PA Campfire Dispatch
A monthly report from Grassroots groups across the state calling us to a more just and environmentally responsible Pennsylvania
Volume 3, Issue 3 - - - - - - - -April of 2024 Issue
Monthly Sections:
Campfire News, Articles on Grassroots Groups and Issues
Periodic Sections
Biographies, Words of Wisdom, PA Convergence News, Art & Photography, Eco-Friendly Living Tips, Recipes, The Garden Patch, Cloud News, Riddles, SpoofNews
Feature Article:
Save The Heritage Trees — Not?
Feature
Save The Heritage Trees -- Not?
By Dawn Kane
The City of Philadelphia modified its zoning codes to protect heritage trees back in December of 2011. It may not be enough to protect 48 heritage trees from being cut down to make way for artificial-turf playing fields in South Philadelphia’s Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, FDR Park.
Before the pandemic, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation began work on a $250 million redevelopment plan for the park, which included an expansion of sports fields in and around an old golf course that closed in 2019. The plan was approved after multiple public hearings to receive input from area residents.
After the city locked down in 2020 during the pandemic, nature took over at the park. Vegetation softened the landscape and attracted wildlife. People began to take solace in what became a wild, natural refuge. Suddenly, the implementation of the redevelopment plan lost its appeal for many area residents, and a campaign to “Save the Meadows” was born.
Interview with Sami Bortz, Director of Slippery Rock University’s Macoskey Center for Sustainability, Education and Research
By Jim Highland
What brings together beekeeping research, a garlic growing workshop, occupational therapy research on nature-based, sensory interventions and an event students love called Chickenfest? That’s right: Slippery Rock University’s Macoskey Center for Sustainability, Education and Research.
I visited SRU’s Macoskey Center on Friday, March 29th to talk to the center’s Director, Samantha (Sami) Bortz about what the Macoskey Center’s goals are, what kind of programs it has, what challenges it has faced and what activities people can expect from the center in the near future. This was actually an interview we had planned to do a year ago, around the time of an event for environmental activists held at SRU called the Campfire Gathering, but I was very busy helping to organize and run that event, and Sami was busy with Macoskey duties and grant writing (more on that below), and we both got crazy busy. So, a year later, we said let’s do this interview.
Clean Air Council: Contact your Representatives to Protect PA from Harmful Carbon Capture Practices: Oppose SB 831
Please oppose Senate Bill 831. This bill will harm property owners and place an undue burden on DEP to monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) storage sites, while essentially absolving industry operators from responsibility in the long run. Allowing storage operators to acquire ownership of pore space with just 60% of surface owners’ consent forces property owners to give up pore space rights even if they are wary of the environmental and health risks associated with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Stored CO2 can migrate and contaminate groundwater or poison humans at high enough concentrations. Given the long lifespan of CO2 in the atmosphere, there is no realistic time in the future when stored carbon can be released. By absolving storage operators of monitoring responsibilities and pushing them to DEP after 10 years, this bill fails to hold operators responsible for any future storage issues.
Campfire News
Save Our Streams PA: Apr.19-21
Abandoned Well Hunt Training Weekend Friday-Sunday, April 19th-21st Willow Bay Campground, 4001 W Washington St, Bradford, PA 16701 Let's Go Well Hunting!
Slippery Rock University's Macoskey Center for Sustainability, Education and Research
Earth Fest: April 20th
Saturday, April 20th, 12noon-5PM Educational Activities, Live Music Student Sustainability Projects, Raffle Baskets, Food and Drinks and Vendors
CRCQL: Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living: April 20th
Chester Environmental Justice Day: Caravan by Car, March and Noise! Chester City Hall to Covanta Incinerator, Saturday April 20th, 12noon, March starts 12:30
Protect PT: April 22nd
Protect PT: Municipal Sustainability Grant Writing Workshop, Ligonier, Monday, April 22, 2024 @ 6:30 PM Ligonier Valley Library, 120 W Main St, Ligonier, PA 15658 New federal funding programs are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for communities like yours to access billions of climate dollars. Working with local leaders, Laura Vincenti will write, free of charge, federal grants to bring these dollars home to your community and school districts.
Fair Districts PA: Polling Place Outreach, Tuesday, April 23rd
Look for us when you vote and then don't forget to sign the petition for an Independent Citizens' Redistricting Commission to stop Gerrymandering in Pennsylvania and create more fair districts for better representation
Food & Water Watch: Planet vs. Plastic Wednesday, April 24th, 3-4 PM EDT
Online: Join us as we dive into the history of the plastics industry with expert Dr. Rebecca Glasior Altman, an environmental sociologist who studies and writes about the social history of chemistry, plastics, pollution and their environmental legacy.
Protect Your Community
By Barbara W. Brandom, MD (retired)
Boroughs and townships have the power to protect their communities’ quality of life.
April 2, 2024 the Northumberland Bourough Council “strenuously and unequivocally” approved a resolution opposing Encina’s proposed plastic recycling facility in Point Township. The resolution was approved unanimously without discussion, and cites more than ten concerns as the foundation for the council’s objection. (https://www.dailyitem.com/news/northumberland-council-passes-anti-encina-resolution/article_ae2d446e-f0ef-11ee-b1c4-b3e8154595ac.html )
Residents have voiced their concerns about the air and water pollution this industrial activity would cause for two years. Members of the local grassroots group, Save Our Susquehanna, worked with attorneys from the Clean Air Council, and other supportive environmental groups, including Beyond Plastics and Climate Reality Project to bring the resolution to the attention of the borough council and to engage one of the council members in chaperoning this resolution through their adoption process.
Riddle of the Month
I can fly without wings, cry without eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me. What am I?
Answer is hidden in our banner, near the word Riddles
Campfire News
Protect PT: Pitcairn Community Meeting on Monroeville Landfill Impacts, Thursday, Apr. 25th 6PM Pitcairn Fire Company, 100 Center Ave, Pitcairn, PA 15140
Save Slippery Rock Creek: April 25th Attend S.R. Township Zoning Meeting regarding special exception request by Asphalt Company that wants rezoning to build plant on Slippery Rock Creek
Thursday, April 25th, 10AM at the Slippery Rock Township Building at 155 Branchton Road, Slippery Rock, PA. Pure Water & Recreation
Strategic Organizing and Nonviolent Direct Action Workshops with Penn Garvin, Saturday/Sunday, Apr.27-28 Community of Reconciliation Church 100 N Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA Corner of Bellefield and 5th Ave.
Saturday, April 27, 10AM-12noon Powermapping, 1:30-3:30PM Talking to people at various points on your spectrum of allies
Sunday, April 28th, 1:00-3:00PM Nonviolent Direct Action Training
Protect PT 9th Anniversary: April 27
Saturday, April 27th 3:00-7:00PM Protect PT Office and Parking Lot 3344 PA-130 Ste D, Harrison City, PA 15636 Music, Foodtrucks, Drinks, Games and Raffles: Parking at Janet's Restaurant, next door.
Food & Water Watch AND Protect PT Tuesday, April 30th, 7PM Online:
Injection Well Webinar for Municipal Leaders: How Your Municipality Can Protect Itself from the Dangers of Injection Wells
Coming Next Month!!
Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT)
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Leadership for a Livable Future at Vanguard headquarters
Thursday, May 2nd at 11am at Vanguard headquarters in Malvern, PA,
Fair Districts PA Thursday, May 2nd, 7-8:30 PM on Zoom
Mapping Pennsylvania's Future: Statewide Zoom Forum Introducing House Bill 1776 & Senate Bill 1076, Join us for a statewide Zoom forum to learn about this new bill that will create an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw our congressional and state legislative lines. We’ll learn about the 3 foundational legs on which HB 1776 is built. We’ll hear from the bill’s prime sponsors-Reps Steve Samuelson and Mark Gillen. They will explain why this bill is important now.
Send us your group’s events, fundraisers, war stories from the frontline!
The PA Campfire Dispatch is a monthly newsletter meant to draw together a diverse, inclusive peaceful gathering of groups, organized to demand urgent legislative and administrative action on climate. The path to climate justice necessarily includes the phase out of greenhouse gas production, a just transition to clean, renewable energy free from the influence of the exploitative fossil fuel and petrochemical economy, for those most affected by it. Content does not include any event or information source that inhibits or prevents the rapid phase out of greenhouse gas production.