of ballots cast was
Pelican. 76,141 -- less than 10 percent of the
Sept. 15 Mail Pelican with ballots for Chapter election membership.
Nov. 3 Closing date of election, ballots due by midnight For more election information, visit
Nov. 4-5 Count ballots www.sierraclub.org/bod/2006election/
Nov. 11-12 Fall Conservation Conference, mini-FLEXCOM – election of officers

Page 14 The Pelican

Florida Chapter Election Rules
Election of not less than four at -large members of
the Florida Executive Committee (FLEXCOM) for
two-year terms shall be held according to a
calendar prepared annually and approved by
FLEXCOM. The calendar shall set the dates of:
• Deadline for appointing the election committee.
• Deadline for appointing the nominating
committee.
• Deadline for notifying willing candidates of their
right and method for seeking nominating petitions.
• Nominating committee report of names of
nominees.
• Deadline for receipt of candidate petitions.
• Production of eligible voter list.
• Mailing the ballots (Pelican).
• Receipt of returned ballots.
• Date, time and place for counting the ballots.
The following officers will be appointed to one-
year terms by FLEXCOM at the last meeting of the
calendar year: Chair, Vice-Chair for
Administration, Vice-Chair for Conservation,
Secretary, Treasurer, Council Delegate, Alternate
Council Delegate, Gulf Coast Regional
Conservation Committee (GCRCC) Representative
and Alternate GCRCC Representative. All elected
Chapter members-at-large should expect to serve in
one of these positions.
The election shall be held by secret ballot. The
ballot shall be mailed in The Pelican to every
member. The ballot shall appear on the opposite
side of the mailing label so that the eligibility of
the voter can be verified without looking at the
ballot. The ballots shall be sorted into three groups
during verification – single membership, joint
membership and questionable ballot. Fo llowing
verification, the labels shall then be removed or
covered so the ballot will remain secret. Each joint
membership is entitled to two votes. The ballots
will contain the statement: “Ballots must be mailed
to: . . . Ballots may not be submitted at the last
meeting of the calendar year.” The ballot will
contain the closing date of the election as the
deadline for receiving the ballot.
Voters shall be eligible if they are members as of
the date of the ordering of labels. Labels for the
mailing of The Pelican shall be handled so that a
record of the ordered labels is maintained. If a
member does not receive a Pelican, the member
may submit a ballot with their membership
information (name, expiration date and
membership number) on the opposite side of the
ballot. The election committee shall check the
eligibility of the vote using the record of the
ordered labels.
Petition candidates shall be nominated consistent
with the bylaws and the election calendar. The
ballots shall contain all committee-nominated and
petition candidates placed in alphabetical order by
last name, then first name, and then middle name.
A minimum of 50 signatures is required to become
a petition candidate.
Ballots will be mailed to a member of the election
committee designated by the election committee.
Ballots will be counted prior to the last FLEXCOM
meeting of the year. Each candidate may observe
the counting of the ballots or send a representative
The Pelican
to the counting. The results of the count will be
made available to all candidates and posted to the
Chapter Leaders’ e-mail list as soon as possible
following the count.
Both nominating committee candidates and petition
candidates for at-large members of FLEXCOM
shall be members of Sierra Club since December Everything is hitched
31 of the preceding year. The membership date of
nominees will be determined from the database to everything else…
available to volunteers (MUIR), provided that one
exists. The membership chair will check by name,
and if that fails will request the membership Make a commitment to the next
number from the candidate. The membership chair generation by remembering the
will then check by membership number and ZIP
Sierra Club in your will. Your support
code, by the on-line member lookup function.
will help others to preserve the
Petition signers must be members on the date they intricate balance of nature. Bequests
sign the petition. Petitions must include the have played a key role in the Sierra
membership numbers to facilitate in verifying
membership. The membership chair shall be Club’s environmental successes
responsible for verifying the membership. over the years.
Candidates will be allowed to place a statement in
There are many gift options
The Pelican that contains the ballot. The statement
shall be no more than 125 words in length.
available. We can even help you
Candidate statements shall be reviewed for plan a gift for your local Chapter.
accuracy by the nominating committee chair.
Campaigning is allowed. Campaign materials shall
For more information and
be so identified. Articles not identified as confidential assistance, contact:
campaign materials by or about individual John Calaway
nominees shall not be published in group or
Director of Gift Planning
chapter newsletters, after publication of nominees nd
and prior to an election, unless they relate to the 85 Second Street, 2 Floor
ordinary performance of the duties of the nominee San Francisco CA 94105
as a Club member. All candidates shall be 415-977-5639 or
permitted an equal opportunity to address Sierra
planned.giving@sierraclub.org
Club meetings concerning their campaigns. Any
written campaign material shall be identified by
source and shall be circulated to the election
committee chair and to all other candidates with
sufficient time to permit candidate response.
Club entities shall not endorse candidates, but Club
members, acting on an individual basis and not
Your Ad Here Reaches
acting in an official capacity, shall be permitted to
endorse and speak for a candidate. Newsletter
30,000+ Readers
editors shall not be permitted to endorse a
candidate in the newsletter.
The Pelican is published by the
Appointment of FLEXCOM officers shall take Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club for
place at the last FLEXCOM of the year following
its members and other interested
the election committee report . The new at-large readers. Sierra Club members, as a
members shall have a vote in the election of
officers. The outgoing at -large members will not group, have above-average income
have a vote in the election of officers. The new and education levels. They enjoy
officers will take office at the first FLEXCOM of outdoor activities and travel.
the next year. Our readers are interested in
products or services that are
environmentally considerate,
enhance enjoyment of the outdoors
or help them express their
environmental ethic.
For a rate sheet, call Ben
Ochshorn at 850-894-2869 or
e-mail benoc@netscape.com
Page 15
 Chapter Fund Appeal

It’s Not Too Late

To Donate
Yes, I remember that fund appeal letter fro m the Florida
Chapter of the Sierra Club. That was back in March and I
didn’t respond right away. Just put it aside so I could get to it
later. Well, now it’s later and I can’t find it.
Is this you too? Well, you can still contribute to one or both
of our funds:
Save the Date • Florida Chapter General Fund. This is not tax-deductible
because funds support our effective advocacy and

Fall Conference lobbying efforts.

• Florida Chapter Political Committee (PAC). This is not
tax-deductible because this money is used for political
November 10 - 12 activities.
Write a separate check for each fund and make it payable to
the specific fund. Include your full name, address, ZIP code
Don't miss this fall's Florida Chapter Conservation and phone number. If your political contribution exceeds
Conference, to be held Friday - Sunday, November 10 - 12. $100, you must also include your occupation.
We’ll feature programs and discussions on Florida's Send to:
environmental challenges such as: Energy - Red Tide - Florida Sierra Fund
Growth - Wetlands - Biodiversity - Water quality - Offshore c/o Don S. Lieb
drilling – Everglades, as well as training sessions and outings. 21 Kingsbridge Crossing Drive
Ormond Beach FL 32174
New Location!
We're excited about the new location, which will be the If you have already sent in a donation, we thank you for
beautiful Pine Lake Retreat in central Florida. Pine Lake your support!
Retreat is conveniently located on U.S.Hwy. 27 just south of
Leesburg and the Florida Turnpike.
Housing options include chalets, lodges and RV or tent
camping. The cafeteria has great food and the meeting rooms
are spacious and fully equipped. The camp is loaded with
activities and sports -- fun for the whole family.
So mark your calendar now for this weekend of learning,
sharing and fun. More details and a registration form will be in
the next Pelican. More information on the camp is at
www.pinelakeretreat.com. For details about the conference,
call Rosalie Shaffer at 941-729-9248.

FLORIDA CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB NONPROFIT ORG.

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