Frac Sand talking points & background items from Bluestem Prairie

From Land Stewardship Project: Gov. Dayton states support for SE MN frac sand mining ban

Take Action! Thank the Governor

Thank Gov. Dayton for Supporting a Ban on Frac Sand Activity in Southeast MN

At the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday, Governor Mark Dayton said he supports a ban on frac sand mining and processing in southeast Minnesota and is willing to try to pass such a ban during the next Legislative session. He also said that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Department of Natural Resources will vigilantly enforce newly passed laws. 

At Minnesota Public Radio's fair booth for an on-air discussion with fair goers and callers, the Governor said: “The fracking frankly I would keep out of Minnesota entirely. I wanted to ban further silica sand mining and any processing of that in southeast Minnesota. I would allow the existing operations that are more in the Mankato area and Minnesota River and a little bit north of the Twin Cities. These areas are not so ecologically fragile. But I couldn’t get the Legislature to go along with the ban in southeastern Minnesota. But we did get some very, very tight regulations, very tight restrictions, that the DNR and Pollution Control Agency are going to enforce vigilantly and we’ll see how it goes. But I’m prepared to try again next year to get the Legislature to say that area is off limits."

Take Action! Thank the Governor for this clear statement that puts the health and well-being of Minnesota before frac sand company profits.

• Phone: 651-201-3400 or 800-657-3717
• Email: Use this email form.
• Facebook: Mark Dayton on Facebook (Post a comment under "Today at the Fair: Meet the Governor.)

Suggested message: “Governor Dayton, I was impressed to hear you say at the State Fair that frac sand mining and processing should be banned in southeast Minnesota and that you are willing to push the issue at the Legislature next year. I urge you to make this a priority. We must protect this ecologically sensitive area of the state. You also said the DNR and Pollution Control Agency will vigilantly enforce the standards for frac sand facilities that were passed last session. This is important because some frac sand mines are already in operation and neighbors to these facilities need their air and water protected now.”

MPR Audio: To listen to Gov. Mark Dayton's Minnesota Public Radio comments about a frac sand mining ban, click here. Go to minute 35 and 20 seconds for the question about fracking and energy policy and minute 36 and 56 seconds for the quote cited above.

Additional Information:

• What’s next?The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is in the process of creating rules to protect air and water from frac sand facilities. Look for an action alert in the next week from LSP on how you can help ensure these rules protect our air and water from frac sand pollution.

• See LSP's analysis of the state laws that were passed last Legislative session to regulate the frac sand industry.

• You can also read aStar Tribune editorial about the importance of aggressive implementation of the frac sand restrictions that were passed: Minnesota must keep a close eye on sand mining

• Read LSP member Kelley Stanage’s blog on LSP’s website: Gov. Mark Dayton States Support for a SE MN Frac Sand Ban

• For more information on LSP's work related to this issue, contact Bobby King at 612-722-6377 or bking@landstewardshipproject.org.

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Continue working to end the frack sand assault

I urge you to read this article. If there was ever a time to continue working to end the frack sand assault, it is now! Ellen Cantarow visited Chippewa Falls and Chippewa County along with some areas in Minnesota in 2012 to learn more about the issues related to mining , processing and transport of silica out of the mid-west.

In this revealing interview with Louis W. Allstadt, a retired V.P. of Mobil oil, tells about the dangers to the planet as a result of using hydraulic fracturing techniques. If you have future generations at stake, you won't want to miss a word!  Don't give up! And most of all, share this with many others!

http://truth-out.org/news/item/17605-former-mobil-vp-warns-of-fracking-and-climate-change

Friday, 19 July 2013 00:00By Ellen Cantarow, Truthout | Interview

Invitation to a Second Frac Sand Bus Tour, Saturday, October 5th

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

  Another opportunity to gather and share information.

Invitation to a Second Frac Sand Bus Tour, Saturday, October 5th:

Our Frac Sand Bus Tour on Tuesday, August 6th, was highly successful.  The bus was full and I even had 13 persons on a waiting list.  The 55 passengers learned about the enormous changes taking place as a result of industrial-size strip mining of scenic landscapes for frac sand; and were very complimentary in an abundance of positive comments.  Many participants urged us to organize a second bus tour.  Hence the following invitation details. . . .

The next exceptional Frac Sand Bus Tour will take place Saturday, October 5th.  You are invited to reserve a seat on our chartered bus.  Learn the inside story from an expert tour guide who lives in a rural area surrounded by the hill-removing strip mines.  He gives eloquent and objective descriptions of how mining got started in his township; how mines actually function; and what industrial strip mining has done to small communities, to rural roads and bridges, to traffic congestion, to groundwater aquifers, to and air quality, and to qualify of life and scenic landscapes.  

Reservations are to be made only by check or cash for $20 per person to Allamakee County Protectors - Education Campaign, P.O. Box 32, New Albin, Iowa 52160.  Payments made to "ACP - Education Campaign" are tax deductible. 

The air conditioned tour bus has a restroom and 55 comfortable seats.  Passengers may bring small coolers with snacks and drinks.  The bus company forbids glass bottles.  We will stop for lunch where 3 fast food options are side-by-side.  We will again emphasize on-bus conversations and camaraderie among passengers going to and from the mining areas.  We will also provide candies, drinking water, and drawings for prizes.  Cameras of all types are encouraged.  We will not be allowed to actually go into active mine areas, but the views are likely to amaze anyone who has not viewed industrial frac sand mining. 

Our private bus leaves the parking lot at the baseball field in Lansing, Iowa, at 7 AM sharp.  Other stops for boarding may be arranged north of Lansing, depending on who makes reservations.  If you care about the implications strip mining for frac sand will have for the communities within the scenic blufflands of the Driftless Area, and for other nearby areas, this tour is not to be missed.  The tour will take approximately 10 to 11-hours.  Questions, if any, should be emailed to ACP-EC President:  Ric.Zarwell@mchsi.com .

Reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.   Names and phone numbers, MUST be provided for each person who wishes to have a seat on the bus.  You will be notified if a seat is reserved for you.  No refunds will be made after September 30.   Thank you for your interest and willingness to gain first-hand, on-site knowledge about this very important issue.

Ric 

Ric Zarwell, President

Allamakee County Protectors - Education Campaign

P.O. Box 299

210 North Third Street

Lansing, Iowa 52151-0299

Email: Ric.Zarwell@mchsi.com

Home/Office: 563-538-4991

Mobile: 563-419-4991

http://www.allamakeecountyprotectors.com/

 

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, 

but because of the people who don't do anything about it.   Albert Einstein

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.   Dr. Martin Luther King

If not now, when?  If not us, who?   John F. Kennedy   

FRAC SAND SENTINEL #21 - Chippewa Falls and Chippewa Co. residents should take heed

  Chippewa Falls and Chippewa Co. residents should take heed in regard to some of the new rail developments; however what happens in one county affects another. The plan on the part of the Canadian National deserves attention.

There are stories and information about some of the activities going on in several other counties and states in this edition.

If you have questions, concerns, ideas......please contact me at sunnyday5@charter.net
715-723-6398
http://www.ccc-wis.com/ (Hank Boschen is the webmaster)

Issue #21                                                                    DATE  August 6, 2013

MEETING TONIGHT: CHANGES TO THE RAILROAD BRIDGE AREA IN CHIPPEWA FALLS

The Canadian National has indicated they will be expanding the two rails they have built up to County Highway S with 3-4 more rails making a potential for 6 rails to be going through the area. The City has already become a heavy industrial zone. With bridge expansion have the residential areas been considered in terms of the “footprint” created as silica carrying trains pass through the area day and night? Should you be concerned and involved? Read more. The City Council Meeting is at 6:30 p.m tonight. Should residents wonder what the rail is planning for future development?

More...

ATTEND A MEETING TO PROVIDE STATE AGENCIES WITH YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR SILICA SAND PROJECT RULES

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND A MEETING

TO PROVIDE STATE AGENCIES WITH YOUR

SUGGESTIONS FOR SILICA SAND PROJECT RULES

 

The Minnesota Legislature recently approved legislation designed to provide long term rules and standards for the mining, processing and transportation of silica sand in southeastern Minnesota.  The Legislature mandated certain state agencies to develop long term rules to govern silica sand projects.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency and Environmental Quality Board have recently published notices to the public soliciting your comments for long term rules to govern silica sand projects.

 

The Houston County Protectors are hosting a meeting on Monday, August 12th, beginning at 6:30PM, in the upstairs area of the Creamery in Rushford to discuss our ideas for long term rules to govern silica sand projects.  You are invited to attend this meeting to provide your ideas and comments for long term silica sand project rules to these state agencies.  Water and coffee will be provided.  You might want to arrive early to purchase pizza or ice cream.

 

These state agencies are developing long term rules that will apply to our region of the state.  They want our input.  If we do not give these state agencies our thoughts and ideas on developing rules and standards for silica sand projects, the mining operators will be the only influence on these state agencies. 

 

We spent considerable effort, time and money advocating for this legislation during the spring of this year.  We cannot now abandon this effort by failing to provide these state regulators with the pressure that will compel them to adopt strict standards and rules for monitoring and regulating the, hopefully, little amount of mining and processing that will confront southeastern Minnesota in the future.

 

Please attend this important meeting.  If you have any questions about the meeting, please contact David Williams at davidw@acegroup.cc or 507-421-0715.

Ordinance from Town of Stockholm in Pepin County for "Operator's License"

Town of Stockholm's Ordinance creating a "Operator's License for Frac Sand Operations."   It is a different approach to licensing frac sand than either those of the Town of Howard or the Town of Cooks Valley.  It establishes both binding and non-negotiable standards as well as negotiable standards.  It describes "frac sand operations" as different than "nonmetallic mining operations" because they are far different and not similarly situated businesses subject to equal protection challenges.

The Stockholm ordinance bans processing plants, and rail and barge loading operations.  Take a good look at the "definitions" which apply to the language of the ordinance.

     Other towns in Pepin County with similar ordinances include Albany and Pepin as well as Stockholm. As you are studying ordinances throughout counties 
     in Wisconsin, please consider looking at Pepin County's overlay district along the Mississippi plus the innovative ordinances created in the towns.       

Attention all FRAC SAND GROUPS

From: Patricia J. Popple <sunnyday5@charter.net>

Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 6:55 PM
Subject: Executive Order on water release on July 16, 2013---An ACTION Item for All Groups!

Attention all FRAC SAND GROUPS AND OTHER GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH OUR LOCAL EFFORTS IN WI, MN, IOWA, ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN, MISSOURI AND ELSEWHERE INCLUDING THE 34 STATES INVOLVED IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING, THE GROUPS WORKING ON ENERGY ISSUES AS WELL AS  CLIMATE CHANGE.

I have been in communication with the Civil Society Institute (Jen and Grant) and have signed the pledge at the website. Your group might want to do so as well.  I received this letter on July 15 and ask you to be involved! Here is the Final Executive Order for the President. Here is the ACEA  press release. You can fill in the areas you would like to fill in according to your location of your group. Send on to the press along with the name of your organization and your contact person and the other data about your group. Add watersheds-the Chippewa, the Red Cedar, the Mississippi along with the others mentioned.  Have fun! Get out the publicity.  Pat Popple  The Frac Sand Sentinel and Concerned Chippewa Citizen Website ( http://www.ccc-wis.com/ )

Below is a letter from Jennifer Filiault, Civil Society Institute and 

Committee for an American Clean Energy Agenda

The Civil Society Institute invites you to join us in the release of an executive order that we will be urging President Obama to issue demanding information about the relationship between our water resources and energy infrastructure.

The Executive Order was released on July 16, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.  We hope your organization will join us in a collaborative effort to get this information widely distributed.  Attached are some helpful pieces for the release:

1.  The final executive order

2.  A fill-in-the-blank press release for your organization to use to send to local/regional media contacts (feel free to edit as makes sense for your group!)

3.  An op ed for your use to promote the effort locally (again, feel free to edit)

We have received great feedback from many of you about this strategy and are excited to work with you all to further push the importance of this issue within the public discourse.  Please let me know if your organization plans to participate in the release so we have a good sense of the distribution.

And WHY should there be an Executive order?
Due to our current approach to energy, America’s energy sector is barreling toward a train wreck where excessive cost, water scarcity, accelerated climate change, and human health converge to create one huge economic and ecological mess.

Rather than pursuing an “all-of-the-above energy strategy,” as embodied in the Clean Energy Standard, it’s more like we’re pursuing the “anything-but strategy” – anything but what makes financial, public health and climate sense.  What does make sense is a replacement strategy, systematically deploying (and improving along the way) our least risky resources - energy efficiency, renewables, storage, distributed power and demand response technologies – while greatly reducing reliance on or getting rid of high-risk options – coal, nuclear, and natural gas.   These low-risk options don’t blow up and threaten millions of people.  They don’t spew toxins and CO2 into the air.  They can be deployed without wasting tens of billions of dollars just to get their construction or installation off the ground.  Their costs are actually declining.  They are reliable.  And very importantly, they do not guzzle enormous amounts of our ever-dwindling water resources.

The unifying theme here is water.  Access to enough clean water is emerging as a critical national security issue, both domestically and abroad.  Just take a look at Department of Defense, NASA or U.S. Geological Survey documents.  We are squandering our most precious resource.  Current usage patterns are simply unsustainable, and the electric power sector is the biggest problem when it comes to water.  Thermoelectric plants (coal, nuclear, combined-cycle natural gas) and agriculture are our biggest users.  The difference is that we have to grow food, but we don’t have to continue to rely exclusively on water-intensive, central-station electric generating power plants anymore.  In fact, over time they can be replaced by least-risky options mentioned above.

The coming water availability crisis is why the Civil Society Institute and its grassroots allies – The American Clean Energy Agenda – are proposing that President Obama take immediate, decisive action through his executive powers to make water policy the top priority of energy policy for the United States.  We know enough to act (waiting for perfect information would be next to insanity at this juncture) but we also need to understand the use patterns and nature of our national water budget.

Through executive order, Mr. Obama could accelerate the completion of the on-going work of the U.S. Geological Survey in collecting water use and availability data, engage the public in a meaningful dialogue with respect to the nature of the looming water crisis and solutions to those problems, and begin the process of eliminating water-intensive coal, nuclear and natural gas power plants in what the USGS has identified as our most threatened watersheds. 

To that end, CSI and its allies have crafted and sent to the President for his consideration a draft executive order that establishes, among other things, technologically-based sustainability criteria for our electric grid and due diligence within the federal government of reaching them.  It is also meant to jumpstart an informed public discussion of the water issues we’re facing and the best ways to address them. 

We can no longer sweep the emerging water crisis under the rug and pretend that business as usual can continue without severe economic and human consequences for Americans.  This speculative exploitation and use of coal, nuclear, natural gas and oil resources will no longer work in a warming world with constrained water resources.  We must begin to plan for a transition to a truly sustainable electric grid with an eye toward preserving our precious water resources.

Mr. President, the ball’s in your court.  What are you going to do?

As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks!
Jen

--
Jennifer Filiault

Civil Society Institute

Committee for an American Clean Energy Agenda

http://www.americancleanenergyagenda.org/

617-243-3514


And from Alex and the Committee for an American Clean Energy Agenda:

In addition to the traditional media push around the Executive Order Press Release today, we'd really appreciate your support on social media sites as well.  Below are links for retweets and the Facebook post for likes/sharing:

Civil Society Institute:

Twitter for retweets: https://twitter.com/Clean_Future/status/357206922090381313

Facebook for likes: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=546326595425226&id=475189895872230

Hastings:

Twitter for retweets: https://twitter.com/stapf/status/357180693266169856

Facebook for likes: https://www.facebook.com/scott.stapf/posts/10151480876637511

Thanks for your support!

All the best,

Alex

Houston County Fair in Caledonia, August 14--18 - need to staff booth

 

Folks,

Houston County Protectors will have a booth at the Houston County Fair in Caledonia, August 14--18. 

We are working on fact sheets, displays and the petition for a ban. Sarah is asking Jim Tittle if we could run his Price of Sand continuously. There is talk of a drawing for a bike to accentuate the recreation and tourism of our driftless area. If you are a Houston County Protector please attend the Fair Committee meeting Tuesday night 6-? at the Houston County Nature Center. It is available that evening.

We need people to staff the booth. It would be nice to have two people there at all times:

Thursday Aug. 15, noon to 9 pm.

Friday Aug. 16, 10 am to 10 pm.

Saturday Aug. 17, 10 am to 10 pm.

Sunday Aug. 18, 11 am to 4 pm.

I have committed to being there all the time but would appreciate having Thursday night off and must have Friday night off for a prior commitment, as it so happens. Mike Fields has committed to 1/2 day--afternoon. Rich Schild said he could do some time on the weekends and weekend nights. Steve Hartwick can do time on Thursday. Jackie Baker can possibly put in some hours. Sue Van Gorp, Amanda Griggs, Drue Fergison and Marianne Zerbe also said they could put in some time. Can other HCPs commit to a few hours?

Also, we think it could be very important if informed people from around the region would commit to being there for a couple of hours. That lets people know that this is a regional problem and we intend to create a regional solution. Those of you from around the region are experts and very well spoken. We know you are all busy but if you can make it for even two hours please let me know which time works best for you.

It should go without saying that no one can get into a screaming match in this venue. We'll work up some protocols to use with feisty people and then we need to follow them. So, to those of you copied here, if you can attend please let me know.

Thanks.

Best wishes beautiful planet.

Donna

Workshop in Decorah called "Becoming We the People,"

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

  Here's a convenient chance to get the foundation ideas of the Community Rights movement.

Wishing you well,

Bonita

Hello Friends,
I'm writing on behalf of the 30 grateful and energized attendees of the May workshop in Decorah called "Becoming We the People," led by Paul Cienfuegos. We can't stop talking about it. Practiced as we're becoming at thinking and moving within the new paradigm of Community Rights, we wanted to give more of you the real deal--the whole weekend's worth of education and tools.

We're bringing Paul back from Portland for the weekend of September 27-29, and this is your invitation to consider being one of the next 30 people to take in this powerful weekend of learning.

Here's the site where you can learn more, and a link to the registration site. If you prefer to register with a check or cash, you can send it to me at 1591 Manawa Rd, Decorah IA 52101. Please know that I think this workshop will fill up quickly.

This workshop differs from that in May in that we will not have Laurence Cole present to lead community singing. For some of you this will feel like a welcome opening, and you should grab it because if there's a next time for Paul in Decorah it may be accompanied by singing. For those of you who wish there could be singing, I promise that I will offer an (optional) evening sing on one or both of the nights you are in Decorah for the workshop. I'm no Laurence Cole but I'll have to do.
Here's what some had to say about Paul's May 2013 workshop in Decorah: 

"I came away from this workshop feeling like I know how to be a better citizen of my country. Paul opened my eyes to parts of our country's history that saddened me, and parts that really inspired me too.  I have a clearer understanding of why everyday people often feel powerless to make change for a better world.  And I now know what we can do about that.  Paul renewed my interest in participating in governance that is truly of, for, and by the people."

 "I was impressed with the democratic vision of the community rights movement.  It's easy to lose faith in democracy when you only watch it operating on the very large, corporate-controlled scale of the federal and even state government--it's much easier, and much more exciting, to imagine democracy among neighbors, in local communities claiming the right to local control.  Paul's history of the United States through the lens of corporate personhood rights helped me to understand why I was skeptical about our large-scale "democracy", and I appreciated the discussion of decolonizing our minds from corporate control.  I believe it's time to put the rights of human beings and of the earth on a higher priority than the rights of corporations, and I'm grateful to Paul for showing us a path to making that happen!"

 "a very enlightening weekend. I found out where my fear of large corporations comes from and how--with compassionate informed neighbors--we can move forward to demand a more just land."

 "Wanting a better world for my daughters convinced me to attend Paul's training.  I moved from feeling ignorant, to oppressed, to empowered.  We can build a world that holds the interest of ourselves, our children, our whole Earth Community at the forefront.  And there are other communities leading the way!  Join me!"

"I have been very sad for a very long time, seeing our personal lives, our health and our world threatened by all of the corporate harms we seem so powerless to affect. And for the first few hours in the workshop, Paul's history of our democracy-- and how it has been, from the beginning, torn asunder by a system stacked in favor of corporations-- brought back all of the sadness and helplessness. But it also made me realize this sadness is a natural response to what we and our non-human allies have been experiencing. And the workshop didn't end there; it provided us with tools to work on the local level to protect our natural environment (which is what sustains us after all is said and done). It inspires me to think of coming together with friends and neighbors (and the friends I haven't met yet in my community). And I could see potential for networks of communities coming together to weave a web of protection. Now I see what Paul was talking about happening all over the world. There are no guarantees, but there never have been. It gives us a challenge worth taking on."

Please pass this message along to any and all!
Liz Rog--

Liz Rog
Decorah, IA 

• DecorahNow: Building Community through Arts, Cultural, and Recreational Events DecorahNow.com 
• Fern Hollow Cabin, Our Solar-Powered Log Cabin Bed and Breakfast in the woods FernHollowCabin.com
• Wedding Officiant, in the great state of Iowa which respects all love WelcomeInDecorah.com
• Stories of Life in Decorah, Liz-Rog-stories.blogspot.com

Here in NE Iowa we are learning about the ways that 150 communities across our nation have protected themselves from environmental harms through Community Rights ordinances. Want to know what it's about? Here's a trailer for a film coming out soon.

--
Liz Rog
Decorah, IA 

• DecorahNow: Building Community through Arts, Cultural, and Recreational Events DecorahNow.com 
• Fern Hollow Cabin, Our Solar-Powered Log Cabin Bed and Breakfast in the woods FernHollowCabin.com/
• Wedding Officiant, in the great state of Iowa which celebrates and respects all love: WelcomeInDecorah.com