Finger Lakes Group
Winter 2007 Newsletter
Letters to the Editor
Hello Finger Lakes Sierrans,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and welcome everyone to our group. My name is Richard Hurley and I am honored to serve as your chair of The Finger Lakes Sierra group. My background is from industry and education. I grew up on the south shore of Long Island, and witnessed some of the environmental change in that area during the 1960's and 70's.
I think we live in one of the most impressive environmental areas in the United States, the Finger Lakes region . The Finger Lakes Group, which is part of the Sierra Atlantic Chapter consists of the following Counties: Allegany, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins. I am hopeful that folks in this area join us in the protection of this sensitive ecosystem where we live. There are many different ways everyone can help from membership to serving as a leader in different areas within the organization.
Our group this year was involved in various activities, some of these including Steuben Waterday, Elmira Riverfest, and The Watkins Glen Green Grand Prix. These events were well attended and enjoyed by many people. Our group is motivated and excited about participation in these educational community activities. We don't just complain about environmental problems we work on solutions.
We are currently planning next years events and welcome others to join in. Please feel free to join with us in doing something that will help make a difference in our future and our children's future.
Our Group's Leadership and member volunteers work to affect governmental and community regarding environmental issues facing New York State and the country as a whole. Our group is looking to establish a political committee, who will evaluate future candidates seeking office who will impact environmental issues. Some of these issues include: Wetland protection, Global Warming/ Energy, Solid Waste, Concentrated Animal Fee Operations (CAFO), and Toxics Environmental education.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to join in some way or if you just want to let us know your concerns about the environment. Thank You.
Rich Hurley, Finger Lakes Group Chair
Hello Fellow Sierrans,
My contribution to Waterday was organizing a petition to Governor Elliot Spitzer to look at municipal trash pick up in rural areas. This could be a possible solution to illegal dumping and burning of household trash.
The present system of trash collection in rural areas and small towns in upstate New York does not work.
In large cities and densely populated areas of the state this problem was solved using municipal pick up. The mountains of upstate New York are the watershed that supplies drinking water to much of the east coast. This water supply should be protected!
Water is already more expensive than oil when purchased bottled. We must work together to protect this precious supply of clean healthy mountain spring water that our area has an abundance of.
Sincerely, Gene Stolfi