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"Norm Edelen & Lisa Hayashi" <normane at hevanet_com>: NANFA--G. Sneegas: Sierra Club's Water Message to Congress
>
>*** Forwarding note from I5346375--IBMMAIL 06/10/97 10:26 ***
>Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 09:46:46 -0400
>From: Merritt Frey <cleanwaternt at igc_org>
>Subject: Sierra Club's Water Message to Congress
>To: cleanwater-info at igc_org
>
>Sierra Club Press Release
>
>For Immediate Release Contact: Kristin Hyde,
> 202-547-1141 or
>June 10, 1997 Eric Uram at
> 608-257-4994.
>
>
>Flood Victims' Tell Congress and President-- Pass a Clean Flood Relief
>Bill, Stop Wetlands Destruction and Factory Farms
>
>Washington, D.C.-- Flood victims and river activists from across the
>country joined the Sierra Club today in calling for Congress to pass a
>clean $5.5 billion flood relief bill to help flooded families and
>farmers in 35 states, and stop permitting new factory farms until
>protections are in place. A Grand Forks, N.D.
>resident Alan Kantrud said the flooding was made worse because big
>agri-businesses and developers destroyed 75 percent of the
>flood-storing
>wetlands in the Red River basin.
>
>"How can Congress take a nine day action while leaving Red River flood
>victims waiting to know when they can begin to put their homes and
>businesses back together," said Kantrud. "We need a clean flood bill
>now
>for flood victims everywhere and put partisan politics aside."
>
>Kantrud joined over 70 people from 19 states in Washington this week
>for
>the Sierra Club's Clean Water Week. The local volunteers met with
>officials at FEMA, the Army Corps of
>Engineers, Departments of Interior and Agriculture, EPA and the White
>House to push for more wetlands and clean water protections to protect
>our
>health, our families and our future.
>
>President Clinton vetoed the flood relief bill because it contains
>many
>unrelated riders, such as one that would set up a "Pave the Parks"
>Commission, sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska(R-AK).
>
>"Our neighborhood was flooded months ago but now all these politicians
>are just thinking of themselves and their own agendas," said Doris
>Wilson, a flood and wetlands destruction victim from Louisville, KY.
>"My home was flooded when developers destroyed neighboring wetlands.
>I have been flooded and I know it is important for Congress to pass a
>clean flood bill."
>
>The group highlighted common sense solutions to reduce flood risks
>such
>as the Tulsa, OK model flood management plan. "We can lower our
>families
>risks of floods," said Kathi Knipfer, Sierra Club Oklahoma
>Conservation
>Chair. "Now that we've reduce the flood threat in Tulsa, we need to
>clean up major water pollution sources such as large hog and chicken
>factories. We are asking for a moratorium on building new large hog
>and
>chicken factories until the government releases protections for
>neighboring families, property and drinking water."
>
>"These hog and chicken factories are industrial polluters, not family
>farmers," said Hank Graddy, Sierra Club Mississippi River Taskforce
>Chair.
>
>"One of the reasons that we couldn't go home was because of the manure
>and toxic pollution that threatened our health," said Kantrud. "We
>need
>to clean all the pollution upstream.
>
>The Sierra Club also released an updated "Floods, Deaths, and Wetlands
>Destruction" report that shows that flood deaths and damage costs are
>increasing.
>
>"So far this year, floods have killed 35 and costs almost $3 billion,"
>said Brett Hulsey, Sierra Club Protect Our Families From Floods
>Project
>Director. "Over 500 people have died in the last four years from
>floods, which cost over $34 billion. Flood costs have increase 800%
>since 1950 despite spending over $35 billion on
>flood control' projects."
>
>Susan Patton, is chair of the Sierra Club Midwest Regional
>Conservation
>Committee and a flood victim from Kentucky. "Congress should quit
>playing politics with our families' health, and pass a clean flood
>relief bill now."
>
>Patton, a registered nurse, outlined simple steps that people could
>take
>to protect their health and homes from flooding. "We recommend
>restoring
>wetlands near high flood rivers like the Red River Basin, moving homes
>from flood-prone neighborhoods,
>stopping easy wetland destruction permits that destroy flood-storing
>wetlands, a nd stopping new
>hog and chicken factories
>until rules are in place to protect human health and Clean Water.
>These
>are commons sense step to protect our families, farms, and homes from
>water pollution and flooding."
>
>The Sierra Club has 65 groups dedicating to educating the public about
>protecting our environment, our families, and our future. The Sierra
>Club Midwest Office have been working to protect people from flooding
>for over 25 years.
>
>END
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