Reaching More Than IERRAN - sierraclubmass2.org · John Lewis exposes another broken ... open the refuge for its pals in the industry, ... three weeks after the blizzard, nearly

Volume 11 • Number 1 Spring 2005

�IERRANM A S S A C H U S E T T S�IERRAN

www.sierraclubmass.org

I N S I D E :

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

Reaching More Than 26,000 Sierra Club Members

in Massachusetts

2 Director’s LetterSenate sells out the Arctic.

3 Whither our ParksThe Firing of Kathy Abbott.

4 Is Spectacle Island a Park?John Lewis exposes another brokenBig Dig mitigation promise.

5 Poison in Your Deck?Gil Woolley helps you protect yourchildren and pets this summer.

6 Forest GuardiansElisa Campbell is looking for forestguardians.

7 Northern Right WhalesCindy Delpapa asks... is extinctionimminent?

8 Green Power OptionsEthan Hoag explores green poweroptions.

10 Vernal Pools Spring time is vernal pool time.

11 Volunteer Deborah Holt, our outings leader,explains how to get involved.

12 Book Review Diana Muir on Jared Diamond’sCollapse.

13 Silver Line Jeremy Marin exposes the truthabout the MBTA’s Silver Line.

14 Rail Link on Track Louise Lewis on keeping the North-South Rail Link on-track.

15 Events and Hikes

2 Massachusetts Sierran SPRING 2005

Massachusetts Sierra Club

CHAPTER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2005

Mary Ann Nelson, [email protected]

617-442-0123

Blossom Hoag, Vice [email protected]

Philip [email protected]

Alexandra [email protected]

John [email protected]


Gilbert [email protected]

Elisa [email protected]


CHAPTER STAFF

James McCaffrey, DirectorJeremy Marin, Associate Regional RepresentativeYi Ching Fedkenheuer, Administrative Assistant

[email protected]

LEADERS LIST

For information on local environmental issues, membership, meetings, outings, and any other Sierra Club events, call or write the group or issue leaders listed below.

Annual dues in the Sierra Club are $39, of which $1 is for a subscription to the Massachusetts Sierran.

GROUP LEADERSCape Cod GroupDavid Dow, Acting [email protected]

Greater Boston GroupJohn Lewis, [email protected]

Pioneer Valley GroupElisa Campbell, Acting [email protected]

Blackstone Valley GroupWendy Rowland, Acting [email protected]

Essex County GroupMike Dorsey, [email protected]

CHAPTER ISSUE LEADERSConservation ChairGilbert [email protected]

Energy ChairDavid [email protected]

Public Lands & Open Spaces ChairElisa [email protected]

Transportation ChairJohn [email protected]

Population ChairAnita King413-268-9212

REGIONAL CONTACTSMaine Sierra ClubOne Pleasant StreetPortland, ME 04101-3936207-761-5616

New Hampshire Sierra Club40 North Main StreetConcord, NH 03301603-224-8222

Vermont Sierra Club73 Center StreetRutland, VT 05701802-651-0169

Rhode Island Sierra Club21 Meeting StreetProvidence, RI 02903401-521-4734

Connecticut Sierra Club118 Oak StreetHartford, CT 06106860-525-2500

SENATE SELLS OUT ARCTIC REFUGELetter from the desk of James McCaffrey, Director

Elisa Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EditorSiobhan McAuley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DesignerAudrey Borus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Copy EditorJean Sideris . . . . . . . Announcements Editor

The Massachusetts Sierran is published quarterly: March, June, September, and December.

The deadline for copy is normally eight weeks before publication. The deadline for meetings andannouncements is four weeks before publication.

Please submit all copy to Elisa Campbell at [email protected]. Please submit all announcements and meetings information

to [email protected], unless otherwise stated, are of the author only; positions adopted by the

Sierra Club are identified as such.Circulation of the Massachusetts Sierran

is over 26,000 outdoor-minded, environmentally aware readers.

Postmaster:Send all address changes (PS form 3579) to: Sierra Club Membership, 85 Second Street, 2nd FloorSan Francisco, CA 94105

Moving?Send change of address forms to above address.

Prospective advertisers:Contact the Editor to request an advertising rate package.

Periodical Postage (air) at Boston, MA

The Massachusetts Sierran (USPS 059-370) is published quarterly byMassachusetts Chapter Sierra Club 100 Boylston Street, Suite 760Boston, MA 02116

(617) [email protected]

M A S S A C H U S E T T S�IERRANVol. 11 No. 1 • Spring 2005

On the cover: Maple Trees Photograph by Elisa Campbell

©2005 Massachusetts Sierra ClubNo part of the contents of this newsletter may be reproduced by any means

without the written consent of the Massachusetts Sierran.

In a landmark vote that has pitted environmentalists againstoil interests for decades, the Senate recently voted 51 to 49 tosell out the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, all for a mere pit-tance of the nation’s oil supply. One of our nation’s last greatwilderness areas, the Arctic is teeming with wildlife, includingcalving grounds for 150,000 Caribou, and is still largely unspoiledby either commercial oil exploration or any human activity. Theindigenous Gwich’in Indian Nation still depends on the area tosustain their native way of life.

Last month’s vote did not give the green light for actual drillingin the Arctic, but instead attached projected revenues from drillingto the federal budget. By including potential future oil revenuesin the budget – with figures artificially inflated 800% by billsponsors - the vote does set the stage for congress later this yearto approve actual drilling. And while it is a symbolic victory forthe oil-soaked Bush administration, which has long sought toopen the refuge for its pals in the industry, the razor-thin marginwas a far cry from a mandate. Even as the republican leadershipdeclared victory, a bi-partisan coalition of members of Congressvowed to keep the refuge off-limits from drilling. Here in New Eng-land, Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME)maintained their long standing support for protecting the Arcticby offering an amendment to strip drilling revenues from thebudget.

Even as oil prices continued to rise steeply before the vote,big oil was actually pulling out of drilling in the Arctic. In Feb-ruary, Alaskan Governor Frank Murkowski threatened to leaseareas just off the coastline of the refuge for drilling. This doesnot require a vote from Congress. Last year, the same threatyielded no bidders from the oil industry. And oil industry stud-

(continued on page 14)

SPRING 2005 Massachusetts Sierran 3

OPINION

Whither our Parks:Parks Commissioner Fired

in Controversial Move by Governor

By James McCaffrey & Elisa Campbell

On February 4, Governor Mitt Rom-ney “requested the resignation”

of Kathy Abbott, Commissioner of theDepartment of Conservation andRecreation (DCR). The stated cause forthe firing was that some sidewalks hadnot been properly plowed after a recordsnowstorm dropped more than twofeet of snow across most of Massa-chusetts. Regrettably, four high schoolstudents who were walkingalong the VFW parkway -instead of on the sidewalk -were struck by a truck travel-ing on the parkway. Fortu-nately, all of the students haverecovered, and the Principal of theWest Roxbury High School has report-ed that all students are doing well andhave returned to class.

While there is no question the inci-dent should not have occurred, thecircumstances surrounding the acci-dent are somewhat less apparent. Asthe hours passed immediately fol-lowing the incident, it became clearthat there may be more to the story -and the firing - than the reasons stat-ed by the Governor’s public relationsoffice. Were the sidewalks in factcleared after all? What was the drivingrecord of the motorist who struck thestudents? Did the Governor’s officehave other motives in so promptlycalling for the resignation of the Com-missioner? Was under-funding of theagency really to blame for potentialoperational shortcomings? And wasit possible that Kathy Abbott was infact doing too good a job for some inthe Governor’s office?

Progress Made, Progress LostDespite overriding concerns for

public safety, environmentalists wereimmediately outraged by Abbott’s dis-missal, partly because she had been

doing such a stellar job at improvingpublic safety. Kathy Abbott providednew leadership and vision for DCRand was expanding the public’s par-ticipation within our parks system.Significant progress was being madein understanding our park resourcesand how to manage them better. Sier-ra Club outings leaders have noticed amarked improvement in the qualityand marking of trails, policing of ourstate forests and parks, enforcementof existing rules, and more outreachto parks users and friends groups byDCR staff and management.

In the weeks and months leadingup to the accident, the Commission-er had called upon the Governor’soffice and the legislature to providemore money to adequately maintainthe urban parks system. Commissioner

Abbott had also signed - the day beforeher dismissal - a contract with the MassHighway Department (MHD) to helpthe parks agency plow some of theDCR owned roadways. And in the daysfollowing the incident, major printand media outlets began reporting thatGovernor Romney had actually used$40,000 of DCR’s funds to throw asend-off party for the New EnglandPatriots – on private, not public, property.

Senate and House ConveneOversight Hearing to Investigate

To try to understand what had hap-pened, and to make sure it didn’t hap-pen again, Senators Barrios (D-Somerville) and Resor (D-Acton)convened a Senate Oversight Hearingto get to the bottom of things. At thehearing it quickly became clear theinitial story was incomplete. Seniorofficials from the Romney adminis-tration testified before the hearing that“serious operational failures” had beenthe reason for Abbott’s dismissal, whiletaking credit for the agreement withMHD that Abbott had executed, andthen stating publicly that snow clear-ing was no longer a problem. Subse-

quently, Abbott’s temporary replace-ment was then presented with numer-ous pictures of sidewalks and portionsof DCR roadways that were still notclear of snow - this now being almostthree weeks after the blizzard, nearlya week after Abbott had been fired,and moments after state officials hadclaimed all the snow was cleared.

Groups Testify - UnderfundingCreates Public Safety Risks

For those most familiar with ourparks system, including the volunteerfriends groups who help maintainthem and the environmental groupswho work to protect them, it was clearthat something else might be to blamefor the tragic incident that occurredalong the VFW. The Sierra Club andnumerous other groups presented com-

pelling evidence at the hear-ing that chronic under-funding of DCR had led tothe agency’s inability to doits job, including protecting

the safety of the public who use ourparks system. This was precisely whatKathy Abbott had been saying as well.

Our 450,000 acre parks systemincludes 2,000 miles of trails, 39 pools,39 rinks, and 3,500 campsites, and thenecessary infrastructure to supportthose facilities, including 1,500 build-ings, 3,500 miles of roads, 900 milesof sidewalks, 270 bridges, 263 dams,and more than 2,000 parking lots. Butno one can manage and maintain facil-ities without funds. Massachusettsused to spend about 1.4 cents of everytaxpayer dollar keeping our parksclean, safe and well maintained, butnow we spend less than 2/3 of a cent.

As any frequent reader of the Sier-ran may remember, this underfund-ing is not new. Over two years ago,the Sierra Club and other environ-mental groups jointly issued a reportwarning of a pending crisis in our parkssystem, including risks to the publicsafety. But the budget has notimproved. In fact, since our report,DCR has seen an almost 40% reduc-tion in its funding. Those cuts trans-late directly into public safety risksincluding understaffed parks, declin-ing workforce, limited operating hours


“Was it possible that Kathy Abbott was doing toogood a job for some in the Governor’s office?”


Is Spectacle Island a Park? By John Lewis

Once upon a time there was a largemound of smoldering rejects of our

civilization in Boston Harbor. That wasSpectacle Island more than 20 years agowhen the Sierra Club became the chiefchampion for the formation and planningof the Boston Harbor IslandsState Park. Years went by anda national recreational parkwas formed inside the bound-aries of the state park, but onlyon land above the low tidemark. The ownership of theislands remained with variousentities which were to coop-erate with the National ParkService.

Spectacle Island became the repositoryof moderately contaminated dirt from theupper level of the “Big Dig.” The islandwas covered with 14 million cubic yardsof dirt, raising the elevation of the northknoll to about 220 feet. Among the longlist of mitigations for allowing the Big Digproject to deposit the Big Dig dirt, the newisland was armored with large rip-rap onthe north and east sides, sunken fishingboats and assorted barges were removedfrom the west side, and a leachate cut-offwall installed behind the west beach (tobe made with imported sand) to keep the

leachate from wetting the beach. A visitors’ center wasbuilt (at this moment it is used by the workers on theisland), a large sturdy dock was built, the dirt was coveredwith a layer of material to block water infiltration, andwas then covered with several feet of topsoil in whichwas planted shrubs, bushes and grasses.

The vegetation has for the most part grown well, andit’s a great ocean, city, harborand airport view from thenorth knoll. I have even seena large male deer. I took a pic-ture, for proof!

The cost so far is probablyaround $7 million, paid foras mitigation by the CentralArtery Project (the Big Dig).

But all is not well. Spectacle Island was closed lastsummer; we can only hope it will be open for visitorsthis June of 2005. The landfill leachate collection sys-tem has not worked as designed. The system’s plan wasthat the leachate behind the western beach cut-off wasto be pumped back to the east and, at the highest pointin the saddle area, run into 10 leachate wells that pen-etrated the plastic fill cover. The idea was that the leachatewould then slowly leach through the rip rap armor on theeast and west sides into the harbor. This avoided thelegal necessity of obtaining a point source permit whichwould be required if the leachate came out a pipe anddrained directly into the harbor. What in fact happenedwas that the leachate pipes and wells plugged with a sortof growth. Chemical treatment only improved the sit-uation briefly. The leachate contaminants are not horriblepollutants; they are mostly metallic salts, no oil or PCB’sor other organics. Though a direct pipe into the harborwould probably cause no discernable pollution in theharbor, allowing a point source to flow directly into abody of water from a capped dump is considered a verybad precedent by the DEP (and probably is).

The small volume of gray water from the visitor’s cen-ter is supposed to be added to the dump leachate as amethod of disposal.

In order to open Spectacle Island for the summer of2005, the temporary solution is to remove the leachatefrom the island by a tank on a barge to a shore locationwhere it will be pumped into the Massachusetts WaterResources Administration (MWRA) system. The graywater (of much smaller volume) would be removed inthe same way: by barge. All this would allow SpectacleIsland to be open this summer.

The long term solution being considered is to build asewage line underwater to Long Island at the cost of $1


photo courtesy of John Lewis


Poison in Your Deck? Protect Children and PetsBy Gil Woolley

Now that it's spring, it is time tolook around the yard to see if you

are exposing children and pets to adeadly poison: arsenic. For the past30 years, almost all the wood used indecks, play houses, picnic tables andother outdoor structures has been treat-ed with chromated copper arsenate(CCA) to combat fungus and insectattack. The pressure-treated wood ofa typical deck contains several ouncesof arsenic, and, despite industry claims,it continues to leach out for manyyears. The leached-out CCA is clearlyvisible as a pale green film on the sur-face of the wood.

The arsenic in this film is readilyabsorbed into the body through skincontact. Small children have lotsof exposed skin, and they oftenput their fingers in their mouths.CCA washed off the wood accu-mulates on any surface beneath,and provides another opportu-nity for absorption through theskin and by hand to mouth.

While everyone knows thatarsenic is a deadly poison wheningested, not everyone is awarethat, even in trace quantities, itcan cause rashes and scabs onthe skin. Over the long term, itcan cause cancer. Animals liv-ing in enclosures made fromCCA-treated wood become sick,and sometimes die.

To protect children and ani-mals from arsenic, exposedCCA-treated wood can be sealedwith paint or varnish, but overtime the arsenic seeps throughand, if any green film is visible,the wood must be recoated.

Do not burn CCA-treatedwood!

Do not, on any account,burn CCA-treated wood ineither a stove or an open fire!Burning releases arsenic vaporinto the air; the vapor may beinhaled, producing very serious

effects. The ash is also highly toxic.CCA-treated wood is no longer

manufactured for domestic use, butexisting stocks may be sold. Woodprotected by less toxic treatments isnow available.

Gil Woolley is an activist and long-timemember of the Chapter’s Executive Com-mittee as well as a frequent contributorto these pages.

HELP DECIDE THE DIRECTION OFTHE SIERRA CLUB!This fall’s Sierra Summit in SanFrancisco will include membersestablishing the conservation priori-ties for the Sierra Club for the next 5to 10 years. Be one of the 16 peo-ple representing the MassachusettsChapter. In addition to attendingthe Summit, you will be expected toparticipate in discussions of possiblepriorities with other chapter volun-teers on email or in person. Pleasesubmit a short statement of yourinterest and why the chapter shouldselect you by Thursday May 12 [email protected] and putSierra Summit in the subject line.

Massachusetts Chapter Sierra Club 100 Boylston Street, Suite 760Boston, MA 02116


Wanted: ForestGuardiansBy Elisa Campbell

Your Pictures on the Sierra Club Website

The Massachusetts Chapter is creat-ing pages on the Chapter Web siteabout the State Forests and Parks.We invite your participation! We’dlove to have a place on the Web forevery Forest and Park in the system… but we don’t expect to get thereimmediately. We’ll start with infor-mation as we get it; and we plan toget it from you, our members, whoknow the value of places in your“neighborhood.”

What we want from you:

1. Pictures of the Park or Forest -These should be beautiful picturesof what makes this place special, and,if possible, pictures of the threats toit. Examples include views, healthyforests, people actively enjoyinghuman-powered recreation (hiking,snowshoeing, cross-country skiing,canoeing, etc.); and also trails erod-ed by all-terrain vehicles, trashdumped in the park, etc. The beau-ties or threats should be clearly vis-ible in the photographs.

2. Captions and explanations witheach picture, so we can include thatinformation on the Web site. WhichPark or Forest? Is it in the Park orForest, or near it? What’s the point ofthe picture? Approximate date of thepicture? If there are recognizable peo-ple in the picture, do you have theirpermission to “publish” the picture?

3. A brief discussion of the place,what’s great about it, what the prob-lems are.

Technical InfoWe need 72 dpi images about 4x6inches. Can’t do that ? If you haveprints or slides but no scanner; oryou have digital photos bigger thanthat but not the software to makethem smaller– don’t let that stopyou! We can help! Contact Elisa Campbell at [email protected]

The Massachusetts Chapter islaunching a new initiative to help

protect our irreplaceable state forestsand parks system. These natural areasare under constant threat from bothnear and far, including: budget cuts,lack of planning for conservation andpreservation, and pressures for recre-ational uses that degrade the envi-ronment, to name but a few. Oftenthe biggest threats are from just outsidethe park, including invasions by all-terrain vehicles from neighboring pri-vate lands, inappropriate land use onproperties that abut the parks, or some-times even encroachment by privateland owners. Then there are problemsfrom even further away. Currently, ourforests and parks are under attack byinvasive pests that kill trees and shrubs,like the fungus which attacksbeeches, and the hemlockwooly adelgid, as well as thepossibility of Sudden OakDeath being introduced fromnursery plants. Also, invasiveplants can take over andreduce the habitat for nativespecies. Then there are theold stand-bys, such as smogand acid precipitation, thathave degraded forests acrossthe entire northeast.

Most of these threats toour state-owned public lands are notnew. For example, the state parksagency (formerly the Department ofEnvironmental Management, now theDepartment of Conservation andRecreation) has seen nearly twodecades of budget cuts. Just since 2003the parks agencies have seen a cut ofnearly 40 percent. It’s clear that tochange our “Commonwealth’s” com-mitment to our public lands, we need

to raise the level of awareness, activism,and overall support for our state forestsand parks system.

This effort is vitally important.Massachusetts has very little federal-ly-protected land, and aside from theCape Cod National Seashore, we don’thave any national parks with anemphasis on nature at all (we havesome fine historical parks). Massa-chusetts does not even have anyNational Forests. The public land thatis preserved in our state is protectedby the state or by local towns. Preser-vation of these lands has a direct effecton our quality of life, and the diver-sity of species that we share our liveswith.

What you can doDo you have a favorite State Park orForest? Do you live near one? We wantto form a network of Forest Guardianswho want to protect these lands fromthe variety of threats they face. Wantto join us? Please send me your contactinformation, and tell me which parksand/or forests you know and want tohelp. I’ll form the network and getyou in contact with other ForestGuardians. Also, as a certified SierraClub trip leader, I’m interested in lead-ing trips that show both why an areais special, and what the threats are to

those areas. So if you knowof a good hike in your statepark or forest, let me know.We can work together todevelop a fabulous SierraClub hiking programdesigned to show peoplewhat we collectively own– our great forests and parkssystem- and then we willget more people involvedin protecting it.

Finally, we are creatinga place on the Sierra ClubWeb site to help the State

Forests and Parks. We’re looking foryour input: pictures and explanations.(Please see sidebar for more details.)

Elisa Campbell is the Chair of the Chap-ter’s Public Lands and Open Spaces Com-mittee and has written frequently for theSierran about the parks.

Lady Slipper photo courtesyElisa Campbell

Club has long been a leader in protecting the Northern Right Whalebecause they frequent the rich feed-ing grounds in Massachusetts Bay. ACEis taking the lessons learned here tothe waters from Atlantic Canada toFlorida. It is only through a coast-wideeffort can we hope to stave off extinc-tion for these extraordinary animals.

What you can do ACE needs volunteers to help save

our Northern Right Whale. Withoutimmediate action, the fate of theNorthern Right Whale is bleak, and

without volunteers workingon this issue, the neededchanges to our shipping con-trols may not materialize intime. We need all kinds of vol-unteers, from a region-widecoordinator of the campaign

to helpers with outreach at localevents. If you are interested in learn-ing what you can do to help pleasecontact the Massachusetts ChapterOffice at (617) 423-5775.

Cindy Delpapa is the MassachusettsChapter’s representative on the AtlanticCoastal Ecosystem team.

Few things match the thrill of see-ing the surprising grace of a giant

whale breaching or diving. Few whalesare as sought after as the NorthernRight Whale for viewing both for theirplayful nature and for their toleranceof boats. It is this easiness around boatsthat may bring an end to future gen-erations enjoying these mag-nificent mammals.

Extinction The Northern Right

Whale is on the brink of dis-appearing from our oceans.With barely 300 individuals knownto exist and fewer than 100 breedingfemales, the fate of the Northern RightWhale could be decided in the nextdecade. The loss of even one whale,especially if it is a female, brings theNorthern Right Whale population clos-er to a point where recovery is not pos-sible. Many factors have contributed tothe precipitous decline of the North-ern Right Whale, starting with hugeharvests by the whaling industries inthe 18th and 19th centuries. Modernthreats are not as blatant but thewhales still suffer losses from fishinggear entanglements, habitat losses andship strikes.

Ocean Road Kill Northern Right Whales follow

ancient migration routes from theirwarm water calving grounds off oursouthern states to rich feeding groundsin the northern Atlantic. The shippingindustry also uses these near-coastalwaters, setting up a dangerous situa-tion for the whales. The whales arenot afraid of ships; this lack of fearleads, inevitably, to collisions betweenwhale and ship with dire consequencesfor the whale. Recently a breedingfemale was killed as a result of a ship

strike off North Carolina. Unfortu-nately, the shipping industry is grow-ing: the ships are larger and more ship-ping facilities are proposed along theAtlantic coast. An increase in shipstrikes seems unavoidable and extinc-tion more likely if changes are notmade soon.

Hope The Sierra Club’s Atlantic Coast

Ecoregion (ACE) team is mobilizingon behalf of enlightened and effectivecontrols of shipping to protect theNorthern Right Whale. Ports or pro-jects proposed for particularly sensi-tive whale habitat, such as calving andfeeding areas, need heightened scruti-ny and alternatives identified awayfrom these critical areas. The Sierra


“The loss of even one whale, especially if it is afemale, brings the Northern Right Whale population

closer to a point where recovery is not possible.”

Extinction In Our Lifetimes?The Northern Right WhaleBy Cindy Delpapa

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“Churchill” was entangled and later found dead


Glaciers reced-ing all over the

planet, winters get-ting shorter, stormsmore frequent and vio-lent, ocean levels rising, someparts of the globe getting colder.There is little doubt that our planet iswarming and its climate is changing.It’s not something that’s far in thefuture: it’s here now and it’s acceler-ating. Why? Because the sun shinesthrough our atmosphere and heats upthe earth, but the heat can’t escapethrough some of the gases in theatmosphere. We have added to thosegases, primarily carbon dioxide, byburning carbon-based fuels like oil,coal, natural gas and wood.We’ve turned our atmos-phere into a blanket thatwon’t let the heat escape.

The rate of “greenhousegases” being generated byburning fossil fuels to pro-duce energy cannot be sustained. Weneed to find another way. Unfortu-nately, the proposed national energypolicy being debated in Congress focus-es almost exclusively on providing bil-lion dollar subsidies for more extrac-tion and use of fossil fuels – the exactopposite of what is needed. In orderto combat climate change and createa healthier environment, we need toconserve energy and start takingadvantage of the renewable energyresources that stand ready to supplya substantial portion of our energyneeds.

Fortunately there are glimmers ofhope from state governments andCanadian provinces. It’s only a babystep but it’s in the right direction. Asa result of utility deregulation in thelate 1990s, states and provinces arecreating market-based incentives for

utilitiesand

otherpower gen-

erators to pro-mote energy con-

servation and toutilize renewable energy

sources. Renewable sources are con-sidered to be those that are constant-ly renewed by natural processes. Exam-ples include solar and wind power,small hydropower and land fill gas,but not large hydropower (which hasmajor environmental consequences).

In Massachusetts, utility restruc-turing legislation passed in 1997 estab-lished a Renewable Portfolio Standard

(RPS), one of the first in the nation.This legislation mandates that a smallpercentage of the power supplied toconsumers must be from renewablesources that started operating on orafter January 1, 1998. The requirementstarted at one percent in 2003 andincreases to five percent by 2010.

In order to implement this andother new energy policies throughoutthe region, an accounting system,called the Generation Information Sys-tem (GIS), has been established to trackthe attributes of all electric power gen-erated and sold in New England. Everymegawatt-hour (MWh) of electricityproduced is assigned a GIS “certifi-cate” that documents its characteris-tics (type of generator, emissions, loca-tion, etc.). Every company that sellselectricity to end-users is required toacquire certificates in an amount equal

to the electricity it sells. As electriccustomers, we receive an “informa-tion disclosure label” in our electricbill once every three months tellingus the sources and environmentalimpacts of their electricity, and thesedisclosure labels are now based on GIScertificates.

The certificate prices vary greatlydepending on the source; those forcoal-generated certificates are gener-ally transferred for free because thereis little demand for certificates withnegative environmental characteris-tics. In contrast, solar or wind certifi-cates fetch the highest prices becausethey are both environmentally appeal-ing and scarce. Since this new systemallows for the monetization of envi-ronmental benefits it is already stim-ulating the development of newsources of renewable energy in theregion.

There are two ways an individualcan opt for green power. Some elec-tricity suppliers offer green poweroptions right on their customers’ bills.Their customers may opt for all, orsome fraction of their supply to be

green. Other renewable ener-gy companies offer so called“Tag” products whereby anindividual may purchaserenewable energy certificatesseparately from their regularelectricity supply by contact-

ing the supplier of the Tags. Tag prod-ucts are usually sold in fixed incre-ments, or “blocks” which enable youto match all or a portion of your elec-tricity use with certificates from renew-able energy generators. Whether you“green” your electricity by paying asmall premium on your regular elec-tric bill, or by purchasing a Tag prod-uct, you guarantee that the amountof green energy you purchased will bedispatched onto the regional electricsystem, effectively displacing dirtier,polluting power sources.

If you live in a town serviced byMassachusetts Electric, you can par-ticipate in a new program called“GreenUp” which enables you tochoose among four companies offer-ing renewable energy service to resi-dential and small commercial cus-tomers. Your electricity is still

“As more and more people purchase Green Power astrong message is sent to the market - we care about

the sources of our electricity.”

Green Power OptionsBy Ethan Hoag


physically delivered by MassachusettsElectric, and Massachusetts Electricstill ensures the service. GreenUp par-ticipants pay a little extra each monthto ensure that the electricity they useis matched with certificates (see GISdiscussion above) from renewable ener-gy generators.

Unfortunately, Mass Electric, aNational Grid company, is the onlysupplier offering this option in Mass-achusetts. Customers of other utili-ties have no option to purchase greenpower through the regular monthlyelectric bill. NSTAR, which servesapproximately 1.4 million customersin the Greater Boston area and is thelargest utility in the state, has askedthe Massachusetts Department ofTelecommunications and Energy forpermission to offer green energy, buttheir product is inferior. NSTAR pro-poses to offer only one option thatwould “green” just 25% of a customer’susage. NSTAR has not been clear aboutthe resources that would make up theirgreen power offering or the price pre-mium. With a marginal NSTAR optionbeing the only choice for the largestutility customer base in the state, thisdoes not bode well for increasing thesupply of new renewable sources inthe region. NSTAR’s monopoly accessto customers also increases barriers forcompetitive suppliers interested inoffering green power options to NSTARcustomers.

Don’t let frustration with the cur-rent situation deter you. Customerswho buy green power are effectively“voting with their pocket books” forthe creation of more renewable ener-gy generators. As more and more peo-ple purchase green power products, astrong message is sent to the marketand to political leaders that says, “wecare about the sources of our electric-ity.” And the result will eventually bea shift away from subsidies and invest-ments in fossil fuel and nuclear powersources and toward renewable energygenerators.

Ethan Hoag is a retired electrical engi-neer living in Boston and has been activein the Sierra Club for 20 years.

Green Energy OptionsRenewable energy suppliers offering products through

the Massachusetts Electric program:

Sterling Planet: www.sterlingplanet.com, 1-866-464-7336

Mass Energy Consumers Alliance: www. massenergy 1-800-287-3950

Community Energy Inc.: www.communityenergy.biz, 1-866-946-3123

CET and Conservation Services Group:www.greenerwattsnewengland.com, 1-800-689-7957

--------------------------

The two largest electric utilities in the state:

Massachusetts Electric: www.masselectric.com

NSTAR: www.nstaronline.com

A committed partner

with the Sierra Clubfor over 18 years ...

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Get Your Feet Wet: FindThose Vernal Pools!

By Cindy Delpapa

As New England creeps toward spring the large snowpiles begin to melt, the rains come and mud season

descends, and puddles and pools appear in depressions.These common spring pools deserve close considerationsince many host a fascinating ecosystem, thoroughly adapt-ed to these fleeting pockets of water.

These pools, called either vernal (spring), ephemeral,or temporary pools, because they do not persist as per-manent water bodies, vary in size from just a few feet acrossto acres wide. Most often they are the result of spring melt-water and rains puddling in low lying areas where highgroundwater or soil conditions prevent the water fromdraining quickly. It is this temporariness that has givenrise to a unique survival strategy by many species.

Eggs and small larvae are tempting snacks for fish andother aquatic predators. A water body destined to disap-pear is not habitat for fish, which means fewer predatorsthan in a permanent pond. Some species, notably fairyshrimp, are so well adapted to life in a spring pool theynever leave, their eggs able to withstand years of desicca-tion if necessary. Other species of animals use vernal poolsas nurseries for their eggs and young.

Among the species dependent on vernal pools as nurs-eries are some of this state’s rarer salamander species, includ-ing blue spotted and marbled salamanders. These sala-manders travel from upland forests to deposit their eggs,often in the very same pool they hatched from if it is stillthere. Several salamander species crawl from beneath theleaf litter on a cold rainy night in March, often called BigNight by salamander enthusiasts, to travel the few yardsor even a mile to their vernal pool. Eggs laid in the autumnby other species manage to survive the New England win-ter to hatch out in the spring. Regardless of who or when,all the eggs develop quickly, racing against the inevitabledrying of the pool.

Vernal pools may also be cluttered with wood frog eggs,fingernail clams, even turtles and aquatic insects. A littlepatience and a ramble through a local forest in April tolook for a vernal pool could be rewarded with a glimpseof gelatinous egg masses attached to woody debris or float-ing in the pool, or feeding fairy shrimp, swimming alongon their backs.

Massachusetts protects some vernal pools, primarilythrough the Wetland Protection Act and the Massachu-setts Surface Water Quality Standards. To be protected, thepool must be certified as hosting the unique species whichare wholly dependent on these pools for at least some partof their life cycle. These species are called “obligate species.”Unfortunately, these laws do not protect the upland

habitat of the adult salamanders unless there is a rarespecies at risk.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and EndangeredSpecies Program oversees the certification process andmaintains the database of certified pools, but they relyheavily on volunteers to find and catalog the pools. Oneneed not be a professional biologist to certify a pool; infact following the certification steps is a great way tolearn more about these fascinating ecosystems and earlyspring is the season to act before these temporary poolsdisappear.

See the sidebar for Web sources of information aboutvernal pools. The Massachusetts Audubon Society’s sanc-tuaries have a number of children and family programsabout vernal pools or their inhabitants. Visit their webpage (www.massaudubon.org) and search on vernal poolsin their programs section or call your local sanctuary.The Trustees of Reservations also offer events at vernalpools; their website is www.thetrustees.org. People keenon learning about vernal pools in-depth can check out thenew book by local author Elizabeth Colburn for a defin-itive guide to this unique ecosystem: Vernal Pools: Nat-ural History and Conservation. (McDonald and WoodwardPublishing).

Cindy Delpapa is a stream ecologist and urban rivers coordinator for the Massachusetts River Ways Program.

Vernal Pool Information Sourceson the Web

Natural Heritage’s web page for details on vernal pool certification:

www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/nhcvp.htm

Vernal Pool Association’s site: www.vernalpool.org


Get Involved!Your Chapterand GroupNeed YouBy Deborah Holt

During the past couple of years par-ticipating in chapter, group and

issue meetings, leading outings, andtabling at Earth Day, I have becomeaware that the inner workings of theSierra Club are a mystery to many peo-ple – including members! Having beenin this situation myself not so longago, I thought it might be helpful totalk about how the chapter and groupsoperate, why member involvement isso critical, and how to get involved.

The Massachusetts Chapter repre-sents members at the state level andis our liaison to the national organi-zation. It interprets and implementsnational policy and communicateswith and supports its groups. Addi-tionally, the chapter represents theSierra Club to the public, the media,and government. To help carry out itsresponsibilities, the chapter employs asmall staff that consists of our direc-tor, James McCaffrey, and our part-time administrative assistant Yi ChingFedkenheuer. Also working out of thechapter office is Jeremy Marin, asso-ciate regional representative, whoworks on transportation issues in ourarea. If you call the office in Boston,you are likely to speak with one ofthese three people.

Groups represent members in theircommunities and neighborhoods.Massachusetts has five groups at pre-sent: Cape Cod, Greater Boston, Pio-neer Valley, Blackstone Valley, andEssex County. Some are more activethan others. There is no formula thatdictates a group’s size or how manygroups a state can have. Any membersin a given area can establish a group,and group formation, effectiveness,and survival is directly correlated tothe activity and commitment of themembers.

The Massachusetts Chapter Execu-tive Committee provides oversight forthe chapter. Each group has its ownExecutive Committee as well. Execu-tive committee members are electedto one or two-year terms. The chap-ter and groups may form issue com-mittees if an issue warrants a dedicat-ed and/or long-term effort and if theyhave the resources.

The chapter and groups rely on vol-unteers to serve on executive and issuecommittees. When the Sierra Club wasfounded in 1892, it was a Californiaorganization with one objective, topreserve Yosemite. In the last fewdecades of the twentieth century, the

Club became a national organization.The Massachusetts Chapter evolvedfrom the New England Chapter in theearly 1990s, which had previouslyevolved from the Atlantic Chapter (theentire east coast!). The Club’s presencein every state gives us powerful polit-ical clout. Members’ active participa-tion insures continuity of operationat the chapter and group levels. On arecent outing I led, a young partici-pant said that her involvement withthe Club was handed down by her par-ents.

How you can get involvedYou can begin by attending your

group’s executive committee meetingand finding out what your group isworking on. Don’t just attend onemeeting. Be persistent. Get to knowother members in your area or com-

munity. Your participation will be wel-come! If you don’t know whether yourcommunity is represented by a group,call the office and ask. If you don’tknow when or where your groupmeets, you can find this informationin the quarterly Massachusetts Sierranor on-line at www.sierraclubmass.org.

If there’s an issue in which you’dlike to involve the chapter or group,contact the chair of the appropriatecommittee and ask for time on thenext meeting’s agenda to discuss theissue. Committee chairs are listed withtheir email addresses inside the frontcover of the Massachusetts Sierran, aswell as on the web site. If there is nocommittee that would logically dealwith your issue, contact someone onthe chapter or group executive com-mittee.

When making your presentation,make it clear at the beginning whetheryour purpose is informational orrequires a decision. Allow time forquestions. A handout might be help-ful. If you are asking the committeeto take a position on an issue, it helpsto provide a draft of the wording.

You can also get involved in manyother ways:

• Subscribe to the Sierra Club ActivistNetwork (SCAN). This monthly email,which is sent to anyone who requests iton our website, provides timely informa-tion about club actions and activities.

•Make your voice heard in your commu-nity by writing letters to the editor ofyour local newspaper.

•Participate on outings and considerbecoming a volunteer outings leader.

•Write articles for the Sierran aboutissues that your group is involved with.

•Help distribute pamphlets or assistwith tabling at some event.

We look forward to meeting you and,better yet, working with you in thenear future!

Deborah Holt is chair of the Chapter’sOutings Committee and a member of theGreater Boston Group’s Executive Committee.

Photograph of hikers in Quabbin by Elisa Campbell

Consider the pig. In Polyneisa, porkhas always been the dish that

made a meal into a feast, the animalthat advertised its owner’s wealth. Yetfour centuries ago the people of thesmall Polynesian island of Tikopia gaveup the pig. They did so because it takesten pounds of vegetables to producea pound of pork. On a small island(pop. c. 1200,) the choice was betweenfeeding more people or producing porkfor chiefly feasts, and the Tikopianschose to support a larger populationon a less opulent diet.

Intriguingly, the same century thatthe Tikopeans gave up eating pork,the Japanese gave up both beef andpork, as well as the use of horses fortransport. Like the Tikopeans, theylived on an island that could supportmore people if they ate vegetables andused human porters in place of horses.

Now consider the Norse settlementsin Greenland, which, though largelyforgotten today, flourished for almost400 years with a population of 5,000Vikings - none of whom ate fish. Noone understands why. Given that Ice-landers and Norwegians are notori-ously fond of fish, the refusal of Green-landers to eat them is inexplicable.Their inability to establish the kind offriendly relations with the Inuit whocolonized Greenland from the westsome centuries after the Norse colo-nized it from the east is easier to under-stand, even though making friendsmight have enabled the Norse to emu-late Inuit success at hunting bowheadwhales from buoyant umiaqs, and theInuit to learn the art of iron smelting.After all, two peoples competing forthe same hunting grounds do not nec-

essarily see friend-ship as a goal. Andcertainly no one canhave expected theNorse to foresee thatGreenland’s fragile soilswould erode faster thanNorwegian soils. So, afterfour centuries of success,the Greenland Norseappear to have starved todeath on an island sur-rounded by fish.

Diamond likes to divideeverything into numberedparts; his complex, sprawling

new book, Collapse; How SocietiesChoose to Fail or Succeed, is divid-ed into three. The first part is a seriesof fascinating stories about entire soci-eties that collapsed, with environ-mental mismanagement playing thecrucial role. The second part consistsof stuff-you-already-knew about theways our generation is destroying theenvironment worldwide, via mining,deforestation, soil erosion and theother usual suspects. Third are sec-tions on Paths to Success and Why DoSome Societies Make Disastrous Deci-sions. Here, Diamond is groping towarda comprehensive theory of why somesocieties collapse while others con-tinue.

Diamond concludes that Tikopiawas able to make wise choices becauseit was highly homogeneous but nothighly stratified. By Polynesian stan-dards – there were islands where com-moners had to prostrate themselveswhen a chief went past – Tikopianchiefs were scarcely elevated above thecommon herd, they hoed their ownfields and ate no better than com-moners.

Greenland went hungry partlybecause of the extreme privilege of theBishop, who not only occupied therichest farmland but directed resourcesthat could have been used in food pro-curement toward the hunt for walrustusks to purchase such luxuries as silkvestments and communion wine.

Japan, on the other hand, was ableto make great strides during the Toku-gawa period (1600-1867) not onlytoward stabilizing its population, butin maintaining soil fertility, prevent-ing erosion, and largely halting defor-

estation. Like Tikopia, Japan was high-ly homogeneous. Unlike Tikopia it washighly stratified. If Tikopia becamesustainable by cooperation, Japanbecame sustainable by fiat. The Shoguntold the bureaucrats, who told the vil-lage heads, who told the peasants whatthey would and would not do.

Norse Greenland, however, did notfail because it mismanaged itsresources, but because it was defeatedin war. The Inuit in their eastwardexpansion across the Arctic has alreadywiped out the less technologically well-adapted Dorset people. They then tookon and wiped out the Norse, whostarved to death not because theymade bad ecological choices butbecause they were unable to defendthemselves from the Inuit.

Diamond fails to see that whatTikopia, Iceland, and Japan have incommon is not only that they wereislands, but that for many centuriesthey were free of war. War is one ofthe great demographic correctors.Deaths in battle and, more impor-tantly, death by the disease and faminethat follow armies have regularlyreduced populations to more sustain-able levels. With no invasions caus-ing population to fall, and no likelyway to expand their resource base byconquering somebody else, these threeislands chose to husband theirresources. Easter Island, by contrast,collapsed because the several tribespreferred to use their energies in effortsto conquer one another, rather thanto focus on sustainability.

But even here, the picture is notsimple. On Tikopia, one of the waysthat population was kept within num-bers the island could support, was tochoose a weak clan and exterminateall of its members, leaving moreresources for everybody else. Humansocieties are far more complex thanthe bird populations that were the sub-ject of Diamond’s early research, andfar harder to make general rules about.

The one clear lesson that emerges isthat no problem can be solved unlessit is first taken seriously. In this fasci-nating and fundamentally optimisticexploration of history on a global scale,Diamond succeeds in persuading thereader that almost every problem has


BOOK REVIEW:

CollapseReviewed by Diana Muir

Collapse:How Societies Chooseto Fail or SucceedBy Jared DiamondViking Press592 pages, $29.95



The MBTA is misleading the publicand it is going to cost taxpayers

$600 million – all in the name of poor-er service.

In March, the Sierra Club releasedMBTA’s Silver Line, Taxpayers Get Lessfor More, a report documenting a his-tory of misinformation and publicrelations spin by the MBTA in an effortto sell the public on its Silver Line, abus route in Roxbury.

In 1987 the MBTA tore down theelevated Orange Line that ran fromRoxbury to downtown Boston. Itpromised a replacement that wouldprovide “equal or better” service tothe community. Until 2003 that ser-vice was a slow, dirty diesel bus releas-ing fumes that contributed to residentssuffering asthma rates six times thestate average.

In 2003 the MBTA opened the Sil-ver bus Line along the route. Hailedby the MBTA as a speedy and conve-nient replacement to the former sub-way line it has failed to live up to thehype. The bus is slow, often stuck intraffic, and generally overcrowded.The MBTA’s promise of faster serviceusing technology and a dedicated buslane, have yet to be seen.

Now the MBTA wants to build bustunnels at the downtown end of theroute, at a cost of $1 billion.

Instead, the Sierra Club reportshows, the MBTA should send trainsthrough the existing (but unused) railtunnels that go to the same stations.MBTA studies also show that usingtrains instead of buses will double rid-ership, improve Green Line service,reduce neighborhood impacts, andsave at least $600 million.

MBTA’sSilver Bus Line: Taxpayers pay

the priceBy Jeremy Marin

Citing MBTA studies, the reportshows that:

•Using the existing tunnels would savetaxpayers $600 million.

•The existing light rail tunnels are ingood shape and can be used for light rail.

•Light rail on Washington Street wouldmore than double ridership.

•The speed promised with the new com-puterized technology has not been met.

•The “dedicated bus lane” is constantlyblocked by cars rendering it useless.

•Ridership is less than half of what itwas when the Orange Line served thecommunity.

Contact Governor Romney to tellhim to build the Silver Line as lightrail – saving taxpayer’s money andimproving service to Roxbury. You cancall him at: (617) 725-4005 or emailhim at: [email protected]

The report is available online atwww.sierraclubmass.org/slreport.pdf

Jeremy Marin is an Associate RegionalRepresentative for the Sierra Club.

million, and perhaps a small treatmentstation on Long Island for another $1million plus maintenance.

In addition, the sand imported bybarge to form a beach in the cove justto the north of the dock has migrat-ed south and piled up under the dock,where it has probably been stoppedby the wave screen under the dock.The cost of moving the sand back towhere it started is estimated to be inthe neighborhood of $400,000, a lotof money to pay out every fewyears.Finally, there is also an unre-solved issue of asbestos on the natur-al south beach.

Theoretically, all of this would bepaid for out of mitigation money fromthe Central Artery project. The Depart-ment of Conservation and Recreationand the city of Boston are the twoowners of Spectacle Island and needto have a properly functioning parkbefore they become responsible formaintenance. If there is no clear wayto accomplish this goal, SpectacleIsland will remain closed for the sum-mer of 2005. That would be yet anoth-er promise of the Central Artery Pro-ject unfulfilled.

John Lewis is Chair of the Greater BostonGroup and has been active in the SierraClub for more than 30 years.

Spectacle Island(continued from page 4)SILVER LINE: FACT & FICTION

MBTA Says: Service is faster than it ever was

The Truth: Service is much slower than that

promised in 1987

MBTA Says: Trains can’t fit into tunnels

MBTA Says: Existing tunnels aren’t safe

The Truth: Trains can and do go into the

tunnels

MBTA says: Using new technology the bus

will run faster, tell riders exactly how long

until the next bus will arrive, and prevent

‘bunching’

The Truth: None of these systems have

worked to date and service is far worse than

it was with the Orange Line

MBTA says: The bus shelters are adequate

The Truth: The bus shelters offer no shelter

from the elements and are designed like

inverted umbrellas


Back on Track: Keeping Options Open for the North-South Rail LinkBy Louise Lewis

The Sierra Club continues its work, two decades oldnow, to connect the rail lines that enter the city from

the north and south, so that a traveler could ride from, say,New York City to Portland, Maine, without having to getoff the train and change stations by subway or taxi inBoston. The Club is working on several fronts: findingfunding for the project, keeping the right-of-way avail-able, and getting the federal draft environmental impactstatement released.

In April of last year, the Sierra Club hosted a Confer-ence on Public-Private Funding with five rail industry lead-ers. The attendees formed a task force, some of whomwill hold a Costing Workshop this spring of technical,tunnel and risk experts, to update cost figures which arenow six-years-old.

In the meantime, efforts are underway to get fundingto finish the environmental review. Although the state’senvironmental review of the proposal was accepted almosttwo years ago, the federal portion of that review was neverreleased, despite the fact it had been completed. The stat-

ed reason for not releasing it was that the MBTA had withdrawn as project sponsor and did not have the funds.Senators Kennedy and Kerry have requested $5 millionto continue the environmental review. In the House, Con-gressman Lynch requested $2.5 million, which did notmake it through the committee.

In Massachusetts a bill has been filed in the legisla-ture by Representative Grant of Beverly to preserve theright-of-way. The Sierra Club has endorsed this bill.

What You Can Do We are asking the Massachusetts Congressional dele-

gation to make their support of the North-South Rail Linkfunding known to Congressman Lynch. Sierra Club mem-bers can help by contacting their Congressional Repre-sentatives and repeating this request.

Louise Lewis is Chair of the North-South Rail Link Commit-tee, which is a sub-committee of the Chapter’s TransportationCommittee.

ies show that even at full yield, any oil from the Arcticwould be very costly to recover, take at least ten years tobring to market, and would provide only six months ofUS supply before the well in the Arctic runs dry. To addinsult to injury the industry has stated that much of the oilfrom the refuge would go to foreign markets, not the U.S.

Perhaps most telling of the party lines, and the des-peration which defines this issue, is the last minute horse-trading that occurred. Florida’s tourism, fishing, and coastalreal estate industries are dependent on a coastline unspoiledby offshore oil drilling. As the Arctic Refuge went on theauction block on the Senate floor, Senator Martinez ofFlorida ended a 50-50 tie to block drilling by switching hisvote. In exchange, the administration promised Martinezthat no drilling would occur off Florida for at least anoth-er four years. In fact, the administration’s concession wasmeaningless. Florida’s coastline already has a moratorium,signed by president Clinton, in full effect until 2007. Ifanything, the precedent of drilling in the Arctic will makeit easier for the industry to drill offshore. Perhaps Demo-cratic Leader Nancy Pelosi put it best. "If this refuge is notspecial enough to be saved, then there is no place in theUnited States that is safe from oil rigs, including the coast-lines that for now are protected from offshore drilling.”

The Sierra Club will continue to fight for the Arctic andthe preservation of our nation’s last wild places.

From the Director(continued from page 1)

Acela photo courtesy of Sierra Club


Whither our Parks(continued from page 3)

at facilities, shortened seasons, moreswimming areas marked “swim at yourown risk”, illegal dumping, uncon-trolled off-road vehicle use, and dete-riorating and unsafe structures.

When he merged the metropolitanand state parks systems, GovernorRomney promised a “world class parksystem.” You can’t build a world classpark system with words only. Nation-wide, Massachusetts ranks 48 out of50 in what we spend to protect theenvironment. Instead, Governor Rom-ney fired a world class public servantwho dedicated her professional life toparks, and had made significant stridestoward improving them, even as theGovernor and the legislature failed intheir joint mission to adequately fundlands held in the public trust. Ourparks need us. What is unfortunate isthat the commonwealth did lose oneof its most qualified and dedicatedParks Commissioners in history, onewho was uniquely qualified to createa world class parks system for all.Unfortunately, politics took prece-dence over parks. It seems the Gover-nor had decided who was at fault evenbefore the police had arrived on thescene at the VFW parkway.

Want to help? See the article “Wanted: ForestGuardians” on page 6.

For a copy of the Club’s hearing testimony, visit:www.sierraclubmass.org

EARTH DAY ON CAPE CODFriday April 22Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMPlace: Unitarian Universalist

meetinghouse, 840 Sandwich Road,Falmouth, MA

John Holdren will speak on the subject"Environmental Change and theHuman Condition." Dr. Holdren is aHarvard scientist, an authority on ener-gy policy and global warming, and thedirector-designate of the Woods HoleResearch Center. After his lecture, therewill be a reception with dessert. This isa free event, open to the public.Sponsored by the Sierra Club's CapeCod Group. For more information, con-tact Bob Murphy at (508) 563-5948 ore-mail David Dow at: [email protected]

OUTINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPRING WILDFLOWER HIKE -GREATER BOSTON GROUPMay 7 Time: 10:00 AMJoin us for a 6.5 mi hike in the moun-tains of the southern Wapack Range(New Ipswich, NH). We will look at,identify, and discuss spring wildflowersencountered along the trail. The hike ismoderately difficult, involving some ele-vation gain. Contact Leader MenaSchmid for more info and to sign up at(617) 388-5331or at: [email protected]

MT. GREYLOCK STATE RESER-VATION HIKE - PIONEER VALLEYGROUPApril 23Time: 9:00 AM

Head for the hills and Massachusetts'highest mountain to celebrate JohnMuir's birthday (April 21). The routewill be decided by the leader based onconditions. It is not likely that we willgo to the summit. Contact leader ElisaCampbell by April 16 for info or to signup at (413) 256-4247 or at:[email protected]

MT. HOLYOKE RANGE STATEPARK HIKE - PIONEER VALLEYGROUP

April 30Time: 9:00 AMThe Metacomet-Monadnock Trailgoes from CT to NH, and in theleader's opinion the Seven Sistersportion on the Mt. Holyoke Range isthe toughest part of the trail in MA.Let's do it in the spring before theheat of summer! There are fabulousviews from some overlooks and theSummit House. It's all up-and-downso it's tough, but rewarding -- you'llfeel you've accomplished some-thing! Contact leader ElisaCampbell by April 27 for more infoand to sign up at (413) 256-4247or at: [email protected]

WENDELL STATE PARK HIKE -PIONEER VALLEY GROUP June 18Time: 10:00 AMThe mountain laurel blooms in mid-Juneand it is gorgeous! Join us for an easyhike on old logging roads and theM&M trail to revel in the mountain lau-rel in Wendell State Forest. This is agood hike for novices -- as long as youcan tolerate mosquitoes: flowers andbugs arrive together. Contact leaderElisa Campbell by June 15 for more infoand to sign up at (413) 256-4247 or at:[email protected]

Events and General Membership Meetings

HOLD THE DATE!

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2005,4 PM - 6 PM The Greater Boston Group'sMembership Committee is begin-ning a "How To" series. On June26th we will hold the kick offevent to encourage responsiblemunicipal activism for environ-mental conservation. Meet with alocal official to discuss what youcan do in your neighborhood orwhat you would like to see doneand learn how you can becomemore effective.Watch the next MassachusettsSierran or our website at sierra-clubmass.org for the speaker,location and updates.

a solution, once the problem is takenseriously. While Collapse is not a par-adigm-shifting tour de force on thelevel of Guns, Germs, and Steel, it is alively read that may help reshape ournotions of how societies can makewise choices.

Diana Muir is working on a new book onthe role of overpopulation in history.

Collapse (book review)(continued from page 12)

M A S S A C H U S E T T S�IERRANReaching More Than 26,000

Sierra Club Members in Massachusetts

Massachusetts ChapterSierra Club100 Boylston Street, Suite 760Boston, MA 02116 617-423-5775

[email protected]

wPrinted with soy-based ink on recycled paper

Postmaster: Send all address changes (PS form 3579) to: Sierra Club Membership, 85 Second Street, 2nd FloorSan Francisco, CA 94105

CLUB REQUESTS MORE REVIEW ON OFFSHOREWIND PROPOSAL

The Sierra Club supports renewable energy to reduceboth our dependency on fossil fuels as well as the resul-tant negative environmental impacts caused by fossilfuel energy production. Recognizing the dilemmapresented with balancing our needs for cleanrenewable energy and the need to appropriatelysite all energy facilities, the Sierra Club, alongwith other environmental groups and theU.S. EPA, has called for additional studiesto be conducted before permitting movesforward on the Cape Wind offshore energyproposal. Further analysis will provide sufficient infor-mation to allow the Sierra Club and other interestedparties to make an informed recommendation - basedon the merits of the proponent’s proposal - on whetherthe project, including scale and location, is appropriatefor this site, and in the best public interest. The SierraClub is confident that a thorough SDEIS analysis will helpprovide a more comprehensive framework necessary for anyregulatory entity to make a final and credible disposition ofthe permit applications for the Cape Wind project. To read the Club’s comments and learn more about theCape Wind proposal, please visit our website at:sierraclubmass.org/capewind

MASSIVE WETLANDS FILL TOUTED AS SMARTGROWTH

The city of New Bedford plans to expand its regional airportand create one of the largest and most environmentallydestructive wetlands fills ever proposed in Massachusetts.The project would require approximately 40 acres of wet-lands filling and an additional 182 acres of tree clearing insensitive areas that surround

the airport. Approvalof this project wouldestablish a danger-ous statewide prece-

dent for the filling ofwetlands. These wetlands

provide flood storage for the

area, purify drinking water supplies, and provide habitat forseveral state-listed rare and threatened species.Comments from the public are being accepted until April22nd. To Find out how you can speak out on behalf ofwater quality, wetlands, and wildlife, visit our website at

sierraclubmass.org/ewb.

Documents

Reaching More Than IERRAN - sierraclubmass2.org · John Lewis exposes another broken ... open the refuge for its pals in the industry, ... three weeks after the blizzard, nearly