Today I was so pleased to receive the below press release in my email account.  For the first time in over 200 years, yet less than after two years of official state recognition, the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe of the Northeast Kingdom, has a collectively held forest of their own.  This small corner of Mountain and Earth is a historic step forward in the epic task of setting our troubled past right.  

    Personally it was my absolute honor to work on this project over much of the past year as the Conservation Organizer with the Vermont Sierra Club (a position I have since left).  Special recognition is owned to the Vermont Sierra Club, the Vermont Land Trust, the multitude of organizations which supported the project such as the Vermont Workers Center and 350 Vermont , and most of all to the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe (Chief Don Stevens and Luke Willard in particular) for making this happen.

    Solidarity!  Here is to seeing a next Abenaki forest in the thousands of acres!

For immediate release: December 17, 2012

For more information, contact:

Tracy Zschau, Northeast Kingdom Director, Vermont Land Trust, (802) 748-6089, tracy@vlt.org

Elise Annes, V.P. for Community Relations, Vermont Land Trust, (802) 262-1206, elise@vlt.org

Luke Willard, trustee Nulhegan Abenaki, (802) 751-5043, lukewillard@live.com

###

Nulhegan Abenaki Attain First Tribal Forestland in More than 200 Years

Land Purchased by Tribe and Conserved with Vermont Land Trust

    Barton – Today, the Nulhegan Abenaki officially took ownership of the first Nulhegan tribal forestland in 200 years. The 65-acre parcel, located off May Farm Rd. in Barton, will be an economic, educational, and cultural resource for the tribe. The tribe worked with the Vermont Land Trust and the Sierra Club to secure the forestland. Title to the property will be held by the non-profit, Abenaki Helping Abenaki, Inc., which was created a number of years ago to preserve the culture of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe. The Vermont Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the property to ensure it remains undeveloped in perpetuity.

    The Nulhegan tribe has just over a thousand members and was officially recognized by the State of Vermont in 2011. The tribe lost the last of their land in the late 1700s; since then they have used town halls and private land owned by individual members for their meetings and celebrations.

    “There are Abenakis that own their own land,” said Luke Willard, a trustee of the Nulhegan Abenaki, who was pivotal in organizing this effort. “But we didn’t have a community place to meet like towns do. We were always borrowing places to meet; it’s difficult to maintain a government when you don’t have a central place.”

    The tribe will use the land to hold meetings, events, and celebrations. They will also use the forest to educate tribal and non-tribal children in traditional land stewardship such as sugaring and finding and using medicinal plants.

    “Part of our creation story is that the creator wanted us to be the stewards of the land,” said Don Stevens, Chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki. “After the land was taken from our ancestors, we were no longer able to be the stewards we were asked to be. Our hearts are heavy with that burden. With our own forest, we can pick up the soil, feel it, smell it, and know that our ancestors walked on this land and it is ours to protect. For this land, we are able to fulfill our promise.”

    There is currently a small sugaring operation on the land. The tribe plans to expand sugaring and grow produce using small-scale traditional Abenaki agricultural methods in existing clearings. The forest will provide other economic benefits such as firewood for those in need, hunting opportunities, and a place to gather traditional medicinal plants.

    “In spring 2013, for the first time in two centuries, we will be harvesting sap as a community,” said Luke. “Our ancestors taught this art to the colonists. We will be able to produce the first syrup as a community, as did our ancestors who were on this land hundreds of years ago.”

    Currently, the Nulhegan Abenaki do not have any tribal income. Proceeds from sugaring will help the tribe invest in further stewardship of the land and will support a youth education program for tribal and non-tribal children.

    The land will also be the new home of the Seventh Harvest, a community garden/teaching program that has been operating on Luke’s personal land. This year they had eleven families participating, growing food in the traditional Abenaki way, where corn, beans and squash are planted in a mound of soil, arranged so each plant benefits the other. “When I first saw the land I came across a clearing,” remembers Luke about his initial visit to the new forest. “I picked up the soil and it was this wonderful humus. I knew right off this soil would grow amazing food.” He expects that between 15 and 20 families could grow food in the clearing as part of the Seventh Harvest program.

    The land also has a trail system, which will be open to the public for pedestrian recreation.

    “It is very exciting to be part of the creation of a new type of community forest in Vermont,” said Tracy Zschau of Vermont Land Trust. “It would not have been possible without the hard work of the Tribe, Abenaki Helping Abenaki, and a diversity of funders and supportive members of the public.”

    The acquisition and conservation of this land was supported by private donations, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Vermont Community Foundation’s Innovations and Collaborations Grant program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Competitive State Wildlife Grant Program, the VT Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Open Space Conservancy Inc. (OSC).  OSC, an affiliate of the Open Space Institute, Inc. established the Community Forest Fund with a lead grant from Jane’s Trust to support the creation and expansion of community forests in northern New England.

OK Folks… These are my predictions.  Disagree?  Well list yours below and I will bet one double whiskey per race… Closest one wins! And Eric Davis, if you are reading this, I would be happy to bet it all… Lay your predictions down against mine, and the winner takes your postion as talking head in 2014!

Gov-

*Shumlin 61%

Brock 35.9%

Nut Job Pot Woman- 1.2% (she comes in third just because the word “marijuana” is in her party line)

Emily Peyton- 0.9%

Annette Smith- 0.6%  (her anti wind message takes a hit)

Dave Eagle- 0.4%

Lt Gov-

*Scott- 55%

Gekas- 43.5%

Mitchel- 1.5%

Treas-

*Pearce- 53%

Wilton- 43.6%

Don Schramm- 3.2%

Diamondstone- 0.2%

Sec of State-

*Condos- 94.8%

Mary Herbert- 5.2% (Liberty Union becomes “Major Party” again)

Auditor-

*Vince- 51.1%

Hoffer- 47.7%

Levy- 1.2%

AG-

*Sorrell- 57.2%

McMullen- 28.3%

Stanak- 14.2%

Jackowski- 0.3%

###

Green Mountain Daily Community,

    In 2012 the Sierra Club made extraordinary progress in advancing a new Tribal Forest model of conservation in Vermont.  And now, with your support, we intend to close on the first Nulhegan Abenaki Tribal Forest in over 200 years by the first of the year.  This first, modestly sized, tribal forest (70 beautiful acres in the heart of Nulhegan traditional territory) will be in Barton, in the Northeast Kingdom, and will be owned directly by the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, with permanent conservation easements on the land held by the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB).  With help from many friends and partners, such as the Vermont Workers Center and Northeast Kingdom State Senator Vince Illuzzi, we successfully gained the support of the Town of Barton for the project, and have now secured $112,000 in grant funding for the land purchase through VHCB.

    To read a great article on the project from Vermont Digger, please go to the below link:

http://vtdigger.org/2012/10/16…

    This first model forest will forever conserve the land as wildlife habitat, and will allow the Tribe to generate up to 1000 gallons, annually, of maple syrup.  Through this activity the Tribe will generate up to $30,000 a year in gross revenue, which, in turn, they can invest in further forest purchases or social programs for their low income tribal citizens.  This first tribal forest will also allow the Nulhegan Abenaki a place to hunt, gather, and pursue tribal-community gardens in existing clearings.  

    But for us, this is not an end; it is a beginning.  The truth of the matter is we are not saving our forests through one successful, tribal forest project, no matter how historic it is.  From an environmental point of view, this project is important because it serves as a pilot program; a working model that can be replicated on a grand scale; as an Abenaki State Forest!

    We have therefore brought our idea to the Governor, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation.  Over the summer we presented the state with a petition signed by over 1000 Vermonters stating our common support for new tribal forests.  We, along with the Chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, Don Stevens, also met with the head of the Agency of Natural Resources, Secretary Deb Markowitz, and Commissioner Snyder of Forests, Parks and Recreation.  We made our case, and, in turn, heard their point of view.  As a result, the State of Vermont is now open to the basic concept of Abenaki State Forests, as a place where the state would still retain ownership and official management responsibilities, but where the Tribes may be allotted a special relationship to the forests whereby they may utilize the land for low impact cultural activities, gathering of resources, access to firewood, and possibly sugaring rights.  This understanding is still a work in progress, but we are very pleased to report that the state is open to the idea.  In fact Secretary Markowitz has told us that Vermont would “consider” a proposal for a new Abenaki State Forest through the regular, competitive, application process.

    So of course we still have a very long row to hoe, but with the establishment of this first 70 acre Abenaki Tribal Forest, we will have a real working example of what we are aiming for.  In turn, we look forward to pivoting the Our Forests Our Future campaign towards a large Abenaki State Forest project after we close on this first project.  And with your continuing support and direct participation, we intend to further pursue this innovative tribal-state model in order to achieve meaningful forest conservation, and sustainable social, economic, and cultural development opportunities for Vermont’s lowest income and most endangered of peoples; the Abenaki.  

 In conclusion, in order to close on this deal, we still need to raise $20,000.  If you believe in what we are doing and want to support this historic project, please:

*write a check, made out to “The Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club” for whatever you can afford.  

*In the memo, please write “For Abenaki Tribal Forest Project”.  

*Checks should be sent to:

Chris A. Miller, Treasurer

Vermont Chapter of The Sierra Club

145 Blue Heron Lane

North Hero, Vermont 05474

###        

Solidarity,

David Van Deusen

Conservation Organizer

Vermont Sierra Club  

This came into my email box today from the Vermont AFL-CIO (note that I am a member of the National Writers Union).  Seems that the AG primary is coming down to out-of-state super PAC money for Sorrell, vs the grassroots support from local labor for Donovan.  

FRIENDS, PLEASE JOIN US FOR A LABOR RALLY IN SUPPORT OF TJ DONOVAN FOR ATTTORNEY GENERAL

WHEN: 5Pm, Tuesday, August 21

WHERE: Barre Labor Hall (46 Granite Street Barre,VT 05641)

On August 9, the floodgate of Super PAC money in Vermont politics was opened. A Washington, D.C. Super PAC spent $100,000 on ads on behalf of Attorney General Bill Sorrell. That’s not the Vermont way.

On August 21, the working people from across Vermont will come together to stand up for their rights and make their voices heard in spite of the opposition from out of state corporations. By electing TJ Donovan in the Democratic primary on August 28, we’ll show the rest of the country that in Vermont, labor wins elections, not Super PACS. Join us for a GOTV Rally at the Barre Labor Hall on August 21st at 5PM. Working and middle class Vermonters have flocked to TJ’s campaign because they want an Attorney General that will stand up for the rights of workers and use that office to address their concerns.

Now correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Mr. Sorrell argue and lose Vermont’s campaign finance law before the federal court?  And did he not just announce that he was not going to contest unlimited super PAC funding in this year’s Vermont election?  And now, low and behold, he gets a $100,000 check from Washington DC? Is it just me (and the Vermont AFL-CIO, VSEA, NEA, VPAA, etc.) Or does this have a very sordid appearance?

Based on the above as well as on Sorrell’s history of fighting against Abenaki recognition, against instant run off voting, and on his recent high profile losses (especially concerning VY), I think Sorrell is in big trouble.  Anyone want to venture an election prediction?

 

All the polls I have seen seem to indicate that somewhere between 70% to 90% of Vermonters support increased development of our wind resources.  Of course that general support does not mean that a great majority of Vermonters support each and every specific project. Logically speaking, it is safe to assume that some projects, depending on the specifics concerning environmental impact, quality local job creation, etc., may be good and others not so good.  That said, below is a press release sent out today from REV which highlights one Northeast Kingdom community’s support for a new wind farm project in their back yard.

Northeast Kingdom communities vote in favor of wind projects

NEWS RELEASE

Aug. 15, 2012

Media Contact:

Gabrielle Stebbins

Executive Director

Renewable Energy Vermont

gabrielle@revermont.org

(802) 229-0099

United Towns & Gores of Essex County (15 August 2012)- United Towns and Gores have reaffirmed Vermonters’ commitment to renewable energy projects at their annual meeting. The town voted twenty-four to sixteen to support wind projects. The vote was prompted by the proposal to put in meteorological towers to measure wind speeds for the Seneca Mountain Wind project. Jack Kenworthy of Seneca Mountain Wind was “heartened by the community’s willingness to learn more about our project and the benefits it can bring to the community. We look forward to sharing our plans as we develop them. Seneca Mountain Wind is dedicated to working closely with host communities throughout the project development phase and to listen to concerns and feedback that we receive in that process.” This vote supports the WCAX polls showing that seventy percent of Vermont citizens support wind projects along ridgelines.

“This vote affirms the continued broad support by the vast majority of Vermonters to see the on-going development of clean energy in our state – for all the many benefits clean energy provides, from mitigating climate change, developing job opportunities up and down the supply chain, to increasing our energy security and independence, while offering local host towns additional revenue streams in tight fiscal times”, stated Gabrielle Stebbins, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Vermont, the state trade association for clean energy in Vermont. “It’s truly exciting that by the end of 2012, four Vermont wind farms will provide 120 Megawatts of capacity, supplying enough power for 46,000 homes through contracts with our local utilities. This is another step closer to Vermont meeting the goals laid out in its comprehensive energy plan.” In addition to the energy supplied to Vermonters, these projects also contribute over one million dollars annually to the state education fund and add another 1.4 million in tax revenues to the host communities.

This vote comes after a series of positive developments for wind energy over the last few weeks. At their summit in Las Vegas, the American Wind Energy Association announced that there are now fifty gigawatts of installed capacity for wind in the US. Highlighting that capacity is the recent announcement that wind provided up to fifty-seven percent of Colorado electricity recently.

To learn more and become a supporter of Vermont Windprojects, sign up on for the Friends of Vermont Wind at www.windworksvt.org.

REV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade associationrepresenting nearly 300 businesses, individuals, colleges and others committedto reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and expanding the availability ofrenewable sources of energy in Vermont. REV works as the only advocacyorganization dedicated solely to advancing renewable energy and efficiency inthe state. Learn more at www.revermont.org

( – promoted by kestrel9000)

As a past Archaeologist and former officer in the VPAA, I was interested to see the below in my inbox today. This year the archaeologists are backing Shumlin, Illuzzi, and TJ Donovan.  But man are they against Sorrell! Seems Sorrell’s past work opposing Abenaki recognition has not been forgotten or forgiven by those who work with Vermont’s (now state recognized) tribes.

more on the jump…

“In brief, it is inconceivable that Mr. Sorrell would fight against Abenaki recognition, yet he did.  Given the undisputed fact that Vermont’s Native American community suffered a systematic program of state sponsored forced sterilization during much of the last century, not to mention 400 years of conquest and near genocide, we find in unforgivable for a public official to take a stand against contemporary Abenaki recognition and the basic dignity that such would impart upon a community.  Doing so put Sorrell forever on the wrong side of history. Simply put, it is time for change; time to elect an Attorney General who is willing and able to take a moral stand on behalf of justice and liberty; time to elect TJ Donovan as our next Attorney General, ” Said Andrew Beaupre.

(*Below I will post the full VPAA statement.)

So in case you were curious, the VPAA is not exactly up there with the VSEA or NEA as far as a voting block is concerned…  In a good field season maybe there are a little over 50 archaeologists working in the state. Even so, if their message hits a cord with the Abenaki community (the four recognized tribes have a citizenship of over 3,500), or with the folks involved with local historical societies and what not, perhaps Sorrell has a new problem to deal with.  

For Immediate Release

August 6th, 2012

VPAA Backs Shumlin, Illuzzi, Donovan

Contact:

Andrew Beupre, VPAA Chairman

Phone: (802)233-3340

Email: Vermonpaa@gmail.com

Vermont Archaeologists Endorse Shumlin, Illuzzi, and TJ Donovan

Northeast Kingdom, Vermont- The Executive Board of the Vermont Professional Archaeologists’ Association, at their annual July meeting in Barton, unanimously voted to endorse Democrat/Working Families Party candidate Peter Shumlin for Governor, and Republican Vince Illuzzi for Auditor. In the Democratic primary, the organization is endorsing TJ Donovan.

    The Vermont Professional Archaeologists’ Association (VPAA) is an organization composed of and representing the majority of rank and file, working, archaeologists in Vermont. In addition to representing the interests of working archaeologists, the VPAA also advocates for historic preservation as part of its primary mission.

    “Two years ago, in a very tight election, the VPAA endorsed Peter Shumlin for Governor because of his firm commitment to historic preservation and archeology in Vermont. As Governor he has continued to champion responsible economic development and the related aspects of Act 250 which guarantee that our history is not lost.  We are therefore proud to stand next to Mr. Shumlin again today, and offer our firm support in his efforts to seek re-election”, said VPAA Chairman, Andrew Beaupre, a native of Morgan, Vermont.

   Contributing to the VPAA’s decision to back Shumlin is his commitment to a public single payer healthcare system whereby all Vermonters will receive quality medical care.

    According to VPAA officer and Montpelier resident Xavier Massot, “Many working archaeologists in the Green Mountain State do not have health insurance through their employers and cannot afford to purchase it privately for themselves or their families.  Given that field archaeologists are at great risk for Lyme Disease and other ailments often associated with working outdoors, we understand it as essential that we rebuild our healthcare system in such a way that we can all have quality publicly financed care.”

    Concerning the race for Auditor, Mr. Beaupre continued, “We are also very excited about electing Senator Illuzzi to the position of State Auditor.  Vince has long been a proponent of all that is right in Vermont, and has long fought to make Vermont an even better place to live and raise a family. Senator Illuzzi led the charge in the General Assembly to do right by the Abenaki, and successfully saw through bills recognizing the Missisquoi, Nulhegan, Koasek, and Elnu Tribes.  This was a historic achievement that should not be overlooked. Furthermore, we archeologists and those interested in historic preservation are confident that Senator Illuzzi, as Auditor, will continue to fight for the interests of the common man, be they Abenaki, union workers, or tax payers in general. Senator Illuzzi gets it, and he has history on his side.”

    The VPAA assert that the endorsement of TJ Donovan is a reflection of the good work Mr. Donovan has done as Chittenden County State’s Attorney, his moral character, and his clear commitment to the social well being of Vermont. In addition, his opponent, Bill Sorrell, fought hard against federal recognition of Vermont’s Abenaki people.  The VPAA works closely with Vermont’s Abenaki Tribes, and rejects reactionary policies that seek to continue to suppress the rights and culture of the original Vermonters.  

    “In brief, it is inconceivable that Mr. Sorrell would fight against Abenaki recognition, yet he did.  Given the undisputed fact that Vermont’s Native American community suffered a systematic program of state sponsored forced sterilization during much of the last century, not to mention 400 years of conquest and near genocide, we find in unforgivable for a public official to take a stand against contemporary Abenaki recognition and the basic dignity that such would impart upon a community.  Doing so put Sorrell forever on the wrong side of history. Simply put, it is time for change; time to elect an Attorney General who is willing and able to take a moral stand on behalf of justice and liberty; time to elect TJ Donovan as our next Attorney General, ” Said Andrew Beaupre.

    The VPAA will be encouraging fellow working archaeologists to vote for Shumlin, Illuzzi, and Donovan and they will also be doing outreach to the many thousands of members of local historical societies throughout the State of Vermont.

###

 

As a past Archaeologist and former officer in the VPAA, I was interested to see the below in my inbox today. This year the archaeologists are backing Shumlin, Illuzzi, and TJ Donovan.  But man are they against Sorrell! Seems Sorrell’s past work opposing Abenaki recognition has not been forgotten or forgiven by those who work with Vermont’s (now state recognized) tribes.

“In brief, it is inconceivable that Mr. Sorrell would fight against Abenaki recognition, yet he did.  Given the undisputed fact that Vermont’s Native American community suffered a systematic program of state sponsored forced sterilization during much of the last century, not to mention 400 years of conquest and near genocide, we find in unforgivable for a public official to take a stand against contemporary Abenaki recognition and the basic dignity that such would impart upon a community.  Doing so put Sorrell forever on the wrong side of history. Simply put, it is time for change; time to elect an Attorney General who is willing and able to take a moral stand on behalf of justice and liberty; time to elect TJ Donovan as our next Attorney General, ” Said Andrew Beaupre.

(*Below I will post the full VPAA statement.)

So in case you were curious, the VPAA is not exactly up there with the VSEA or NEA as far as a voting block is concerned…  In a good field season maybe there are a little over 50 archaeologists working in the state. Even so, if their message hits a cord with the Abenaki community (the four recognized tribes have a citizenship of over 3,500), or with the folks involved with local historical societies and what not, perhaps Sorrell has a new problem to deal with.  

For Immediate Release

August 6th, 2012

VPAA Backs Shumlin, Illuzzi, Donovan

Contact:

Andrew Beupre, VPAA Chairman

Phone: (802)233-3340

Email: Vermonpaa@gmail.com

Vermont Archaeologists Endorse Shumlin, Illuzzi, and TJ Donovan

Northeast Kingdom, Vermont- The Executive Board of the Vermont Professional Archaeologists’ Association, at their annual July meeting in Barton, unanimously voted to endorse Democrat/Working Families Party candidate Peter Shumlin for Governor, and Republican Vince Illuzzi for Auditor. In the Democratic primary, the organization is endorsing TJ Donovan.

    The Vermont Professional Archaeologists’ Association (VPAA) is an organization composed of and representing the majority of rank and file, working, archaeologists in Vermont. In addition to representing the interests of working archaeologists, the VPAA also advocates for historic preservation as part of its primary mission.

    “Two years ago, in a very tight election, the VPAA endorsed Peter Shumlin for Governor because of his firm commitment to historic preservation and archeology in Vermont. As Governor he has continued to champion responsible economic development and the related aspects of Act 250 which guarantee that our history is not lost.  We are therefore proud to stand next to Mr. Shumlin again today, and offer our firm support in his efforts to seek re-election”, said VPAA Chairman, Andrew Beaupre, a native of Morgan, Vermont.

   Contributing to the VPAA’s decision to back Shumlin is his commitment to a public single payer healthcare system whereby all Vermonters will receive quality medical care.

    According to VPAA officer and Montpelier resident Xavier Massot, “Many working archaeologists in the Green Mountain State do not have health insurance through their employers and cannot afford to purchase it privately for themselves or their families.  Given that field archaeologists are at great risk for Lyme Disease and other ailments often associated with working outdoors, we understand it as essential that we rebuild our healthcare system in such a way that we can all have quality publicly financed care.”

    Concerning the race for Auditor, Mr. Beaupre continued, “We are also very excited about electing Senator Illuzzi to the position of State Auditor.  Vince has long been a proponent of all that is right in Vermont, and has long fought to make Vermont an even better place to live and raise a family. Senator Illuzzi led the charge in the General Assembly to do right by the Abenaki, and successfully saw through bills recognizing the Missisquoi, Nulhegan, Koasek, and Elnu Tribes.  This was a historic achievement that should not be overlooked. Furthermore, we archeologists and those interested in historic preservation are confident that Senator Illuzzi, as Auditor, will continue to fight for the interests of the common man, be they Abenaki, union workers, or tax payers in general. Senator Illuzzi gets it, and he has history on his side.”

    The VPAA assert that the endorsement of TJ Donovan is a reflection of the good work Mr. Donovan has done as Chittenden County State’s Attorney, his moral character, and his clear commitment to the social well being of Vermont. In addition, his opponent, Bill Sorrell, fought hard against federal recognition of Vermont’s Abenaki people.  The VPAA works closely with Vermont’s Abenaki Tribes, and rejects reactionary policies that seek to continue to suppress the rights and culture of the original Vermonters.  

    “In brief, it is inconceivable that Mr. Sorrell would fight against Abenaki recognition, yet he did.  Given the undisputed fact that Vermont’s Native American community suffered a systematic program of state sponsored forced sterilization during much of the last century, not to mention 400 years of conquest and near genocide, we find in unforgivable for a public official to take a stand against contemporary Abenaki recognition and the basic dignity that such would impart upon a community.  Doing so put Sorrell forever on the wrong side of history. Simply put, it is time for change; time to elect an Attorney General who is willing and able to take a moral stand on behalf of justice and liberty; time to elect TJ Donovan as our next Attorney General, ” Said Andrew Beaupre.

    The VPAA will be encouraging fellow working archaeologists to vote for Shumlin, Illuzzi, and Donovan and they will also be doing outreach to the many thousands of members of local historical societies throughout the State of Vermont.

###

 

Green Mountain Daily Community,

    This Sunday, July 29th in Burlington, the Vermont Sierra Club is calling on all Vermonters to take a stand against the New England tar sands pipeline that is slated to run through the Northeast Kingdom.  Together we will shut this project down before it begins, and we will realize a clean, renewable energy future for the Green Mountain State and beyond!

Sunday, July 29

Burlington, VT

12:00 noon, City Hall Park, join the march

2:00 gather at Battery Park

2:00  Human Oil Spill (*see below)

[*Below is a message from our friends and allies in 350.0rg Vermont*]

Dear Friends

    Ever since the mass arrests protesting the Keystone pipeline last summer (the largest civil disobedience action in the U.S. in 30 years) there’s been renewed interest in confronting the fossil fuel industry and its political enablers.

    The Alberta tar sands are one of North America’s most dangerous fossil fuel projects, and New England is now set to become the next battleground in big oil’s relentless attempt to expand them. Thus far the climate movement and local organizing has blocked the oil industry’s attempts to ship tar sands oil through other routes, forcing them now to begin charting a path East through our communities by converting an old gas pipeline to ship heavy corrosive tar sands.

    The Tar Sands Free Northeast campaign is making a plan to block big oil’s tar sands route east, and keep dirty oil in the ground where it belongs. When coming up against the power of the richest industry on earth, there is only one thing that’s really worked so far to stop them: powerful citizen actions.

We have a big one planned for this Sunday that we hope you will join:

Human Oil Spill Action at the Governors’ Conference — July 29

    Hundreds of citizens will be gathering in Burlington this Sunday to send a message to the region’s political leaders that we don’t want tar sands oil in our region. New England’s Governors and Canadian Premiers will be meeting in Burlington, Vermont to discuss our region’s economic and political future. Citizens aren’t invited to attend, which means that our concerns about tar sands pipelines won’t be on their agenda. So we’ll do the next best thing to being inside: we’re staging a giant action that will put tar sands on the agenda for the media and anyone else watching.

    We’re planning a massive human oil spill that will show the real risks of tar sands oil and send a simple message to our leaders: we will stand united to keep our land and water tar sands free. If you are ready to be part of a peaceful action and stand for tar sands free communities, please join us in sending this critical message. Here are the details:

Note: The human oil spill action follows a mass march that’s part of a weekend Convergence on the Conference. The march begins at 12:00 noon at City Hall Park and will end at the Hilton Hotel.

What:  Speak-out: Bill Mckibben joins First Nation and front line speakers–followed by a Human Oil Spill

When: Sunday July 29, 2:00 PM

Where: Gather at Battery Park in Burlington, Vermont and then we’ll convergence on the conference march.

Click on the below link to arrange car share to the action:

https://docs.google.com/a/sier…

How to prepare:  Wear or bring black oil spill solidarity clothing or outer shell with living Earth colors underneath (life will rise again after our oil spill).

    From the looks of things this may be the largest direct action ever staged in New England to resist tar sands expansion. Though there may need to be many more actions before our job is done, at least one message won’t need to repeated after this Sunday: New England is definitely not the path of least resistance for tar sands expansion.

Until Sunday, in Burlington

Team 350Vermont

An important message from Steve Crowley, Chairman of the the Vermont Sierra Club:

JOIN US IN CALLING FOR A TAR-SANDS-FREE VERMONT!!!

Sunday, July 29

Burlington, VT

12:00 noon, City Hall Park, join the parade

2:00 gather at Battery Park

2:30 or so:  Human Oil Spill

Fellow Vermonters,

    Welcome to the summer of 2012.  This may go down as the season in which there was no longer an excuse for ignorance, no longer an excuse for keeping our collective head in the sand.

*Record setting heat waves across the USA.

*Drought conditions covering 56% of the nation.

*A third to a half of the nation’s corn crop lost to the drought.

*A second year of unprecedented wildfires.

    Sound familiar?  If anyone’s paying attention, it should sound familiar.  This is not just a list of this month’s headlines; it’s also straight out of the climate change playbook.  These are the conditions that have been predicted for over a decade by government agencies and academics modeling most likely outcomes.  They weren’t necessarily going to happen all at once, and they definitely weren’t going to happen this fast, but here we go.

    The bad news, if that weren’t uncomfortable enough already, is that it gets worse.  One of the hidden features in these models, the ones that have accurately predicted what’s happening now, is that when more greenhouse gases are first added to the atmosphere, it takes a while for the ocean/atmosphere system to heat up.  Today’s heat, and drought, and fires, are the result of CO2 levels two decades ago.  Increases since then have yet to show up in our climate.

    The good news, if it can be called that, is that we do not have to just sit and let it happen.  There are things we can do.  Certainly, as many of us in Vermont are doing, we can and must look at our own energy use, and that in our communities, schools, and businesses, and work at getting our energy use of all kinds to a minimum.  We can install and support renewable energy.  I hope we’re all looking for those opportunities.

    But there is something else that’s equally important.  As many are aware, there are a number of relatively new sources of fossil fuels that are being developed.  Mountain top removal in the Appalachians, oil shale, hydrofracturing to release natural gas.  While some see these as a way to pave our energy future, they also pave a path towards an ever deepening climate crisis.  And worst of all may be the Alberta tar sands.  This is a huge deposit of potentially recoverable fossil fuel.  Climate scientists have looked at what’s there, and have said, if this deposit is fully brought into the world’s energy system, the resulting carbon emissions would spell the end of anything useful we could do to avoid the worst climate scenarios.  “Game over,” the much repeated quote from NASA’s James Hansen.

    It happens that we in the Northeast have a chance to make a statement about this, and perhaps have a small impact on the outcome.  To use the tar sand deposit to its capacity, there has to be a way to get the tar sands oil, a form known as bitumen, to its refineries and markets.   Last year, the Keystone XL Pipeline, intended to serve this purpose, was much in the news as the subject of massive protests at the White House, and eventually delayed by President Obama.  Now, another plan is in the works, to reconfigure the use and flow of several pipelines in Vermont and other states and provinces to bring the bitumen to the east coast.  The Trailbreaker Pipeline, as it’s called, includes a pipeline that traverses Vermont from near Troy, runs close to Lake Willoughby, and crosses into New Hampshire near Guildhall.  Just last year, a similar pipeline in Michigan, owned by the same company, ruptured, causing widespread damage that has still not been fully cleaned up.  We don’t want this happening in Vermont.  And we certainly do not want to add the carbon emissions.

    As the New England Governors and eastern Canadian Premiers gather next weekend  for their annual meeting in Burlington,  we are taking the opportunity to speak out.  While Governor Shumlin has expressed his opposition to this use of the pipeline, we want to be sure he and the other leaders know about how serious this is.

    We ask you, as a caring and concerned Vermonter, to join us in making this statement.  On Sunday, July 29, as the conferees gather at the Hilton in Burlington, we will be there.  After gathering at noon at City Hall Park, we’ll be marching down to Battery Park.  After words from a few speakers (here’s the fun part), hundreds of us, dressed in black t-shirts, will create the world’s largest “Human Oil Spill” alongside Battery Street, across from the conference.

    So, please come join us, ready to have an afternoon of comraderie and purpose, as well as a bit of fun.  Come join the crowd at City Hall Park, and look for the Sierra Club banner.

    Let’s not wait until the Northeast Kingdome turns into the kind of tinderbox we saw last year in Texas, or this year in Colorado!

Steve Crowley

Chair, Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club

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If you are not already a member of the Vermont Sierra Club, now is the time to join!

You can become a member of the Vermont Sierra Club by going to the below link:

http://action.sierraclub.org/s…

SOLIDARITY!

Green Mountain Daily Community,

    You have a chance to help put right centuries of neglect of the First Vermonters. The Abenaki people of Vermont suffer from extreme poverty and have no land to call their own. Their culture is at risk of disappearing forever unless we act now. The Sierra Club has partnered with the Abenaki people and other groups to establish the first ever tribal forests in Vermont.

    Sign our petition today calling for the establishment of tribal forests for the Abenaki people by clicking on the below link:

http://action.sierraclub.org/s…

    Tribal forests will conserve wildlife habitat, and build and protect paths for animal migration. Additionally, the forests will allow the Abenaki to provide firewood for their elders, food for their families through hunting and fishing, and provide sources of revenue through sustainable forestry and maple sugaring.

Last month, the Sierra Club marched side-by-side with the Abenaki people and thousands of other Vermonters in Montpelier. The message was clear, through our slogan: Put People and the Planet First. There is no better way to show our commitment to our community, our history, and our environment than by supporting tribal forests.

    When you sign our petition, you’ll join more than 1000 other Vermonters who are already standing with the Abenaki people.

    The May 1st march, and the hundreds who have already signed our petition, has gotten our plan attention in Montpelier. Now, with your help, we can get this across the finish line.

    You can show your support by clicking on the below link and signing the Abenaki tribal forest petition:

http://action.sierraclub.org/s…

In Solidarity,

David Van Deusen

P.S. After you sign, be sure to “like” us on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/…

You can also see a video of an Abenaki tribal leader speaking at the May 1st rally at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…